September Member Update

A Message from the Executive Director

Events Calendar

Program Updates

Nonprofit Community Events & News

ED CEO & C-Level Position Announcements

Thank you!

 A Message from the Executive Director

Dear Members,

The “R” word seems to be on everyone’s mind today: Are we entering a recession? Are we already in a recession? Have we avoided the recession in the Northwest?  It brings up the old expression “if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck and quacks like a duck…”

But in this case, whether it is a duck or not, hardly matters if enough warning flags are going up. Times are uncertain, and in times of uncertainty, things tend to contract: profits, dividends, employment, disposable income, consumer confidence and many more indices of prosperity.

What does this mean for nonprofits? For you as the leader? How do you successfully lead your organization during this time of uncertainty?

If we are to weather this time, it is not only prudent, it’s imperative that we prepare for it. Perhaps the best way nonprofits can improve their long-term financial position is to diversify your revenue sources. You may be saying this is all well and good but the drought’s already on us. What can we do in the short term?”

It goes without saying that good leadership is crucial to any successful organization. But, what makes a good leader, especially in trying times? The answer is that there are many factors that contribute to good leadership. And, whether someone is naturally a good leader or not, anyone can become a good leader in good times and in recessionary times.

Communication is one of the most key elements of leadership. Good communication skills need to be learned to effectively become a good leader or manager. When communication occurs, as a leader, you will be able to accurately convey your ideas and thoughts to those that work for you. If employees have no idea what is on your mind, the direction you are taking your organization, your leadership is going to falter.

Motivation is another variable that plays into good leadership. Employees tend to stagnate when motivation decreases…and it will decrease, without proper motivation. Try adding challenges for your employees. A fresh challenge always adds excitement and spawns creativity. Challenge your employees with goals and projects that may be slightly out of their range and let them at it! This increases motivation and keeps a positive environment in your organization.

Teamwork is always something to consider when striving to become a good leader. This means not only teaching your employees to work together but to become part of the team yourself.

Use others’ potential. Many times, employees’ potential is wasted. A good leader recognizes that his or her employees are more than just employees, they are people too. These people have lives outside of work where they have to make decisions on a daily basis, from how to deal with house payments, to car bills, to raising children, to uncountable tasks in everyday life. Yet, at work, their decision making skills are not trusted enough to choose what type of toner needs to be ordered for a set of printers.

The point here is that employees need to be trusted to do more. A good leader doesn’t manage every single detail. Use others’ potential to your benefit. You will find that you have become a better leader for it.

As always, increasing your education is definitely a good thing when trying to improve leadership, but the school that really needs to be brought to your attention here is the kind of school that you don’t get a degree in. That’s where EA comes in to support your leadership development and growth.

First take the time to learn as much about your position of being a leader as possible. Do some reading at the nearest bookstore, check with us for the names of some excellent books on leadership. Attend EA events like the Leadership Breakfast or ED Forum and talk to other leaders and see how they do things; trade notes. The Peer Coaching Program is another perfect example of a program that gives you an opportunity to continually learn from other leaders. The more you evaluate yourself and your practices and search for as much information on leadership as possible, the more you will be able to keep up with changing difficult times and you'll be a better leader for it.

In times of uncertainty, that’s when you as a nonprofit leader need the support of your peers, your sector…the nonprofit sector and your association even more than ever! Let us know how we can assist you.

Melany

__________________________________________

Take Action on the GIVE Act!!

America's volunteers play a vital role in delivering services to their communities through nonprofits. But a painful quirk in federal tax law has created a barrier that is preventing many volunteers from doing what they really want to do, which is to help the needy in their communities. As a result, nonprofits from coast to coast have been losing volunteers because of high gas prices and this unfair tax statute. 
 
Fortunately, a bill was recently introduced to fix this problem: the Giving Incentives to Volunteers Everywhere Act of 2008 (GIVE Act) (S.3429).  But when Congress comes back to DC from its August recess, it will have only three weeks to get the bill passed in both the House and Senate before it adjourns so members can seek re-election. Join Executive Alliance, NCNA and hundreds of other nonprofits in urging Congress to take action now on this vital issue! Send a letter to your Senators urging them to co-sponsor the bill and then send a letter to the editor of your local newspaper to keep your community informed. You can also learn more about real nonprofits affected by this issue; read about the background of this legislation; learn why NCNA has endorsed this legislation. Please raise your voice for nonprofits and volunteers everywhere!

__________________________________________

Guest Columnist

Measuring Employees’ Contributions to Mission and Goals

Do all your employees contribute to achieving your organization’s mission and goals? How do you know??

Performance management encompasses the most important people issues in an organization. Performance management includes an examination of the entire relationship the organization has with the people it employs. The term performance management encompasses more than the appraisal process which may or may not exist; it can include:

• Clear job descriptions;
• Requirements and results-based performance standards, outcomes and measures;
• Effective orientation, education and training;
• On-going coaching and feedback;
• A process schedule – quarterly, annual, anniversary etc;
• The reward or compensation system;
• The roads to success, career development, opportunities and succession planning; and
• A means of retaining good employees.

The demands of day-to-day activity often lead to a reduced collaboration between managers and employees. Keeping
track of employee achievements and other relevant information must be made easy if managers and employees are to be reasonably expected to stay on top of these things. Goals that are written on paper once a year have little power to direct or motivate employees throughout the year.

A growing number of small and mid-sized organizations are turning to innovative technologies like Halogen Performance Management Software and others to help them improve their performance management processes. By automating performance management, these organizations realize financial benefits including increased employee productivity, improved employee retention, optimized compensation, and savings in time and cost.

For an automated performance solution to be most effective, information is collected and aggregated in a way that allows people to actually access it and apply it strategically. If the review process is not automated, the review gets filed away and is usually not touched again until the next cycle of reviews.

Leading automated systems allow the following in real-time, anytime:

• Track the organization’s overall progress against its goals;
• Identify employee performance trends, including their key strengths and weaknesses;
• Identify competency gaps and determine what skills are missing;
• Monitor improvements in employee performance ratings over time; and
• Assess employee rating distributions across the organization, so that top performers are appropriately rewarded.

Most importantly, automating the performance management processes can provide huge financial returns, generating
thousands of dollars annually through increased employee productivity, improved retention and true compensation.
Motivating your employees to achieve set goals through a streamlined performance management system will have direct impact on your organization achieving its mission and vision on an ongoing basis.

Automated systems can ensure that an organization’s performance management process is built around best
practices, encourages management and employee participation, which is key, and brings greater consistency to the entire review process.

If you would like more information on this subject, we would be happy to send you a white paper titled, “Employee
Performance Management: Making It A Reality In Your Organization” please send an email with EPM in the subject heading or call him at 866-248-7755 x304.

Frank Hagel is the President of Hagel & Company, a Seattle area-based executive search and HR technology company, and a proud sponsor of the Executive Alliance.

__________________________________________

Events Calendar

Leadership Breakfast

Join your peers at our quarterly Leadership Breakfast featuring engaging, cutting-edge programs and speakers.
 
When:   Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Where:  Museum of History and Industry
                2700 24th Avenue East
                Seattle, WA 98112
Time:     8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Cost:     $20 Member w/reservation
             $25 Non-Member w/reservation
             $30 at the Door
To RSVP: 206 328-3836 or Reservation  

Each program is designed to introduce you to new ideas, challenge

your thinking and enhance your leadership. These meetings are open to Executive Directors/CEO's, leadership team members, board members and EA supporters.
 

October 15th Speaker: Paul Shoemaker
 
Paul Shoemaker is Executive Director of Social Venture Partners Seattle(www.svpseattle.org); a Seattle non-profit focused on children, education, and the environment in the fulfillment of two missions - helping non-profits build their organizational capacity and catalyzing individual, engaged philanthropy. Paul is also the Founding President of SVP International, a North American federation of SVP's in 25 cities - www.svpintl.org. He serves on the board of Partners for Our Children (http://www.partnersforourchildren.org), a public-private partnership working to make positive changes in the child welfare system in our state.
 
Make your reservation TODAY!
 

Please RSVP for all events and meetings!!

RSVP@exec-alliance.org or 206.328.3836

________________________________________________

Program Updates

Peer Coaching Program

Record number participate in September Peer Coaching Circles

Click here to request a Peer Coaching brochure and application for the Circles starting in January 2009.

How they work? Each group member brings their own issues to the group and gets an equal time slot each session   Members choose their own issues to explore and resolve, then take a complete look at the situation, explore alternatives, set realistic goals, take actions Coaching involves a variety of approaches and skills, including attentive listening, probing questions, brainstorming, supportive challenges, occasionally sharing materials and personal experiences

Email Yalonda Gill Masundirè at Yalonda Gill Masundire or call her at 206-328-3836 to get more information.
 
Why face your organization's challenges alone, when you can get the support and encouragement from your peers.

Register for Peer Coaching Today

__________________________________________

Nonprofit Community Events

The Taproot Foundation specializes in awarding capacity-building Service Grants to other nonprofit organizations.  We seek to provide high-potential Seattle Area nonprofits with the critical tools and services necessary to maximize the impact of their work.  Unlike traditional foundations that make cash grants, the Taproot Foundation makes grants of high-quality consulting services. We engage teams of business professionals in pro bono marketing, IT, and strategy management projects, each of which is valued at between $25,000 and $50,000.

Service Grant types include:

Key Messages & Brand Strategy

• Naming & Visual Identity
• Visual Identity & Brand Strategy
• Brochures
• Annual Reports
• Website development
• Donor Database development
• Competitor/Collaborator Analysis
• Financial Analysis
• Strategic Planning Preparation
• Strategic Scorecard

We are about to head into our September 2008 grant round and applications are being accepted through September 15th. We invite interested nonprofits to visit our website at http://www.taprootfoundation.org/npo to check out the various Service Grants that we offer, as well as our basic application criteria and eligibility.

If you would like to discuss your organization’s need and fit or have questions about the Service Grant process, please contact Jaime Rohrer, Fellow, Outreach Coordinator, at 206.790.ROOT (7668) or email her at jaime@taprootfoundation.org.

*********************************

NEW!! UW Extention Program 
 

Are you seeking to increase the leadership, professionalism, and results obtained by your fundraising staff? Consider sponsoring them into the new UW Extension program on Advanced Fundraising Management. Emphasis is on leadership, major gifts, specific campaigns, and current issues in development.
 

Courses begin in September. Full details here: http://www.extension.washington.edu/ext/certificates/afm/afm_gen.asp  

For more information, contact: Mary Larson, mlarson@extn.washington.edu,  206-616-0619.

**********************************

Community Consulting Partnership
             Dedicated to Service, Learning, and Community in the Seattle area.
 
CCP is a dynamic group of learners and change professionals who join together to promote both learning and service within Seattle area non-profit organizations. The purpose of this brief guide is to provide useful information about the CCP experience so you can make an informed decision as to whether or not to participate as a Consulting Client.

 THE BASICS
We train volunteers to conduct organization development (OD) consultations by putting them to work with not-for-profit organizations. We have been doing this since 1996. We have worked with more than 70 organizations. Over 400 CCP volunteers have learned from hands-on consulting experiences.  

THE COST
Lots of inspiring hard work! Very little money!  

THE BENEFITS
Improved performance for non-profit organizations!  New skills and a community network for volunteer consultants!  visit www.ccpseattle.org for detailed information

***********************************

Social Justice Book Club

Join EA member Polly Trout from Seattle Education Access and experience the new Social Justice Book Club. The book club meets every 1st Thursday of the month beginning September 4, 2008. The first gathering will be at Waid’s Haitian Restaurant & Bar: 1212 East Jefferson, Seattle.   The September book will be “The Revolution Will Not Be Funded” by INCITE. The book club will meet each month at a different location to take in some of Seattle’s most culturally diverse restaurants and bars. For more information regarding this Social Justice book club contact PollyTrout or 206 465-6342.

Keep watching this site for information on additional book clubs starting soon.

If you’re interested in facilitating a book club, contact: Yalonda Gill Masundiré, Member Services Manager 206 328-3836 or ygill@exec-alliance.org

***********************************

United Way Upcoming Workshops

Just a quick reminder of the upcoming board/ED-related workshops. For details please view our website www.uwkc.org/nonprofit/training/calendar.asp  or call 206.461.5014. 

Each has received great reviews from participants in prior years.

Sep 9 – The Leadership of Letting Go: ED Succession Planning

Sep 16 – Avoiding Decision Traps: How to Set up Effective Decision-Making Processes

Oct 9 – Your Strategic Plan: Compass, Map and Fuel for the Journey

For further descriptions and registration information on any of these workshops, please see:www.uwkc.org/nonprofit/training/calendar.asp   or call 206.461.4539

***********************************

MEDC Cultural Competency Trainings

From Awareness to Action: Skill Building for Cultural Competency

This interactive 2-day training workshop integrates anti-racism work with cultural competency, setting a foundation for understanding cultural competency through a social justice lens. Participants will engage in self-examination, both personally and organizationally, to identify the next steps to move forward in the journey of cultural competence. Participants will also begin to develop an action plan for successful implementation of culturally competent policies, procedures, practices, programs and services.

Upcoming trainings:

• October 1 & 2, 2008 @ 9:00 - 4:30 pm
• December 9 & 10, 2008 @ 9:00 - 4:30 pm

Register:

• $225 (Lunch is included with registration)
• Discounts available for MEDC members and organizations sending 3 or more participants.
• Please click here to download the registration form

Contact:
Minority Executive Directors Coalition

Phone: 206-325-2542

Email: training@medcofkc.org

Save the Date

2008 National Philanthropy Day ceremony on Thursday, November 20th, at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel. 

_________________________________________

Executive Director CEO & C-Level Positions

Executive Director

Alliance of People with disAbilities, Seattle, WA

The Alliance of People with disAbilities, a Center for Independent Living, is seeking a dynamic, creative Executive Director to manage offices in Seattle and Redmond. The Alliance has 9 staff with an annual budget of $510k. The Executive Director will be an energetic self starter who provides leadership, vision, direction, and administration for the Alliance in fulfilling its mission. The Executive Director administers programs and grants (federal, state, local, and private) according to statutes, regulations, and guidelines established by the funding entities.  In addition, the Executive Director is responsible to the Board of Directors for the completion of needs assessments and development of annual work plan and strategic plan, human resource management, including staff recruitment, hiring, training, and supervision.

Send a resume and cover letter by October 15 to info@disabilitypride.org or mail to:

Alliance of People with disAbilities, 4649 Sunnyside Avenue N., Suite 100 , Seattle , WA 98103

No telephone calls, please. For more information about the Alliance: www.disabilitypride.org

Executive Director Ashley House

Enumclaw, Washington

Ashley House is seeking an accomplished, action-oriented leader to serve as successor to its current Executive Director (ED) who is retiring after 15 years of service to the agency.  Headquartered in Enumclaw, Ashley House operates five homes throughout the South Puget Sound region providing high quality care for children, and support services for their families, who are coping with the challenges of a catastrophic injury or a congenital birth defect.  The new ED will have the opportunity to continue to grow the agency and lead it forward in achieving even greater impact in assisting medically fragile children and their families throughout the region.

The Executive Director reports to the Executive Committee of the eight-member Board of Directors.  The ED is responsible for implementing policies adopted by the Board of Directors through volunteers and staff, overseeing operations, managing productivity and evaluating programs, and assuring effective implementation of the organization's strategic plan, program and development goals.  The ED will implement policies, and procedures consistent with prudent managerial and fiscal practices.  The ED will maintain relationships with staff and volunteers throughout the region.

Please visit http://www.hagelsearch.com/jobs.html for a complete Position Profile.  Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest and resume as soon as possible.  Full consideration is assured if letters and resumes are received by 5:00 PM PDT, October 3, 2008.  All submissions should be made via email with documents in MS Word format.  All submissions will be held in strict confidence and will be acknowledged. 

For further information, or to apply, please email: Dave Osmer, Hagel & Company, Bellevue, WA.  Email: dave@hagel.net

Position Announcement for Executive Director New Horizons Ministries

New Horizons Ministries (NHM) is a multicultural organization whose mission is to be in relationship with homeless youth, equipping them to leave the streets. For over 30 years, New Horizons’ skilled staff has partnered with volunteers and diverse church communities to reach out to street involved youth. We provide supportive services such as daily meals, clothing, life skills training and relational counseling. Nearly 25 staff and over 50 volunteers are currently and actively meetings these needs. New Horizons is a leader in at-risk youth ministry and as such, provides training locally and globally to individuals and organizations.

We are seeking an Executive Director with extraordinary vision and leadership capabilities to prayerfully lead, manage and multiply this ground breaking ministry. Undergirded by Christ, this position offers a unique place where one's skills in management, fund-raising, social justice advocacy, and their understanding of the clinical process will be stretched and ultimately utilized for the highest of purposes.

We encourage you to visit our website at www.nhmin.org 

Qualified Candidates Please send Resume to: recruit@nhmin.org  

The Foundation for Early Learning Executive Director

The Foundation for Early Learning, whose mission is to find, fund, foster and promote best practices that support early learning and school readiness for all children, birth through age five, is currently seeking an Executive Director.

The Executive Director, first and foremost, is responsible for the overall management of the Foundation, including staff development, budgeting, grant making, collaborations and fundraising.  The Executive Director works closely with the Board of Directors to set the organization’s strategic vision, mission and goals.  The Executive Director also oversees the Foundation’s Advisory Council.

Anyone interested in and qualified for this unique and exciting position should email a resume and cover letter to: Mike Wagner, HR Consultant and Search Manager, at mj_wagner@comcast.net

Center for Career Alternatives Finance Director

Under the supervision of the Executive Director or designee, the Finance Director is directly responsible for overall accounting, finance and budgeting for the agency.  The agency budget is $3.6 million.  In addition, the Finance Director supervises the work of the accountant, office assistant, and support staff.  Also responsible for overseeing building and ground maintenance; and purchasing equipment and furniture. The Finance Director is a member of the Management team.   

Submit cover letter (include experience with accounting software and supervisory level accounting), resume and three professional references’ (past supervisors) telephone numbers:

        Center for Career Alternatives

        901 Rainier Ave. S.

        Seattle, WA 98144

        Attn.: Linda Hissong or Lhissong@CCAWA.org

City Year Seattle/King County Executive Director

City Year Seattle/King County is the Seattle region’s local affiliate of City Year, Inc., a non-profit youth-focused community service organization with 18 locations throughout the United States and South Africa.  City Year engages young adults in 10 months of full-time rigorous community service and leadership development.

The Executive Director (ED) will serve as the primary leader, external spokesperson, and internal manager of City Year Seattle/King County.  Promoting the organization’s potential for impact, sustainability, and scale, the ED will provide the overall operational leadership and direct the daily activities of the organization.  The ED provides vision and translates strategy into action and results, developing and executing a multi-year strategic plan and an annual operating plan to manage the overall performance of the organization. The ED has an important relationship with and responsibility to the national headquarters and reports to City Year, Inc.’s, Regional Director for the Western Region.

City Year Seattle/King County is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity in all areas of its operations.  We welcome and encourage diverse applications.  Please send a cover letter and resume as soon as possible to: Waldron & Company; 1100 Olive Way, Suite 1800; Seattle, WA 98101; 206 441-4144, 206-441-5213 fax; info@waldronhr.com.

The Northwest Infant Survival Alliance-SIDS Executive Director

The Northwest Infant Survival Alliance-SIDS Foundation of Washington is looking for an experienced Executive Director to be its lead staff person. The Executive Director must be able to perform non-profit administrative responsibilities, accomplish program delivery objectives, and provide management oversight of financial and fundraising activities. Required qualifications include: at least a Bachelor’s degree; at least four years of increasingly responsible management experience in a non-profit or social service setting; the ability to analyze the effectiveness of program plans, procedures, and policies; experience with computer programs and non-profit databases; and experience in writing and editing various documents. This is a full-time position, Monday – Friday, $42,000-46,000 DOE, not benefit eligible. See our website for the full job description.

Please, no phone calls. Email your cover letter and resume to lroesch@thesidsfoundation.org no later than 5:00 PM, August 28, 2008.

Whidbey Institute at Chinook Seeks Executive Director

As it prepares to celebrate its 15th anniversary, the Whidbey Institute at Chinook is seeking a new Executive Director. The 110 acre Chinook Lands on Whidbey Island in Washington State is home to the internationally recognized Whidbey Institute. The retreat center offers programs dedicated to the study and practice of interdependence among Earth, Spirit, and the Human Future. The Institute is a place for personal and spiritual renewal, for learning from the natural world, and for convening conversations that matter on behalf of the common good. The Whidbey Institute seeks to foster bioregional environmental and spiritual consciousness, to nourish a new social and economic imagination, to actively engage cross-sector collaboration, and to cultivate the formation of creative, adaptive leadership.

Visit www.whidbeyinstitute.org to learn more about the Whidbey Institute at Chinook.

To download the complete leadership invitation and application, go to: www.whidbeyinstitute.org/ED_Search.pdf

Arts Ed Washington Communications & Membership Manager
For a detailed position profile click here. Electronic Submissions Only. Please send a cover letter, resume, references and three writing/publication samples to: Una McAlinden, Executive Director, info@artsedwashington.org The position will remain open until filled. Please, no phone calls.

First Place Director of Finance & Administration

For a detailed position profile click here. This position is responsible for providing financial stability and cost efficiency by performing accounting, auditing and budgeting duties, including benefit administration, cash flow projections, financial statement preparation, inventory control, and resource allocation.  The Director of Finance & Adminstration also acts as the purchasing agent for the organization. In addition to financial duties, this position oversees Facilities and contractor relationships.

Resumes to kkirsch@firstplaceschool.org

Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington Chief Executive Officer

Robert Perodeau, Principal                   

Evergreen Executive Source, LLC

P.O. Box 412 Haddonfield, NJ 08033-0412

Voice (800) 221 6663   Fax (800) 451 1451

Tacoma Regional Convention and Visitor Bureau Executive Director

For a detailed position profile click here. To nominate a candidate or apply, please contact: Dave Osmer, Hagel & Company, Phone: 425-643-4223, Email:dave@hagel.net.

For inclusion of a listing please contact Executive Alliance at 206-328-3836 or e-mail us at info@exec-alliance.org.  Please contact us when a position has been filled.  We will include the announcement for two member update cycles.

Thank You!

2008 Sponsors