Addressing the Leadership Crisis Among African-American Nonprofit Organizations from Stephen Bauer on Vimeo.

On September 24, 2009, a standing-room only room of approximately 250 individuals attended Who's Got Next?: A Call for Change in the Nonprofit Sector, which was part of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Annual Legislative Conference. The expert panel included:

• Congressman, Emanuel Cleaver, (D-MO)
• Irv Katz, CEO, National Human Services Assembly
• Willie Iles, National Director of Government and Community Relations, Boy Scouts of America
• Marc Morial, President & CEO, National Urban League
• Joyce Roche, President & CEO, Girls, Inc.

The honorable Congressman Emanuel Cleaver moderated and led the discussion on the strategies to retain the current generation and cultivate the next generation of African-American leadership within the nonprofit sector.

There is Room for Greater Diversity at the Top of the Nation’s Nonprofits

A recent Chronicle study of the Philanthropy 400 showed that 6.3% of its CEOs were people of color versus 34.4 percent people of color in the U.S. population. . By 2050, Hispanic, African-Americans, Asian and Native Americans will increase from approximately 33 percent today to 54% of the nation’s population. The nonprofit sector consists of approximately 12 million employees and is the fourth largest industry in the United States. According to the Bridgespan Group, between 300,000 and 1 million senior level openings will need to be filled between now and 2016. The panel discussed how to increase leadership in the diversity of nonprofit senior managers and boards, strategies for recruiting and retaining diverse talent and actions nonprofits and foundations can take to demonstrate commitment to diversity.

The current recession has resulted in nonprofits facing declining revenue, layoffs, and the pressure to do even more with less. A number of studies indicate that talent is the most important factor in an organization’s success. Additional studies show that diverse teams, managed in an effective and inclusive manner, produce better results. A talented, diverse workforce is essential to the success of the nonprofit sector’s efforts to meet the needs of the nation. Before the war for talent resumes, now is the time for nonprofits to work together to develop and implement effective strategies to attract, retain and advance diverse talent at all levels of their organizations.

How Who’s Got Next?: A Call for Change in the Nonprofit Sector Was Planned

The following members of the Nonprofit Workforce Coalition, composed of nonprofit organizations, associations, foundations and academic centers, the coalition focuses on identifying and addressing issues facing the nonprofit sector workforce planned Who's Got Next?: A Call for Change in the Nonprofit Sector.

• Stephen Bauer, Executive Director, Nonprofit Workforce Coalition, American Humanics
• Carolyn Cummings Altemus, National Director, Diversity & Executive Recruiting, Boy Scouts of America
• Lisa Brown Morton, CEO, Nonprofit HR Solutions
• Patrick Mac Smith, Manager, Marketing & Special Events, Nonprofit HR Solutions
• Phyllis A. Wallace, Executive Director, Management/Leadership Institute, American Humanics
• Michael Watson, Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Diversity, Girl Scouts of the USA

This idea of sponsoring a discussion at the Congressional Black Caucus was originally developed and organized by Lisa Brown Morton and Phyllis Wallace four years ago resulting in a panel discussion on nonprofit diversity that was held in conjunction with the 2007 Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference and attended by more than 130 attendees.

Congressman Emanuel Cleaver was approached about sponsoring the 2009 session and had the vision to understand how important the diversity of the nonprofit sector workforce was to addressing the nation’s critical challenges.

Learn more about the Nonprofit Workforce Coalition.

Diversity and Inclusion Compact Announced
At the Who's Got Next?: A Call for Change in the Nonprofit Sector panel discussion, the Nonprofit Sector Workforce Coalition announced a Diversity and Inclusion Compact whose signers agreed to work toward adopting practices that will lead to strengthened capacity to attract and retain diverse talent.  Learn more about the Diversity and Inclusion Compact

The Nonprofit Workforce Coalition Will Continue Working to Advance Nonprofit Diversity
The Nonprofit Workforce Coalition hopes to continue working with the Congressional Black Caucus and other organizations to advance diversity. In addition, the Coalition plans to develop resources and forums that will advance nonprofit sector capacity to advance diversity and inclusion in the nonprofit sector. For more information on Nonprofit Workforce Coalition efforts, please contact Stephen Bauer at steve.bauer@humanics.org.