Applications are live for 2025-2026 Emerging Leaders

Across southeastern Louisiana – throughout our cities, towns, and parishes – passionate leaders are ready to elevate their skills, perspectives, and networks to become the region’s next nonprofit executive directors and senior leaders. Emerging Leaders provides an opportunity for those leaders to level up their leadership. 

Emerging Leaders is a leadership development program aimed at creating a pipeline of senior and executive leadership in the nonprofit sector of southeast Louisiana. This program equips participants with the technical and relationship skills, as well as the critical systems-level thinking, necessary to lead strong, healthy, and impactful nonprofits. Program components allow participants to explore foundational and innovative practices in: 

• Organizational finance; 

• Team and board management;  

• Fundraising and fund development;  

• Network-building; and  

• Organizational sustainability and care.  

In addition, the program provides space to examine leadership styles and how power, justice, and equity shape leadership practices and development. Participants will have access to individualized coaching sessions and receive comprehensive resources including articles, templates, samples, and worksheets. With these skills and resources, participants should experience an increase in confidence, be better prepared to move into new areas of leadership, and be better equipped to lead organizations that are equitable and just.  

Because the Foundation’s research has documented a racial leadership gap in the greater New Orleans area, a gap witnessed in many regions across the country, Emerging Leaders elevates the voices of Black and Indigenous leaders and other leaders of color in this learning community and affirms their strengths and experiences and the unique challenges they face. The content and facilitation of this program is rooted in an analysis of justice, power, and equity. 

Program Components and Schedule 

Emerging Leaders is an in-person, cohort-based experience. Program sessions will take place over six months and include six full-day training sessions, one day of networking, and access to individualized coaching. Please see the tentative schedule and session topics below. All sessions begin at 9:00 am and end at 3:00 pm. 

• “Who I Am as a Leader” on Thursday, September 25, 2025 
• “Financial Leadership” on Thursday, October 16, 2025 
• “Fund Development and Network Building” on Thursday, November 6, 2025 
• “Networking Opportunities with Financial Supporters” on Thursday, December 4, 2025 
• “Sustainable Leadership” on Thursday, January 8, 2026 
• “Leadership through Relationships” on Thursday, January 29, 2026 
• “Leaders as Visionaries” on Thursday, February 25, 2026 

 Session materials will be accessible online, and opportunities for online community dialogue and resource-sharing will also be available. All cohort members will have access to individualized coaching sessions in the latter part of the program. 

Free parking and meals will be provided for all sessions. For a full description of each session, please click here.

Program Readiness 

Leadership development is an ongoing process. We recognize that cohort members already have skills, strengths, and perspectives that will serve them well as executive directors and senior leaders. To be aligned with the intentions and goals of Emerging Leaders, participants should, first and foremost, have a desire and aspiration for a senior or executive leadership role within the nonprofit sector. We also expect that participants will be open to interrogating how power and privilege have shaped their leadership styles and relationships with teams and colleagues. 

Priority will be given to applicants who (1) aspire to nonprofit executive OR senior leadership; (2) are currently employed at a nonprofit organization located in the Greater New Orleans region; and (3) have experience in managing a budget or financial resources; managing or leading a team; coaching or mentoring staff or colleagues; and/or cultivating and managing partner relationships for a project, program, or organization. 

Commitment to Participation 

The ability to attend all in-person sessions is critical to the community learning experience. Please ensure your availability to participate in all sessions and obtain the support of your immediate supervisor and/or Executive Director before applying to the program. Participation in an end-of-program evaluation is also expected. 

Application Process 

We will accept 25 participants to this program. Because space is limited, the application process is competitive. Applications will be reviewed based on eligibility requirements, program alignment, readiness, and capacity to participate. BIPOC applicants and those who work in youth-serving organizations are encouraged to apply. Click here to apply to the program. Applications will be accepted until 11:59pm on Friday, August 15, 2025. Cohort decisions will be communicated to applicants by Friday, September 5, 2025.   

Fee  

The fee for this program is $400. However, we never want funding to prevent participation. We have a small pool of funds available for partial scholarships for qualified participants. Please email Alana Peck, Ph.D., Senior Program Associate for Nonprofit Leadership and Effectiveness, at alana@gnof.org for more information.