Nonprofit leadership is constantly evolving. Today’s leaders are navigating complex organizations, shifting expectations, limited resources, emerging technologies, and growing community needs, all within an increasingly interconnected nonprofit ecosystem.
The Community Foundation for Southern Arizona’s (CFSA) Center for Healthy Nonprofits’ program, Leading Now: A Leadership Experience for Nonprofit CEOs, is a nine-session learning experience designed to help nonprofit executives explore, with fellow Southern Arizona CEOs/EDs, what it means to lead in this changing environment. Rather than focusing on a single model of leadership, the series moves from self, to organization, to ecosystem, to possibility, and action.
Participants will begin by exploring their own leadership identity, values, and purpose before turning outward to the nonprofit ecosystem and the organizations they lead. Along the way, the series will examine healthy organizational cultures, leading through uncertainty, collaboration over competition, justice and belonging, public policy, and the opportunities and ethical questions presented by AI and emerging technologies.
Throughout the experience, participants will learn alongside experienced facilitators, local and national thought leaders, and one another. Reflection, practical tools, conversation, and peer learning will help participants strengthen their leadership, problem solve in real time, and build relationships across Southern Arizona’s vibrant nonprofit community.
The series culminates with ‘From Imagination to Impact,’ where participants will translate what they have learned into action and consider a central question: How will I lead differently because of this experience?
Grounded in the Center’s vision of moving from imagination to impact, the Leadership Series is ultimately about more than supporting individual leaders’ advance. It is about cultivating and connecting leaders who can strengthen their organizations, work across boundaries, navigate change, and help build a more collaborative, equitable, and resilient nonprofit ecosystem.
Sessions will be facilitated by nonprofit consultant, Lindsey Baker, the Center’s leader Dr. Eli Burke, as well local, and national nonprofits leaders, including Nathan Chappell from Virtuous.org, Frank Velazquez from 4 Da Hood, and David Martinez III with AZ Impact for Good.
Session Dates & Important Info
This 9-week series runs from February 10 - November 10, 2027 (2nd Wednesday of each month | 3 in-person sessions and 6 virtual).
Note, in-person sessions will be held at the CFSA Campus at 5049 East Broadway Blvd.
Dates, Topic, & Format
February 10, 2027
From 9:00am-12:00pm (In-person)
The Leader I Am: leadership identity, values, purpose, and the experiences that shape how we lead.
March 10, 2027
From 9:00-11:00am (Virtual)
The Ecosystem We Lead Within: understanding the changing nonprofit landscape and seeing organizations as part of a larger interconnected system.
April 14, 2027
From 9:00-11:00am (Virtual)
Building Healthy Organizations: culture, trust, people, shared leadership, and creating organizational environments where people can thrive.
May 12, 2027
From 9:00-11:00am (In-person)
Collaboration Over Competition: exploring partnerships, collective leadership, resource sharing, and new ways organizations can work together.
June 9, 2027
From 9:00-11:00am (Virtual)
Leading Through Uncertainty: developing resilience, adaptability, and the ability to make decisions when the path forward is unclear.
July: No Session
August 11, 2027
From 9:00-11:00am (Virtual)
Justice, Belonging & Power: examining who participates in decisions, whose voices are centered, how power operates, and what equitable leadership requires.
September 8, 2027
From 9:00-11:00am (Virtual)
Public Policy: In this twofold session, explore how nonprofit leaders can understand, navigate, and influence the policies and systems that shape their organizations, the people they serve, and the broader communities in which they work as well as current policies impacting the sector.
October 13, 2027
From 9:00-11:00am (Virtual)
AI + the Future: how nonprofit leaders can harness AI and emerging technologies to strengthen decision-making, deepen human connection, and amplify mission-driven impact while navigating the ethical questions that come with innovation.
November 10, 2027
From 9:00am-12:00pm (In-person)
From Imagination to Impact: translating learning into action and articulating how each participant intends to lead differently moving forward.
Please note any dates that you can not attend. If you are going to miss more than 2 sessions, we ask that you wait to apply for our next cycle.
Cost: Based on organizational budget size
$0-600K: $250
$601K-1M: $550
$1M+: $750
Please complete the application to reserve your spot in the 2027 cohort. Apply Now!
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