Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation, in partnership with MAP for Nonprofits, Fieldstone Alliance, and Nonprofits Assistance Fund, hosted an exciting day of learning to build organizations’ resilience. Resilient Leaders — Resilient Organizations was a convening of nonprofit leaders who seek ways of increasing their organization’s health and resiliency during an extended economic downturn.

About the Convening

The day began with an interactive presentation / dialogue on resilient leadership that set the stage for participants to formulate decisions about moving themselves and their organizations and partnerships toward greater resiliency.

Participants attended breakouts led by subject-area experts on three of the following five topics:

• Board Governance: Understand the unrealized potential of your board and how to move the dynamics of the board forward. What does it take to build a high performance board?
• Financial Sustainability: Each organization’s financial underpinnings determine the priorities for the next steps toward sustainability. How recession proof is your organization?
• Realignment/Collaboration: Most organizations are involved in one to several collaborations. What’s your return on investment in collaborating?
• Innovation: Innovation is at the heart of community improvement. How can unleashing innovation in your field can help you achieve your mission?
• Technology / Social Media: New social media can carry organizational messages far beyond that achieved with other media. How do you use social media to your benefit?

View the materials.

The day also included lively activity and networking and will concluded with a preview of capacity building resources available.

The goal was for participants to leave ready to take action based on an increased understanding of how they can use capacity building resources to improve the health and resilience of their organization and partnerships.

Who Attended?

There were a total of four convenings, two in the Twin Cities area open to current Blue Cross Foundation grantees only and two in greater Minnesota open to all nonprofits—grantees and non-grantees alike.

Each organization was encouraged to have staff and board leadership represented (up to 3 people total). For partnerships that receive funding from the Blue Cross Foundation, 3 to 5 leaders who are representative of organizations in the partnership could attend.

Dates and Locations

• Wednesday, August 19 – 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. – Neighborhood House, St. Paul
• Saturday, August 22 – 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. – Neighborhood House, St. Paul
• Monday, September 21 – 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. – Redwood Area Community Center, Redwood Falls
• Tuesday, September 22 – 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. – Initiative Foundation, Little Falls