THE INITIATIVE FOR NONPROFIT SECTOR CAREERSsm:
A National Campaign to Recruit, Prepare, and Retain
a Skilled and Diverse Next-Generation of Nonprofit Sector Leadership
American Humanics, in conjunction with its alliance of national nonprofit and university partners, founded the Initiative for Nonprofit Sector Careers. This multi-faceted initiative combines collective action, national dialogues, research and education to address the most pressing issues facing the nonprofit sector workforce.
The Initiative is based on a series of national dialogues held in 2004 and 2005, under the leadership of Ken Gladish, former CEO of the YMCA of the USA and vice-chair of the AH Board. In collaboration with the National Human Services Assembly, Independent Sector, and ARNOVA, discussions were held with the leadership of nonprofit organizations, researchers, and teaching faculty on the recruitment and retention of the next generation of nonprofit leaders. At the same time Shelly Cryer, author of the Forbes funded research and publication: "The Next Generation of Nonprofit Sector Leadership: A study of the (missed) connections among nonprofit organizations, college seniors, and offices of career services" was invited to join the American Humanics staff as a consultant to provide leadership for the development of initiatives around identified workforce challenges in the sector.
Much research has been done recently around the issues of succession planning and workforce diversity/inclusion. Since its launch, the Initiative has published the bibliography and literature review, "Workforce Issues in the Nonprofit Sector: Generational leadership change and diversity “. The document assesses recent research in the area of workforce diversity and development.
Early in 2006, the Initiative helped launch a broad-based Nonprofit Workforce Coalition working collectively to develop and execute an advocacy agenda that will (a) connect talented, skilled, and diverse young people to nonprofit sector careers, and (b) help nonprofit organizations recruit, retain, and cultivate the diverse leadership they will need in the decades ahead. Currently nearly 70 organizations, academic centers, foundations and associations have joined in the effort to address nonprofit workforce issues.
The coalition, through standing program committees, is focusing on three important issues: 1) the recruitment and retention barriers faced by professionals of color in the nonprofit sector; 2) financial barriers to nonprofit careers; and 3) a national campaign to promote nonprofit sector careers. In August 2009, the Next Generation Leadership Forum joined the Coalition as the fourth programmatic committee focused on leadership development and retention. Currently, all committees have drafted and approved plans-of-action to address their respective issues. American Humanics is very excited to share this work with other organizations.
