Second Survey of Civic Leadership Programs

We recently wrapped up our work on a second survey of senior executives of Civic Leadership Programs. Click here for the memo. With this survey, we have demonstrated our methodology is sound. In the memo, you will find interesting insights on a variety of topics including professional development topics, use of endowments and commonly held views on leadership programs.

Our next step is to conduct a pilot program in which civic leadership programs will collaborate with us on developing evidence-based measurements of impact in communities and better understanding the mechanisms for engaging alumni of core programs.

Thanks again to the many executives who participated in the survey.

EXCLUSIVE: Release of the first-ever survey of Civic Leadership Programs (CLPs)

Here it is, the first-ever methodologically-rigorous, random sample survey of civic leadership programs. Click here for the research plan, the memorandum including overall results and the crosstabs.

Thank you to the 120 senior executives who participated in this survey. In appreciation, they received the results a few weeks ago.

My hope is, for those who are trying to move your CLP forward, that this survey demonstrate the utility of using surveys to guide organizations. While this survey covers a sliver of potential for CLPs, it reveals that opinion research – surveys – can help individual CLPs be more successful and drive more impact in their community. The average CLP is more than 25 years old and has more than 750 alumni or graduates of their core program. At this size, the CLPs are too large to not actively pursue strategies to increase their impact in the communities.

Survey of Civic Leadership Programs : Alumni Activities in Leadership Organziations

In this short survey, we focus largely on alumni activities in CLPs, and break them down by into six categories:

  • Management of Alumni Relations: Some broad organizational structure for engaging alumni;
  • Role in CLP Management: Ways in which alumni may be involved in managing the CLPs;
  • Staffing of Alumni Relations: Investment in staff devoted to alumni relations;
  • Role in Fundraising and Outreach: Broad roles in which alumni are used for development and recruitment;
  • Programming Offerings: General ways programs are designed for alumni; and,
  • Communications: Ways in which the CLP communicates with alumni.
  • We also created an index to categorize the activities of CLPs into low, medium and high performing, and related the categories to whether CLPs are set up to take on challenging community topics.

So, please review the materials and see how my research is planned, executed and analyzed. Enjoy!

What a great way to close out the year, LRI!

Check out the end-of-year message from Leadership RI.  Click here.  Mike Ritz and his staff are always on the go.  What are they saying to their target audience – alumni, program participants, and funders?

  • We have priorities, and we are willing to try new things – and take on hard challenges – to make progress.
  • We are objectively measuring our actions and results.
  • We are engaging the general public on important issues. This is part of our responsibility as leaders.
  • We have a collaborative culture.
  • We value and appreciate our staff.
  • There is an important role for our alumni.
  • We can have fun, too!

I am confident the program will continue to raise their impact and influence in 2016.

This is an excellent time for sharing accomplishments and thanks, as we all end a year of work and service.  To pull it all together, it is also time to prepare a communication for early January to share priorities and expectations for 2016.  If you have an “end-of-year”  message you would like me to privately review or to share, feel free to send it to me at  [email protected]. Happy End-of Year!