Project Blueprint Board Leadership Training
Project Blueprint Board Leadership Training is a program designed to prepare people of color to serve on local nonprofit boards and committees. For decades, nonprofit boards have not reflected the diversity of the communities they serve. While the importance of diversity is acknowledged, a 2017 BoardSource report, Leading With Intent, concluded that nonprofit boards “are no more diverse than they were two years ago and current recruitment priorities indicate this is unlikely to change.” According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, approximately 60% of all nonprofits report serving Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC,) yet 84% of board members identify as White and 27% of boards had no BIPOC leaders.
Project Blueprint Board Leadership Training will help increase board diversity by providing a pool of qualified candidates who are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively serve on nonprofit boards or board committees. The program closely follows the book, Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards, published by BoardSource, a nationally recognized organization dedicated to increasing nonprofit board governance. The program also helps match participants to a board or board committee through a nonprofit speed dating event.
Priority will be given to applicants who have no board experience. For those who have previously served on a board or who are currently serving on a board, see our HandsOn Board training workshops.
Project Blueprint Board Leadership Training participants will:
- Attend four training sessions. Most training sessions are online except the session on September 25 which will be in person (see schedule below.) Participants can only miss one of the four training sessions to receive the professional development stipend.
- Attend a nonprofit board speed dating event. This will be held in person and attendance is required. The purpose of the event is to facilitate connections to boards and board committees.
- Create an action plan that defines their personal professional development goals. The action plan will be shared with HandsOn NWNC to ensure alignment with the program’s focus on professional development, recognizing that participants may update or revise their plans based on changing needs.
- Receive a professional development stipend of $1,000 to implement the goals/activities identified in their action plan. The funds must be used for professional development and allows each participant the flexibility to customize their spending based on their personal development goals.
Eligibility. Project Blueprint Board Leadership Training is open to Forsyth County residents who are people of color and interested in serving on a nonprofit board. Participants must agree to the attendance, stipend, and reporting requirements outlined in this description and complete a W-9 for stipend tax reporting purposes. Current and previous participants of other stipend programs are ineligible.
Reporting. Participants will identify how their professional development stipend has been spent and whether those activities have helped them fulfill their professional goals. Testimonials demonstrating this are encouraged. No written reports will be completed; rather, participants will be contacted at regular intervals after the training to attend meetings or participate in phone calls with HandsOn NWNC to collect reporting information. In addition to evaluating the overall program impact, the information collected will help build a database of resources for future participants with similar needs and identify trends that guide the development of HandsOn NWNC’s capacity building work.
Apply here. Applications are currently closed. Check this page later to find out when applications will be reopened. This is a competitive program and class size is limited to ensure a high-quality experience and more meaningful networking. Applicants will be notified whether or not they are selected to participate in the program.
2024 Curriculum and Schedule
Overview of Nonprofits in NC; Legal Responsibilities; Advocacy September 18, 9-12 pm
Selecting, Supporting and Evaluating the Chief Executive; Strategic Planning September 25, 9-12 pm *In person at Senior Services, 2895 Shorefair Drive, Board Room
Board Development and Operations; Fiscal Responsibility October 2, 9-12 pm
Philanthropy October 9, time TBD
Nonprofit Board Speed Dating October 16, 3-5 pm *In person at Senior Services, 2895 Shorefair Drive, Weinberg Room
For more information, contact the Program Director.