Yes.

Yes.

Yes. In the grant application, you will be asked to describe how a continuation or repeat grant will benefit your organization and the Nominated Individual.

The grant is intended to develop individual nonprofit leaders; it is not a Board development grant. Board representatives may be included in the grant as long as they are part of a team that includes at least one professional executive staff member.

The Leadership Fund grant application should be completed by a representative of your organization (the “Applicant”) and by the individuals who will be participating in the proposed leadership initiative (the “Nominated Individual(s)”). Generally, the “Applicant” is the person representing the organization. They are responsible for providing a budget and the reason for submitting the grant. Though the two parts of the application are separate, we strongly encourage your Applicant and Nominated Individual(s) to discuss your responses with each other.

No. If an individual leader does wish to apply for funding but does not have the support of her current organization, she may contact Valentine Foundation to inquire about other available sources of leadership development.

Yes. You are welcome to choose the leadership initiative that is most appropriate for your organization and leaders. You will have the chance to explain why you’ve chosen this particular leadership initiative. Examples of Leadership Development initiatives that have been funded by the Valentine Foundation in the past can be found here — Leadership Development Initiatives.

No.

No.

No, a final written report is not required. However, we do value hearing about the grantee's leadership experience and how it has positively impacted them. Grantees are encouraged to share a brief description of their journey and the benefits they’ve gained from the opportunity.

You are welcome to have a whole team participate. Please explain this to us in the grant application question “Why now, and in what ways is this Leadership Development Initiative important for your organization?” Then, choose 3 of the team members to be your Nominated Individuals.

An individual in your organization who you believe has leadership potential or who has made a significant contribution to the success of your organization, even if they are not currently in a leadership role.

The Valentine Foundation has funded a variety of leadership development initiatives, and we encourage organizations to determine the best fit for their unique needs. Previous grant recipients have used funding for:

• Conferences and or workshops that are part of a larger leadership development strategy

• Consulting services (examples listed below)

• Training and or coaching either brought in house or provided externally

• Courses or certificates offered by local colleges and universities that are directly related to building leadership capacity & characteristics, not merely content or field knowledge

• National African-American Women’s Leadership Institute (NAWLI)

• Nonprofit Executive Leadership Institute (NELI) Certificate Programs at Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research: 1) Spring of 2024 Leading with Impact (formerly Building Organizational Resilience) and 2) Fall of 2024 Set Your Sights on Organizational Leadership.

• The Non Profit Center at La Salle University: Certificates, classes, consulting, succession planning, and Peer Leaders Learning Circles

• Leadership Philadelphia

• Executive Programs at the Center for Social Impact Strategy, University of Pennsylvania

• Building DEI Capacity for Nonprofit Leaders and Organizations, The Sorkin Center at Compass https://compassprobono.org/services/sorkin-center/

• Women in Leadership Cornell Certificate Program https://ecornell.cornell.edu/certificates/leadership-and-strategic-management/women-in-leadership/

Yes, while not an exclusive or endorsed list, the Valentine Foundation has compiled a resource of consultants who have previously worked with our grantees. These include:

• Tiffenia D. Archie, PhD., Temple University

• Amadee Braxton, https://www.dragonfly-partners.com/

• June Grushka-Rosen, ExtraordinarYou

• Alison Gerig, LCSW

• Sonya Weigle, SWC Management Consulting

• Robbe Healey, Aurora Philanthropic

• Anti-Oppression Resources and Training Alliance, AORTA

• Dorel Shannon, Dorel Shannon Consulting

• Lee Nussbaum Fogel, Visioning Body

• Tammi Lloyd at The NEBO Company https://nebocompany.com/about/team/tammi-lloyd/

• Dr. Deidre Anderson, Trailblazers Coaching and Consulting http://www.trailblazers-inc.com/services/

• Kristen Crockett- The Crockett Collective, https://kristencrockett.com/training

• Alvina Peat, https://alvinapeat.com

Each VLF Committee member is assigned as a liaison to work directly with a grantee, fostering a connection and supporting the grantee's efforts.