How new fellowship program will empower youth, diversify boards of Stanislaus nonprofits
Older and white. Those are the faces of most board members at nonprofit organizations across the county, according to a Stanislaus Community Foundation leader.
While there’s nothing necessarily wrong with that, said Amanda Hughes, chief strategy officer for the community foundation, she does think a healthy nonprofit or business should reflect its community.
Her boss, Stanislaus Community Foundation CEO Marian Kaanon, agreed that representation matters and that the most impactful organizations are diverse in leadership and rank and file.
That’s why the SCF and the community-based organization Youth Leadership Institute have partnered to help 17 young adults gain seats on the boards of local nonprofits in an effort to increase diversity and opportunities. Their fellowship program, NextGen on Board, will recruit, train and facilitate placement of youth over the next three years, according to its website.
Apart from sitting at decision-making tables, individuals will network, learn about career pathways and be partnered with mentors for guidance. They also will participate in monthly training on topics like nonprofit governance, nonprofit finances, advocacy, fundraising and ambassadorship.
“NextGen is focused on adding the richness of experience that many young leaders of color possess,” Kaanon said in a press release.
Speeding up networking for young leaders
Hughes said the idea partly stems from complaints among nonprofits that the same type of people — white and older than 65 — often are selected to be on boards. “Typically, the folks that get tapped to serve on nonprofit boards have financial security that they can invest into an organization or maybe some technical expertise, but they often don’t represent the community they serve,” she said in an interview.
“When you think about particularly young people that are coming from historically underserved populations, they may not have that really well established network to get them into a position of power,” she added. “So we’re trying to speed up that process.”
This year, candidates either nominated themselves or, primarily, were chosen by staff at nonprofits, who have noticed an individual’s leadership, Hughes said. She said that moving forward, those interested will need to submit an application.
To be eligible for a fellowship position, an applicant must be passionate about working for a nonprofit, according to the website. The individual also must be willing to commit 15 hours a month to training and serving in the board position. Moreover, the participant should be between the ages of 18 and 26. Exceptions can be made for younger or older applicants if the person has a proven leadership and community service track record.
Youth Leadership Institute CEO Patty Barahona said she believes systemic change can happen when those most affected by inequalities have a seat at the table. “We believe training and capacity building paired with experiential learning will change our communities for generations to come,” she said in the press release.
This opportunity is something NextGen fellow Mayra Martinez said she never would have imagined. As a first-generation college graduate from CSU Stanislaus, she said she didn’t even think being on a board was possible because no one in her family had done so before.
Martinez will serve a two-year term on the board of the food bank Second Harvest of the Greater Valley beginning in July. “At a deeper level, I want to make a difference, and I know serving on a nonprofit board will help me with this goal,” she said in a press release.
No pay, but stipend given
Hughes said that like other board members, fellows won’t be paid. However, thanks to donor contributions, each participant will get a $1,000 stipend each term that can be put toward professional clothing or a computer. Funding has been provided by philanthropists Dave and Jeanne Olson, as well as local donors.
A nonprofit interested in participating must undergo an informal board assessment so that the young leader, YLI and Stanislaus Community Foundation can understand its structure, needs and feedback opportunities, according to the website. The nonprofit should also be committed to providing training for at least 12 to 24 months. Moreover, the nonprofit should partake in a joint orientation with the fellow and pair that individual with a mentor from its organization.
Among the participating nonprofits are City Ministry Network, the Society for Disabilities, the Tuolumne River Trust, Friends of the Modesto Library, the Carnegie Arts Center, the Modesto Children’s Museum and the Stanislaus Cradle to Career Partnership.
This year, there were more interested nonprofit organizations than there were candidates, Hughes said. She said the program’s goal is to place more than 40 leaders, but some candidates this year were weeded out because they realized after being nominated that they wouldn’t be able to meet the time commitment.
Bios on the 17 fellows are at www.stanislauscf.org/nextgen-fellows. The applications for the second NextGen on Board cohort will open winter 2022. To learn more, go to www.stanislauscf.org/nextgen-on-board.
This story was originally published June 23, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
