A Leadership Accelerator
EMERGING LEADERS IN PHILANTHROPY IS NOW FOUNDATION FORWARD.
As foundation professionals step into greater leadership responsibility amid generational shifts, evolving expectations, and increasing demands across the sector, they need more than technical expertise. They need the perspective, skills, resilience, and relationships to lead themselves, their teams, and their organizations through change.
Foundation Forward is a curated nine-month leadership development experience designed to help foundation professionals grow as leaders, strengthen their teams, and navigate uncertainty with clarity and confidence. Through expert-led learning, immersive experiences, executive coaching, and a trusted peer network, participants gain practical tools they can apply immediately and relationships that extend well beyond the program.
For more information about Foundation Forward, please contact PSW Senior Director of Learning Brittany Huber at bhuber@philanthropysouthwest.org.
Key Experiences:
- 21/64 Advisor Certification, developing facilitation skills to navigate complex conversations surrounding values, legacy, values-based decision-making, and intergenerational dynamics
- Grounded Leadership Retreat at Laity Lodge, the H.E. Butt Family Foundation’s retreat center in the Texas Hill Country
- Registration for PSW’s 79th Annual Conference
- Facilitated workshops that dive into philanthropy’s most timely issues and emerging opportunities
- Leadership assessments to deepen self-awareness and identify opportunities for growth
- 1:1 executive coaching with respected leaders in philanthropy and business
- A trusted, cross-regional peer network that fosters meaningful relationships and expands professional connections
- Practical leadership and team management tools participants can put to work immediately
Powered by Communities Foundation of Texas
What participants are saying...
"Alongside a deeper set of leadership understanding, I gained a network of peers I'll stay connected with and support throughout our leadership journeys."
- Sarah Parcell, Communities Foundation of Oklahoma
"The program reinforced my belief that our responsibility in philanthropy extends beyond individual funding decisions. It also gave me space to reflect on how I lead: the assumptions I bring, how I listen, and how I build trust. I came away with a stronger appreciation for how much the quality of our work depends on the care we bring to those everyday interactions."
- Laura Dean-Shapiro, Tejemos Foundation
"The cohort helped me better understand the importance of identifying my role in a given situation. Knowing when to lead, when to support, when to listen, and when to challenge allows me to make more effective decisions while preserving and strengthening trust within a team."
- Lizzy Martin, Dugas Family Foundation
