The Leadership Network: Elevating the Strengths of BIPOC Leaders
The Leadership Network (The Network) was created to provide the structure, content and resources needed to help BIPOC Leaders tackle their unique challenges.
About the Program
The Need:
Transformational change in the social impact sector necessitates transformational leadership. Executive Leaders of Color or BIPOC Executives¹ at community-based organizations draw on their professional expertise and lived experiences to design and implement impactful solutions that address systemic inequities consistently.² However, these leaders face persistent under-recognition and under-resourcing. They (are) asked to do more, and often paid less.”³ Further, BIPOC Executives are disproportionately tasked with managing strategic crises and organizational change, all while enduring systemic racism both within and outside their organizations.⁴
StillRising believes sustainable change requires active affirmation of the identities and strengths of leaders of color, focusing on the cultural norms and practices that strengthen their ability to galvanize communities and create positive change for the collective. This model of leadership prioritizes standards of community power-building and liberation as a measure of collective success rather than an individual one.
As the sector continues to grapple with leadership transitions, an uncertain funding landscape, and destabilization brought on by external pressures, the challenges leaders face have increased and the need to support leaders of color in executive positions has become even more urgent. It is critical to transform how BIPOC Executives are supported and developed - to invest in meaningful changes to provide BIPOC Executives with the resources to facilitate their success, well-being, outcomes, and ultimately the psychological burdens of taking on executive leadership positions.
The Response:
The Leadership Network (The Network) was created to provide the structure, content and resources needed to tackle the challenges Leaders face. Piloted in 2023, as The Leadership Alliance, The Network has been built from the ground up, to amplify the impact of emerging Leaders and address the systemic barriers they face. The Network utilizes an asset-based approach, affirming Leaders’ identities, culture, and values while fostering community, well-being and skill development.
The Network works with BIPOC Leaders who are well positioned to make meaningful change in communities by strengthening networks, building skills and capacity, and integrating wellness. An evaluation of the pilot program released in April 2025 revealed that participants found significant value in the program’s affirmation of their perspectives, the specific management skills they developed, and the community and mentorship they established to expand their networks and social capital.
Integrating cohorts of Leaders from across social impact organizations is an intentional part of the program design. As a catalyst for cross-sector collaboration serving Leaders from education, human services, housing, economic development and beyond, The Network fosters natural relationships across traditional silos, building a web of relationships working toward a shared vision of opportunity, advancement and breaking the cycle of poverty. Part of the “magic” of The Network is its ability to facilitate genuine connections through both structure and content. It deliberately articulates and expands the social capital of Leaders as a tool to build power, transforming systems and communities.
“Developing relationships has been really transformational for me. These are conversations that are important not just to me, (but) to my organization and the field.”
“If you believe in social change, you’ve got to believe that the sum is greater than the parts. That’s how I feel about the community this program created.”
Our Key Pillars
The Network’s design integrates community-building, skill-building, and self-care into a cohesive, supportive framework. The core program comprises three key elements:
Community and Peer Support
A cornerstone of The Network is the creation of a judgment-free, intentional learning community where participants can expand their social capital and share challenges. The program includes guest speakers—seasoned Leaders in senior roles—who embody a “lift as you climb” ethos, providing participants with guidance, networking opportunities, and inspiration. One participant noted:
“I'm part of other support groups, and I don't necessarily feel like people are authentic, or it’s a safe space to share or exchange resources. Here, I take advantage of support. This group has developed its own relationship, and the ways in which we support and show up for each other feels different.”
Skill Development and Competency Building
Participants collaboratively identify priorities, such as financial management, advocacy, or board engagement, ensuring each cohort's curriculum is relevant and impactful. This iterative, co-creative approach to the program’s design combines evidence-based practices with lived experiences to tailor the program to participants’ needs. Thus, cohorts might cover different topics based on self-identified priorities.
“On the budgetary side, I don't have a financial background. Going through what we did really opened up my eyes and made me feel like I'm not stupid in terms of asking questions. I'm supposed to be the one that knows, but I don't (always) know. I love the idea of a "toolbox" of resources.”
Integrated Self-Care Practices
Each session includes structured self-care exercises and routines, helping participants develop sustainable practices to navigate the pressures of leadership. This focus on well-being is a distinguishing feature of The Network, which participants consistently describe as transformative. One leader shared:
“The Network was uniquely valuable. Most programs focus on one area or another, but this addressed everything—leadership, community, and personal well-being. The power of this community and these practices helped me feel like I’m able to do this work better. I am more competent and confident.”
To learn more, apply or nominate a Leader, click here.
The Network includes a three-day launch retreat, monthly in-person sessions, and a culminating retreat. These elements foster deep connections within cohorts, enabling trust and ongoing peer support.
Advisory Board
Special thanks to our indomitable Advisory Board members, each of whom are extraordinary Leaders working to “lift as they climb.” Their unwavering support has made this work possible.
Wayne Ho, Chinese American Planning Council
Dr. Linda Lausell-Bryant, NYU Silver School of Social Work
Dr. Danielle Cox, Oliver Scholars
Dr. Lisette Nieves, Fund for the City of New York
Stanley Richards, Fortune Society
Cynthia Rivera Weissblum, Edwin Gould Foundation
Dr. Alfonso Wyatt, Fund for the City of New York
Footnotes
¹The terms Executive Leaders of Color and BIPOC Executives are used interchangeably for the purposes of this program, and often shortened to Leaders for brevity within this context.
²SSIR Transformational Capacity Building
³New Nonprofit Leaders of Color Bring Change but Also Force Hurdles