In this episode, we examine The Resilience Initiative, a model of foundation-initiated capacity-building work on behalf of grantee organizations that has sought to help progressive nonprofits tackle the mounting political, economic, and health crises that have impacted organizations in recent years.
The Resilience Initiative has developed a highly-responsive approach that is increasingly focused on the well-being of nonprofit people and organizations. You’ll hear from the two top-notch consultants who have consecutively led this effort - Janet Nami McIntyre and her predecessor Paula Morris.
This episode explores practices of talent-investing that relate to responsiveness:
- Ask and Respond.
- Go All-In.
- Offer Custom Solutions.
Resources from this Episode:
- Resilience Initiative is a project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
- LinkedIn: Janet Nami McIntyre and Paula Morris
- janet@resilienceinitiative.org; paula@resilienceinitiative.org
- The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
- The LeadersTrust
- Flexible Leadership Awards
- Should We Cancel Capacity-Building?, Nonprofit Quarterly, by Marcus Littles
Janet Nami McIntyre Bio:
Janet Nami McIntyre joined the Resilience Initiative in September 2022 as the first full time Director. She brings over 25 years experience in the nonprofit sector as a leader, an experienced consultant and coach, and including having served as a capacity coach at the LeadersTrust, a sister organization.
For the past 10 years Janet was VP of Programs for Executive Service Corps of Southern California, where she curated leadership learning, cohort programs, and coaching offerings for nonprofit staff and board members. Prior to that, she held various positions in arts and cultural organizations in Los Angeles. Janet was the Executive Director of the Hollywood Arts Council, Director of Development and Community Engagement at Classical KUSC Public Radio, and in multiple development roles at the LA Phil and Hollywood Bowl.
Janet is the daughter of immigrants from Japan and is a second-generation Japanese American, born and raised in Los Angeles where she currently lives and works. She is an active member of her community, and volunteers as a board member, alumna mentor, community gardener, and political campaigner. Her activism, volunteerism, and meaningful work with nonprofits helps her maintain faith in people and a hopeful outlook on the world.
Paula Morris Bio:
Paula Morris has worked to strengthen social change organizations over four decades, most recently as the first Director of the Resilience Initiative (RI), a project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, which launched in 2017 with funding support from the Packard Foundation. Paula led the design and growth of the RI until September 2023, and it now provides a range of coaching, trainings, cohort learning and other supports for over 500 organizations.
Paula has been a consultant on the Packard Foundation’s Organizational Effectiveness Program team since November 2019. She was also the first Program Director for the Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund's Flexible Leadership Awards (FLA) Program, forerunner of the LeadersTrust. She worked with the FLA from its inception in 2005 until 2015 and led design and implementation of coaching, consulting, training, and peer learning for over 70 social justice organizations.
As Program Director and Interim Executive Director at the Horizons Foundation, the nation’s first LGBT Community Foundation, she led the Foundation’s capacity building and community-led grantmaking programs and donor advised funds. In the mid-1990s, Paula was Education Director and then Executive Director for IDEX, now Thousand Currents, and is a past Co-Chair of the Board. Paula has also worked as a consultant to scores of advocacy organizations and foundation initiatives. In the 1980s, she worked for seven years in Indonesia and Zimbabwe, where she was Field Director for VSO.
Paula was born and raised in Birmingham, UK, in a family of teachers and union leaders. She and her wife, Cory, have lived in the Bay Area for more than 30 years. She has been a volunteer, donor and advocate for many LGBT and other justice organizations, is an avid gardener, golfer, and traveler, and enthusiastic godparent and auntie to many young people. She prides herself on being a baby whisperer.
