Monthly Update | Dec. 2021
A Message from our CEO
How is it December already?! As we enter the season where Chanukah, Kwanzaa, and Christmas among other holidays are celebrated, I urge us all to take a moment and check in with ourselves and those around us—particularly staff. It is of the utmost importance as we navigate the highs and lows of nonprofit service and the news cycle reminding us of the adversities we continue to face living through a pandemic and the fight to make liberty and justice for all a reality.

At CEN, Vu Le, a former nonprofit executive director and author of the Nonprofit AF blog, inspired us to show care for our team by closing our doors on the 24th through the new year to allow space for us all to recharge without using our paid time off. There is something special about the collective exhale that happens when no individual worries about falling behind or their work slipping through the cracks. When we return, we are all better for it. Our creativity and focus are strengthened through the respite.

We asked you – our CEN community – via a LinkedIn poll if your organizations’ staff members receive a rest and recharge week. Of those who responded, 44% said they do offer this benefit to their staff. While many of our sibling orgs may not yet have the resources to pay big bonuses or salaries, a rest and recharge week—or day(s)— may address that by providing staff a welcome benefit without added costs. How are you all finding ways to honor your staff? Happy holidays!


Thank you.
-Shana Peete, Chief Executive Officer
Keeping up with CEN
Save the Date! Meet CEO Shana Peete on Jan. 12
Meet our new CEO Shana Peete, JD on Jan. 12th and learn about what the New Year 2022 has in store for CEN and our community! This virtual event will also provide an opportunity for networking with other nonprofit leaders, making connections to set ourselves up for success in 2022 and participating in programming centered around building relationships.
Introducing Our Latest Team Member! 
Raylene Hernandez
Programs & Projects Manager

Raylene received her Bachelor's degree from Santa Clara University in Public Health and Women's & Gender Studies. Raylene is also involved with the Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley as their Marketing and Board Assistant. In her free time she enjoys working on her financial literacy Instagram page, Latinas Talk Dinero that she co-founded to provide community members with free financial literacy education in both English and Spanish.
CEN’s ED/CEO Roundtable Kicks Off in January!
CEN's virtual roundtable series provides nonprofit EDs/CEOs with a unique opportunity to connect as we enter 2022 and continue to meet the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our monthly forum is a space for nonprofit leaders to come together for peer-to-peer connections and support. Participants will share experiences, challenges, and solutions during facilitated discussions that also include resources and leading practices provided by CEN. In addition, we will also offer a Leaders of Color Roundtable in the latter part of 2022 (more details to come!).
Did You Know?
Each month we share articles/resources that challenge the way we view work and inspire a new way to affect community impact.
"Giving circles are an accessible way for individuals to pool their money to make a greater positive impact on society. Giving circles -- which range in size -- offer donors a way to collaborate with others, learn about social issues, and effect community change."
This excerpt from Giving Compass is in relation to the organization’s Philanthropy Together initiative, which seeks to connect and catalyze collective giving around the world through the power of giving circles. Philanthropy Together’s collection will share stories of giving circles and networks, tips on how to best start, run, host, and lead a giving circle, and broader research insights on collective giving. 
CEN Membership
Become a CEN Member! As a member of CEN, you will get connected to a diverse network of nonprofit leaders who are on the same learning journey that you are. You'll receive deep discounts - usually 50% or more - on all our offerings and will gain access to partnership opportunities and no-cost services. We are dedicated to empowering nonprofit leaders through continued learning and to building spaces where everyone has a seat at the table and individuals are comfortable bringing their whole self. CEN resources can provide you with the support you need to thrive in the nonprofit sector, both personally and as an organization.
Nonprofit Learning
In response to COVID-19, CEN has moved all of our programs online, offering virtual training opportunities that merge fundamental leading practices with crisis management resources and opportunities for peer-to-peer connections and support. Additionally, we're offering special discounts and payment plans to make these offerings increasingly accessible during this challenging time, so please reach out!
Board Chair Essentials
We’ll explore strategies to build and strengthen the critical relationship between the board chair and the CEO and will share leading practices of board governance and leadership. Participants will also leave with tools to ensure your board meetings are efficient and the discussions are generative.
Management Basics - Part 1
Participants will learn how to set expectations, manage performance day-to-day, and review human resources best practices. Additionally, we'll offer leading practices and strategies for managing and working remotely as well as resources to help staff cope during difficult times.
Management Basics - Part 2
Effective leaders proactively address issues within teams that would otherwise contribute to a culture of distrust and resentment. You will gain strategies to build a culture founded on belonging and trust (increasingly important in a virtual setting) by exploring working styles and setting expectations. 
La Capacidad de Recuperación
La clave para manejar el estrés no es evitarlo, sino encontrar métodos para trabajar con él. Este curso está diseñado para brindarles a los participantes las herramientas que necesitan para identificar los factores estresantes, terminar con las conversaciones autocríticas, construir estructuras comunicativas y lidiar con el cambio con calma.
Newsletter Sponsorship
LiveImpact is a fully integrated, easy-to-use platform that is perfect for nonprofits of all sizes. It is built to deliver increased engagement and improved efficiency. It includes intelligent apps to support Fundraising, virtual and in-person Events/Auctions, Marketing, Volunteering, Memberships, Programs and Automation. LiveImpact is fully equipped to help nonprofits amplify their mission seamlessly in the new normal. Their onboarding experts work closely with nonprofits to customize the platform for their specific needs, making switching to LiveImpact swift and painless.

To learn more, you can visit them at https://www.liveimpact.org or check out CEN's new website and enhanced customer interface thanks to LiveImpact!
Interested in newsletter sponsorship? This is a great opportunity to share your services with our community of nonprofit leaders and to support CEN's ongoing networking efforts! Please email tarryl@cen.org.
Community
Association of Fundraising Professionals | Accepting Applications for 2022 IDEA Fellowship
AFP Silicon Valley Chapter is accepting applications for its 2022 Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) Fellowship, a year-long program for fundraisers from underrepresented communities intended to accelerate their careers through skills training, mentorship, and networking activities. Applications are due Dec. 15. For questions, email Illy Peete at vpidea@afpsv.org or Ehsaneh Sadr at vpeidea@afpsv.org.
Thrive Alliance | Policing in San Mateo: Data, Impact and Discussion
This is the first of two convenings to explore the issue of policing here in our communities. In this first meeting we seek to understand: What information is there about police activity and race disparities in SMC? How do you find it? What does it mean? We will present a real-life case study of how to get data on policing, review the data on arrests and racial disparities in SMC, and then host a facilitated conversation among researchers, law enforcement, those working with juvenile justice, and community activists.
Tri-Valley Nonprofit Alliance | Power of Giving Celebration  
Join TVNPA at the Bankhead Theater to recognize “the power of giving” harnessed by our community during the COVID–19 lock down era. It has been a stressful year for our member organizations—leaders, volunteers, and team members alike—all navigating uncharted waters during COVID restrictions to fulfill their missions as best possible. We will be honoring the collective efforts of their teams, along with the benefactors and beneficiaries of the Tri-Valley Nonprofit Fund, enabling continued service delivery by six safety-net service organizations during this challenging time.
Stanford Social Innovation Review | Power Up Your Communications Strategy
Join us for this unique two-part 180-minute e-certification program, designed to help you power up your communications strategy with the science of systems thinking. Featuring activities, illustrative examples, and case studies, this SSIR Live! webinar-workshop series is produced in conjunction with the Center for Public Interest Communications at the University of Florida. 
Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley | The 2018 Latino Report Card, Then & Now
The Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley will host a panel of area leaders in education, health, financial stability, housing, and the environment in anticipation of the organization’s next Latino Report Card. In 2018, the foundation revealed the report card grades on the quality of life for Silicon Valley Latinos, and the grades were overwhelmingly disappointing. On Dec. 10, the panel will discuss what has happened in the past 3 years, where things stand now, and what to expect for the next Latino Report Card.
Does your organization have a training or resource you would like to share with our newsletter community? Please email tarryl@cen.org. Posts must include a link to learn more and be formatted into a short blurb.
Nonprofit Sector Job Openings
Acknowledge Alliance – Multiple Mental Health Professional Positions
As schools seek to increase their social and emotional support for students and teachers, we're expanding our team and the reach of our services. Take a look at our open positions! New hires will be eligible for a signing bonus of $500 after 30 days of employment.
Have a Job Opening You Want To Share?
Please email tarryl@cen.org to feature your organization's job opening(s) in an upcoming newsletter (format: 3-4 sentences with a link to learn more). Priority is given to CEN members.
Sobrato Center for Nonprofits - Redwood Shores
330 Twin Dolphin Drive, Suite 151
Redwood City, CA 94065
650-517-5855