Sophia Guevara is an EPIP member in Michigan, a long time contributor to RE: Philanthropy and the the former chair of the Consortium of Foundation Libraries affinity group.  She responded to the EPIP summer challenge with a few key leadership lessons that she’s picked up along the way. In every field, there are a few professionals who choose to stand out from the rest.  These leaders are usually passionate about their work, but passion alone often isn’t enough. For the early career professional looking to start their own path towards leadership, what are a few lessons to keep in mind?  In my own case, I believe that some of the most valuable lessons I learned about leadership were gained during my experience as a negotiator.  From getting comfortable with rejection to being creative with options at one’s disposal, the experience taught me lessons that I believe have helped me on my own path.  Here are four of those lessons: Read more

Beyond the Rockstar Paradigm:  Practical Tools for Visionary, Collaborative Leadership

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This year's People of Color Network (PCN) Gathering will take place on November 5th and 6th in Boston. This is the 7th gathering of our members of color. PCN gatherings provide participants with opportunities to explore identity, race, and social impact. The content of PCN gathering itself is three-fold: 1) personal connections to social justice work; 2) understanding structural racism; and 3) bringing this work back home. Participant responses are resoundingly positive; we hope you'll come find out for yourself.

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In partnership with NTEN, EPIP members may take advantage of member rates on this NTEN webinar. Discount codes for all partner offers can be found on Member Connect.  This webinar will focus on how we see advocacy and engagement evolving and trends within the market that give some indications as to where we will be in the next five years.This webinar is the last of 3 installments in the series: Beyond the Letter, Beyond the Like. Learn More DATE Thursday, Oct 17, 2013 11:00am US/Pacific 2:00pm US/Eastern     Read more

With support from Blue Shield of California Foundation, EPIP is pleased to announce the launch of Doing Good in the 21st Century, a joint exploration with La Piana Consulting that began at the 2013 EPIP National Conference in Chicago earlier this year. Many of you participated in the workshop on video recordings, and your thoughts have all been captured. Together, we asked the question: “How must the social sector adapt to succeed in meeting 21st Century challenges and opportunities?” And, together, we have generated the answers. Join the conversation on Twitter! #DoGood Read more

We regularly post new job opportunities on the Member Connect Job Board. Some recent openings listed include: Vice President Philanthropy in Hartford, CT Program Manager, Philanthropic Services in San Francisco, CA Executive Director in Westchester, NY If you’re an EPIP member, just follow these instructions to get there: Read more

This post was authored by Paul Bachleitner, Project Director of Joint Affinity Groups (JAG) and was originally published on the JAG Blog. It appears here as part of the EPIP-JAG blogging partnership, “Wit and Wisdom”. Navigating the path to leadership in philanthropy usually requires an off-road bike and a set of goggles. You’ll find leadership programs that polish your resume. Teach you about financial statements and evaluation metrics. Pair you off with a mentor. Seat you in front of a panel of CEOs. But there’s one component you’ll be lost without and it’s easily overlooked: direct connection with impacted communities. Read more

GrantCraft (a project of the Foundation Center and European Foundation Centre) has teamed up with nextgendonors.org on a four-week podcast series called Shaping the Future of Philanthropy: Voices from Next Gen Donors. The series explores the values, motivations, and stories of the up-and-coming generation of philanthropists. It complements research conducted by 21/64 and the Johnson Center for Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University released earlier this year and related GrantCraft analysis. Two podcasts have been posted so far: one that provides an overview about next gen donors and another about respecting legacy. Read more

Please join Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy (EPIP), La Piana Consulting and fellow Independent Sector conference participants for a Connections conversation and video premiere: Doing Good in the 21st Century. EPIP and La Piana launched an exciting new initiative at the 2013 EPIP National Conference, which looks more closely at emerging trends among individuals, organizations, and networks that are proving their ability to succeed in the new reality. These conversations were captured on video, which will be premiered at our Connections event. Read more

Martin Luther King, Jr. is the model of a leader. He is the prototype for the kind of leader EPIP strives to create. It is a lofty goal but it is the marker we must set if we are building a movement of people committed to making the world more just, equitable, and sustainable.

I was fortunate to travel to Washington, DC on the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Justice. I boarded a bus in the early morning hours of August 28th with my Big Brothers Big Sisters mentee and a former student of mine from my teaching days and his two sons.

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