NewsSinging from the Same Songsheet
On June 3rd, YNPN members and guests met at Mi Patio restaurant to hear from not one, but three, respected leaders in the nonprofit community. Tim Delaney, CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits, was the impetus for our gathering. He was joined by long-time friends and colleagues, Dana Campbell-Saylor, CEO of the YWCA Maricopa and Patrick McWhorter, CEO of the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits.
While the gathering was far more informal than our regularly scheduled professional development events, Tim was kind enough to share a few pearls of wisdom with the group. He spoke eloquently about the obligation that young nonprofit professionals have to give a voice to our sector. He encouraged us to bear witness for our community and feed what he calls the "hunger in America" with real-life stories of compassion and civic engagement.
Tim extorted us as a sector to begin "singing from the same song sheet." In his work in Washington, he has found that too many individual voices raising a hue and cry do not have the impact that a concerted, passionate and evidentially-supported message can.
Dana was on hand to recruit both a board member and focus group participants for the YWCA. Please email her at dana.campbell-saylor@ywcaaz.org if you are interested in learning more. A brief information sheet is also available here.
Patrick spoke briefly about the necessity of contacting your state legislators about the proposed budget. If passed, it will result not only in the loss of nonprofit jobs, but also cause entire organizations to close their doors. He urged us to tell our organizational stories to folks at the capitol.
Several audience members had questions for Tim regarding his trajectory from lawyer to national nonprofit nonprofit leader. When asked when he first became involved in our sector, Tim quipped, "When I was five. My mother was the den mother for my sister's Brownie troop." While his answer was slightly tongue-in-cheek, Tim went on to make the point that all of us are touched by nonprofits every single day, in ways that we seldom take the time to think about.
In terms of moving our careers forward, he suggested that seeking out a mentor is not enough. It is important to approach a leader with a desire to learn and specific ways in which you can help an organizational effort. Tim says that rather than looking to fill a particular position, he is always on the look-out for talent and initiative. Having suggestions about tasks you can do and solutions you can be a part of is not only impressive, but it takes away some of the stress a senior manager may feel when asked to "take on" a mentee.
Finally, Tim encouraged us to marshal what he called "knowledge orbs" as we move through our personal and professional lives. He has taken the lessons he has learned from being a lawyer, an executive in a small business, and a leader in a large city to his work in Washington. His ability to draw on this arsenal of experience has already helped him connect with legislators and their staff in measurable ways.
Many thanks to Tim for serving as an advocate and a powerful voice for the nonprofit sector.
YNPN Phoenix Success Story
Victor Contreras, with the Arizona Ivy League Project, met Diana Santoyo of the Yuma Community Foundation at our March Social Networking event and told her about his work with the project. Diana put him in touch with the Director of Advanced Placement Programs for the Yuma Unified High School District and his organization now has a presence in a traditionally underserved population. He says it's all thanks to YNPN Phoenix! --
"You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand." ~Woodrow Wilson
YNPN Phoenix Happy Hour this Wednesday! And, Bowling Photos!
THIS WEDNESDAY!! JUNE 3!
YNPN Phoenix Happy Hour with Tim Delaney, CEO National Council of Nonprofits
5 - 7PM at Mi Patio (7th Ave and Osborn)
Don't miss a unique opportunity to talk with a national nonprofit leader!
Tim Delaney, President & CEO, National Council of Nonprofits will be hanging with YNPN Phoenix members at Mi Patio Restaurant Wednesday, June 3 from 5 - 7PM. We hope you join us for casual conversation with a national nonprofit leader. No need to RSVP, just stop in when you can.
Tim, who served in several capacities for a variety of Valley nonprofit and community organizations until he left for DC in 2008, is visiting Arizona courtesy of the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits. Tim is here to provide an update on federal nonprofit policy and budget work.
He'll be speaking at the June AFP Luncheon on Fundraising & the New Government on Wednesday at 11:30 at the Sheraton and in Flagstaff on Friday, June 5 at 9:30. Click the link to the Alliance website for details on those events.
By the way, YNPN Phoenix is a card carrying member of the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits!
We are also honored that Dana Campbell-Saylor, CEO of YWCA Maricopa County, will be joining us at Mi Patio for the evening. Dana is interested in recruiting a young nonprofit professional to serve on the Board of the YWCA. If you are passionate about eliminating discrimination and empowering women, please come out this evening and meet her. This networking opportunity is exactly the reason YNPN Phoenix exists. We strive to make connections happen.
Thanks to Sam Richard, both a YNPN Phoenix and Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits board member, who put in a request to Tim to come hang with our YNPN Phoenix folks.
Hope to see you there! If you have any questions call Sam at 602.550.1338.
Member Announcements:
Click here for Member Announcements, including two new job opportunities. If you have member announcements to add, send them to info@ynpnphoenix.org.
Bowling Bonanza:
A big thank you to our members and guests who came out for our big bowling bonanza on Thursday May 21. You can check out the photos in the YouTube clip below or by clicking here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E6oDbsXRJE