Program

Our approach

TSE screens, interviews and selects a group of nonprofit CEOs who are prepared to heighten their organizational performance by way of tackling issues within the context of building tansformative relationships. Upon completion of the 10-month program, TSE graduates leverage new knowledge and newly developed networks to renovate their leadership and management abilities.

TSE focuses on essential management and leadership topics for the nonprofit CEO in a compelling and interactive style that drives discussion, fosters information sharing, and provides access.

What a TSE program day looks like:

Hand-picked national experts and local thought-leadersspeak on essential topics and foster new ways of thinking, doing and leading.
Dynamic discussion:Professional facilitators are present to ensure participants maximize discussion time and begin to connect the dots between theory and application.
Leader lunches:Participants choose a community leader they want to lunch with during each program day. Morning sign-ups are available on a first-come first serve basis. (12 tables of three participants and one community leader
In the trenches: Page to Practice™ books summaries inform this segment’s open discussion and feature a relevant participant case study and a visiting CEO’s case study.
Community resources:Community leaders who are vested in a particular session topic are invited to spend the day with TSE as a fellow participant to enliven discussion.
Forums:Groups of five nonprofit CEO participants will spend the last portion of each session, using the day’s topic as it relates to their respective organizations. Guidelines will be provided for these forums to facilitate trust, confidentiality and exchange of ideas.

Plus,

VIP invitations:Program participants have access to VIP speaking and social engagements presented by Third Sector Excellence outside of the 10 sessions.

Program dates

There are no program dates scheduled at this time.

Program location

Third Sector Excellence sessions are held at a variety of locations that may be related to the day’s particular topic, such as foundations, corporations, and nonprofit organizations. All will be located within the Denver metro area with the exception of one day in Colorado Springs.

Program session topics

Role of a Successful CEO

Nonprofits are being asked to take on an increasing share of society’s most important and difficult work. At the same time, the expectations being placed on these organizations to demonstrate results—by their staff members, their boards, and public and private donors—are rising. How are nonprofit organizations responding? In the upcoming months we will discuss this question, and we begin this opening session by looking at the multi-faceted role of the CEO.

Fundraising & Evaluation

Today’s competitive fundraising environment demands that nonprofit leaders continue to hone their fundraising approach and differentiate their organization with solicitations that focus on the donor or foundation fit. Engaging donors long-term means achieving outcomes through effective evaluations. This session addresses donor- and foundation-centered fundraising, as well as understanding the nuances of various foundations, what their partnership assets are and how to leverage them for a truly shared vision.

Leadership from Within

The worldwide Center for Creative Leadership (CCL^®) offers what no one else can: an exclusive focus on leadership education, research and unparalleled expertise in solving the leadership challenges of individuals and organizations everywhere. This day with Center for Creative Leadership consultants will focus on a 360-degree evaluation of each participant leader through observation data, coaching and evaluation.

Human Resource Management

When it comes to delivering and sustaining results, having the right people in the right positions outweighs having the right strategy or even a reliable source of capital. Many nonprofits are fortunate. Their leaders are motivated, entrepreneurial, and hard-working. But while nonprofits tend to be strongly led, they also tend to be undermanaged. The purpose of this session will be to discuss managing teams and ensuring sustained achievement through succession-oriented leadership.

Strategic Planning & Partnerships

Our rapid-response world requires nonprofits to identify, understand and act upon new information and changing situations now, not in six months. This session will address how to thoughtfully expedite the planning process so leaders can act in real-time to their objectives. Additionally, nonprofits today must balance their primary work of providing services with new challenges that force them to find new ways of accessing funds. This session will focus on the most effective way to make connections with business, government and fellow nonprofits.

Communications & Media - The CEO Front and Center

More than any other industry, communications have undergone tremendous change—not only in the last decade—each month brings the reinvention or collapse of enduring institutions such as the newspaper. There has never been a better time to re-evaluate and hone your personal message as the face of your organization. This session will address crafting a compelling message about your organization and speaking persuasively to constituencies.

Public Policy & Advocacy

Too often nonprofit organizations work in isolation from their local and state government entities. When in reality, they could be leveraging institutional knowledge in everyday operations, or more importantly, during crisis. The purpose of this session is to provide participants with an overview of how policy relates to their nonprofit leadership and engaging in the dialogue using traditional communications and social media.

Board Management

Boards, in their zeal to perform their oversight duties, may unintentionally (or intentionally) try to direct program activities, the function of management. Miscommunication between the two entities can cause friction within the organization, which ultimately can hurt programs and derail the mission of the organization. This session will explore how nonprofit leaders can maintain compatibility and cooperation with a board so operations run smoothly.

Financial Management

The explosive growth of nonprofits during the past 20 years has resulted in an increasing number of nonprofits operating in financial distress. The net effect of this financial instability may actually be a weakening of the service value of the nonprofit community as a whole. It is in the best interest of the public at large that nonprofits enhance their financial viability and strengthen the sector for the future. The purpose of this session is to help nonprofit CEOs make strategic financial decisions that enable the mission and margins to coexist.

High-impact Nonprofit Management

There’s a new sense of urgency to solving the world’s problems, as well as a growing awareness that our other institutions are failing us. As a result, more nonprofits are rising to the challenge, finding ways to work with and through government and business to create innovative solutions. The purpose of this session will be to examine the characteristics of high-functioning nonprofits and how to identify innovative or entrepreneurial opportunities within one’s own organization by looking at peer organizations’ successes.