Frequently Asked Questions
Is LEAD the same as other leadership programs, like Leadership Monterey Peninsula or Leadership Santa Cruz?
No. The leadership programs you mention are designed to encourage civic engagement from a wide variety of community members and to acquaint participants with the key issues of the region. LEAD is very specifically focused on developing the leadership and management capacity of experienced nonprofit professionals who are interested in assuming greater leadership roles in the future.
What if my organization can't afford the tuition price?
Don't let cost be your reason for not applying. Partial scholarships covering up to 2/3 of tuition are available. We will work with you and your organization to be creative about how the tuition is paid. We are also able to develop payment plans.
I can see that LEAD would be great professional development for me. How will it make a difference to the nonprofit where I work?
LEAD will benefit participants' nonprofit organizations in two ways. First, the new skills and information that participants bring back to the organization can be great resources for the entire organization. Secondly, the LEAD participant will have the ability to think constructively about the entire organization and assist the executive director in a variety of capacities as part of a management/leadership team. Expanding this capacity in a nonprofit can significantly improve its effectiveness and help reduce burn-out of key leaders.
How do I know if I'm ready?
Talk it over with your Executive Director, supervisor, or a trusted mentor in the field. For some, this training may be a first step toward preparing for a greater leadership role that may be several years down the line. Others may already be poised to advance but seek to further develop certain skills to become more competitive. Part of the LEAD program is facilitating development of who you are as a leader and this in itself is a lifelong process. Feel free to contact us with any questions you have: 831.375.9712 or lead@cfmco.org.
My plate is already full. How much of a time commitment is this?
Between September 2012 and September 2013, your participation in LEAD will require seven full workdays (on Fridays) for in-depth training and five half-day meetings of the peer roundtables. The seminars will also include two full Saturdays. You will also spend time working on applied projects to benefit your personal development and strengthen your organization. In addition, you will have a coach to support that work. Averaged over the course of the year, you will probably spend 10-15 hours/month involved in some aspect of the LEAD institute. This may sound like a lot, but present and past participants say that the time is very well spent and that LEAD helps them become more efficient and effective with their time.
Do I have to be “young” to participate in LEAD?
No! LEAD emphasizes that its participants will be capable nonprofit managers aspiring to assume greater leadership. Depending on life circumstances and career paths, participants' chronological ages are likely to vary greatly. Participants should be committed to the nonprofit sector and expect to continue working in the local area for the next five-to-ten years.
Can more than one representative from an organization or agency participate?
This will depend on the space available in the program, but it is unlikely that we would be able to accept multiple applicants, except in special situations. If more than one person applies from your organization, please let us know who is the highest priority participant for the 2012-2013 cohort.
Is child care available?
Very few of the activities require time beyond the average work day. (Two Saturdays, and perhaps a dinner or two). If child care costs are an important factor in deciding whether to apply, please let us know. Some assistance may be available.
Who are the teachers? Won't I get the same training if I attend MAP workshops?
LEAD trainers will be experienced professionals in the field, with excellent training skills and a deep understanding of the issues they address. Many aspects of the LEAD Institute are topics never presented in MAP workshops, and LEAD training will be more in-depth than most MAP workshops. LEAD training will also approach the issues from the perspective of an organizational leader, rather than a staff person delivering a service. This perspective is not always present in other training opportunities.
What kind of certificate will I receive from California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB)?
LEAD is jointly certificated by CSUMB's Extended Education department and the Community Foundation for Monterey County. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available for those participants interested. (An additional fee applies.) LEAD is neither part of, nor a pre-requisite for, any degree program.
Couldn't I get this same training elsewhere?
Actually, no. The Community Foundation for Monterey County researched nonprofit leadership programs nationwide and included the elements that have been most successful elsewhere. While there are other leadership programs and other nonprofit management trainings available, there is no program with all the features of LEAD in Northern California. There are in-depth nonprofit leadership and management programs are in the San Francisco Bay area, but they are significantly more limited in scope than LEAD.
The LEAD Institute sounds fabulous, but I'm already an executive level nonprofit leader from an underrepresented community. Can I still be involved?
If you have been in your executive director position for less than two years and fit the other criteria for LEAD, we would be happy to receive your application. There will be a limited number of spaces available for new executive directors, government employees, and individuals not presently employed. If you apply as an executive director, your Board chair will fill out the parts of the application pertaining to the participant's supervisor, and your board would be asked to approve your participation.
I'm between jobs, but my background is in nonprofit management. Can I apply?
Yes, if your last nonprofit job was no more than six months ago and you are actively involved with a nonprofit today (e.g. as a volunteer). The nonprofit with which you have the present relationship would be the organization to respond to the relevant parts of the application. A limited number of spaces will be available for people not presently employed and new executive directors.
I work for a government agency. Can I be a LEAD Particpant?
Yes. There are a limited number of spaces available for government employees who fit the other LEAD criteria.
Confirmed in Compliance with National