North Carolina Latino Nonprofit Leadership Academy

The Center for Leadership Innovation understands the value of supporting the work of grassroots leaders because of the strong connection between leadership development and effecting community change.

The North Carolina Latino Nonprofit Leadership Academy (NCLNLA) was held over the course of May 2008 to March 2009. North Carolina was the first state in the nation to offer this program to Latino leaders statewide. 

A variety of North Carolina-based foundations and corporations supported the growth of Latino leaders and contributed to the sustainability of Latino nonprofits that are stewards of North Carolina’s diverse low-income Latino communities.

North Carolina’s Academy was presented in partnership with the North Carolina Latino Coalition and developed in collaboration with Hispanics in Philanthropy and North Carolina Gives.

Academy participants were selected through a competitive application process guided by a North Carolina Latino Advisory Committee  comprised of local Latino nonprofit, philanthropic, and community building leaders brought together by The Center for Leadership Innovation.

Over the course of one year, 27 participants from 9 Latino organizations across the state participated in leadership development workshops and received individualized technical assistance support, distance learning opportunities, leadership pairing and shadow coaching opportunities among leaders and emerging leaders at each organization, on-site collaborations between TCLI staff and the executive director, emerging leader and board president of each organization.

The North Carolina Latino Coalition (NCLC), TLCI’s Year One Latino Co-Training Partner, has effectively transitioned into the Year Two stewardship role. Their mission as a statewide Latino policy and advocacy organization enhances connectivity of Year One graduates to policy issues that impact North Carolina’s Latino communities. All nine Year One organizations are enrolled in the Year Two Academy, continuing on their growth paths and mentoring ten new organizations. Building on Year One funding for Year Two has doubled the class size from 9 to 19 organizations and increased the number of participating individuals from 27 to 57. 

TLCI continues to play a role in developing North Carolina’s Latino nonprofits as a member of the Year 2 Advisory Committee and Onsite Technical Assistance Team.   An outcomes evaluation is currently underway.  If you would like to receive this information when it is available, please contact us.

LOCAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Nolo Martinez, The Center for New North Carolinians
Zulayka Santiago, North Carolina Peoples’ Coalition for Giving
Angelina Schiavone, Durham Department of Social Services
Ilana Dubester, Hispanics in Philanthropy
Mercedes Rodriguez, North Carolina Gives
Ivan Kohar Parra, North Carolina Latino Coalition
Evangeline Polly Weiss, OpenSource Leadership Strategies Inc.