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Answers from a ProInspire Fellow: Three Questions About the Fellowship ExperienceBy 2012 ProInspire Fellow Elisa Chen Over the past few weeks I've received questions from friends who are considering applying to become a ProInspire Fellow. While we provide a list of FAQs on our website, I was happy to offer my own perspective on the Fellowship experience. Allow me to share my…
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Five Strategies to Becoming the Employer You Want to Beby ProInspire Board Member Pratichi Shah “What kind of employer do you want to be?” There may be no more important question when positioning an organization for future success. Buteau and Gopal pose the question explicitly in Employee Empowerment: The Key to Foundation Staff Satisfa…
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Introducing 2012 ProInspire Fellow: Elisa ChenName: Elisa Chen Hometown: Duncan, OK Previous Employer: Accenture Current Organization: FHI 360 What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector? I realized the need to live more actively as a steward in our society, community and the world. With such an endless and complex need in o…
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Introducing 2012 ProInspire Fellow: Michael BielmanName: Michael Beilman Hometown: Milwaukee, WI Previous Employer: The Mark Travel Corporation Current Organization: FHI 360 What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector? I have always wanted to work for a non-profit, particularly an in an NGO setting in international development. Th…
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My First 90 Days at Good360By 2012 Fellow Gillian Perron Just before my graduation from the University of Vermont, I had a meeting with my favorite professor. That conversation remains a vivid memory, specifically her advice on beginning a new career. She told me that life is full of transitions—some more poignant than …
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Finding a Job Where You Can Make a DifferenceBy Founder and CEO Monisha Kapila As the New Year approaches, many people start to reflect on their lives and their careers. If you are one of the millions of people who want to do work that is mission driven, you may be interested in a job in the "social sector." The social sector include…
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Onboarding is More Than OrientationBy Founder and CEO Monisha Kapila ProInspire is a nonprofit dedicated to developing the next generation of social sector leaders by expanding the talent pipeline, developing professionals, and increasing diversity. Over the past three years, ProInspire has partnered with more than 25 other …
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Start Your Nonprofit Career With a Fellowship ProgramBy 2010 ProInspire Fellow Crystal Moore We're on the final day of our 5 Days of Giving series on the blog with the goal of helping each and every one of you with your goals to change the world, in both big and small ways. So you have already made the decision that you would like to [&h…
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Finding Fulfillment Beyond the 9 to 5 Through Pro Bono WorkBy 2011 ProInspire Fellow Nikita Mitchell We're on Day 4 of our 5 Days of Giving series on the blog with the goal of helping each and every one of you with your goals to change the world, in both big and small ways. Every day more and more professionals are seeking ways to have a meani…
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Four Ways to Create the Perfect International Volunteer ExperienceBy Monisha Kapila, Founder and CEO of ProInspire We're on Day 3 of our 5 Days of Giving series on the blog with the goal of helping each and every one of you with your goals to change the world, in both big and small ways. In 2001 I went to India to work for […]…
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You Don’t Have to be a Corporate Titan to Serve on a Nonprofit BoardBy 2009 ProInspire Fellow and Board Member, Nick Takamine We're on Day 2 of our 5 Days of Giving series on the blog with the goal of helping each and every one of you with your goals to change the world, in both big and small ways. Nonprofits in San Francisco, home to ProInspire’s ne…
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Online Philanthropy: How to Donate to People and Projects in NeedBy 2012 ProInspire Fellow Nick Hamlin This week we're kicking off our 5 Days of Giving series on the blog with the goal of helping each and every one of you with your goals to change the world, in both big and small ways. Perhaps the biggest hallmark of the Web 2.0 movement is the […]…
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ProInspire Named a Top-Rated 2012 NonprofitProInspire is honored to have been selected as a Top-Rated 2012 nonprofit by GreatNonprofits, a leading developer of tools that allow people to find, review, and share information about nonprofits. More information on GreatNonprofits.org: Currently, users can rate more than 1.2 million nonpro…
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Introducing 2012 ProInspire Fellow: Lina FengName: Lina Feng Hometown: Rockville, MD Previous Employer: Boston Consulting Group Current Organization: D.C. Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development What inspired you to make the switch into the public/nonprofit sector? While studying public policy at Duke I discovered soci…
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My First 90 Days at GlobalGivingBy 2012 Fellow Nick Hamlin My transition into the non-profit world represented a major workplace shift. I came from a technical role in a global organization with thousands of employees. Our day-to-day work, while engaging, was dictated primarily by the deals signed by our sales team. Now, I work in…
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Introducing 2012 ProInspire Fellow: Idelle DelapenaName: Idelle Delapena Hometown: San Diego, California Previous Employer: Genentech and National Asian American Coalition Current Organization: Year Up Bay Area What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector? After seeing the not-so-pretty side of the for-profit world, I realized that…
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The Politics of ImpactBy 2012 Fellow, Jay Subramaniam My first job out of college was serving as a finance intern on then-Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley’s campaign for Governor of Maryland during the midterm elections of 2006. Later that summer, with O’Malley favored to his race, my f…
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Three Challenges in Breaking into the Nonprofit Sector and How to Overcome ThemFinding a job before you graduate is hard enough. Most college graduates cross the stage without a clue what their next move will be. The challenge doesn’t get any easier once the diploma is up on the wall and the real world begins to knock on your door. More than 50% of recent college graduat…
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The Power of We: Big Lessons from a Small TownBy 2012 Fellow, Gillian Perron Blog Action Day brings together bloggers from different countries, interests and languages to blog about one important global topic on the same day. This year the theme is "The Power of We" in celebration of people working together to make a positive dif…
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Introducing 2012 ProInspire Fellow: Andrew WuName: Andrew Wu Hometown: Saratoga, CA Previous Employer: PwC Consulting Current Organization: Single Stop USA What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector? I was able to gain exposure to the nonprofit sector through a couple different experiences while I was in college. It started…
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Opportunity Nation’s 2012 Summit Focuses on Pathways to SuccessBy Hadeel Al-Tashi, Program Coordinator Last Wednesday hundreds of leaders, legislators, academics, non-profit and business professionals, as well as young adults attended Opportunity Nation’s 2012 Summit with the collective vision of expanding economic opportunity and mobility in America. The…
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Introducing 2012 ProInspire Fellow: Nick HamlinName: Nick Hamlin Hometown: Ipswich, MA Previous Employer: PTC Current Organization: GlobalGiving What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector? Engineers naturally gravitate towards elegant solutions to complex problems. For me, the fact that a simple, well-executed idea, like usin…
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Introducing 2012 ProInspire Fellow: Kanae MoriName: Kanae Mori Hometown: Cupertino, CA Previous Employer: Simply Hired Current Organization: Share Our Strength What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector? I've had many positive volunteer experiences in the past and I knew I wanted to continue to stay engaged in mission dr…
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Introducing 2012 ProInspire Fellow: Collin EvansName: Collin Evans Hometown: Honolulu, HI Organization: National 4-H Council Previous Employer: Insight Global What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector? Making the switch was an easy decision once I realized what was missing from my experience in the for-profit sector…
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Introducing 2012 ProInspire Fellow: David NewberryName: Dave Newberry Hometown: Stone Mountain, GA Organization: Achievement Preparatory Academy Previous Employer: Boon Lee Tutorial Services, Beach Capital, and Goldman Sachs What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector? My interest in pursuing a career promoting social change was,…
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Introducing 2012 ProInspire Fellow: Christine LaiName: Christine Lai Hometown: Chino, CA Organization: Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools for Public Policy Previous Employer: Elite Meetings International What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector? I have been very fortunate to work with incredible for-profit companies, but som…
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My First 90 Days at the National Human Services AssemblyBy 2012 Fellow Bridget McCabe Prior to ProInspire, I worked in advertising as a media buyer in New York City. About two months before the Fellowship, I had switched agencies and was still in the process of understanding the idiosyncrasies of my new role. When I was offered the Membership & Commu…
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Lessons From the 2011 ProInspire FellowsDuring the final training for the 2011 ProInspire Fellows in June, everyone was asked to reflect on lessons learned over the last year. Here's what was captured, broken out into six different categories that capture different aspects of the fellowship experience: Ramping up Ask co-workers…
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Nikita Mitchell (2011 Fellow) Reflects on Her StartingBloc ExperienceI honestly went into the experience not really knowing what to expect when I landed in Boston earlier this summer. I knew that I would learn about different forms of social innovation – everything from social entrepreneurship to intrapreneurship to cross sector partnerships – and I knew th…
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Introducing 2012 ProInspire Fellow: Bridget McCabeName: Bridget McCabe Hometown: Glenmoore, PA Organization: National Human Services Assembly (NHSA) Previous Employer: Zenith Media, Mediacom What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector? I had been interested in pursuing a career in the nonprofit sector after I took a Fair Trade an…
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2011 ProInspire Fellows Graduate, Celebrating a Year of AccomplishmentsOn June 19th the 2011 cohort of ProInspire Fellows gathered at Busboys and Poets in DC with family, friends, colleagues, supporters and even a few 2012 Fellows to celebrate the completion of thier fellowship. The evening started with Monisha Kapila welcoming everyone and a recapping the last …
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Introducing 2011 ProInspire Fellow: Anisha AnantName: Anisha Anant Hometown: Plainsboro, New Jersey Organization: FHI 360 Previous Employer: IFMR Trust and Citigroup What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector? I was born and brought up in Mumbai, India. After moving to the U.S. in middle school, I often went back to vis…
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Introducing 2011 ProInspire Fellow: Nikita T. MitchellName: Nikita Mitchell Hometown: Beltsville, MD Organization: Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO) Previous Employer: Deloitte Consulting What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector? I graduated with my undergraduate degree in business knowing that at some point in my caree…
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Introducing 2011 ProInspire Fellow: Katie PerriName: Katie Perri Hometown: Gainesville, FL most recently Los Angeles, CA Organization: National 4-H Council Previous Employer: Mercer Consulting What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector? As an undergraduate at the University of Southern California, I worked as a volunteer for …
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Introducing 2011 ProInspire Fellow: Will MrozName: Will Mroz Hometown: Evergreen, Colorado Organization: ACCION International Frontier Investments Group Previous Employer: UBS Investment Bank What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector? The death of my grandmother shocked me into looking at something new. What is your curren…
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ProInspire to Launch Flagship Fellows Program in San Francisco Bay AreaFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 18, 2012 Contact Lisa Frederick Director of Communications ProInspire [email protected] ProInspire to Launch Flagship Fellows Program in San Francisco Bay Area In fall of 2012, ProInspire will place outstanding business professionals with leading nonprofits…
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ProInspire featured in the Huffington PostDetermined To Make A Difference: How Young Professionals Are Changing The World, One Cause At A Time by Monisha Kapila It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the challenges facing children and families in our communities and worldwide. In the U.S. alone, more than 15 percent of the population li…
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Introducing 2011 ProInspire Fellow: Schuyler WoodsName: Schuyler Ballou Woods Hometown: San Antonio, Texas Organization: Washington Area Community Investment Fund (WACIF) Previous Employer: JPMorgan What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector? As a Religious Studies major with a penchant for urban development, working in the worl…
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Lessons from “Emerging Leadership in Nonprofit Organizations”By Lucila Crena, Program Director and 2009 ProInspire Fellow The nonprofit leadership deficit is, by now, a well-known social sector challenge. The Bridgespan Group’s game-changing “The Nonprofit Sector’s Leadership Deficit” put stunning figures to the problem and, in the process, mobilized …
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Can you have stability and passion?This post was written by Kathryn Gray, 2011 ProInspire Fellow, for the Social Citizens blog. If you had asked me two years ago where I would hope to be on February 27th 2012, I would have never imagined the career and personal satisfaction I have today. Originally from Southern California, when aske…
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Introducing 2011 ProInspire Fellow: Tahira RehmatullahName: Tahira Rehmatullah Hometown: Conneaut, OH Organization: City First Enterprises Previous Employer: Perry Capital, Ernst & Young What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector? Giving back to various communities and engaging in mission driven work has always been a part of my…
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ProInspire CEO featured by Good Generation on being a social entrepreneurWhat do you do for a living nowadays? I am the Founder and CEO of ProInspire, a nonprofit building the next generation of nonprofit leaders by expanding the talent pipeline, developing professionals, and increasing diversity. As CEO, I oversee the growth of our program and expansion into new areas r…
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Introducing 2011 ProInspire Fellow: Marian LeitnerName: Marian Leitner Hometown: New York City Organization: GAVI Alliance Previous Employer: AXA-Equitable What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector? I had always been passionate about international development. One day at work, I was assigned to support a project to pilot microi…
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Fellowship Profile: Elisa ChenName: Elisa Chen Hometown: Duncan, OK Fellowship Year: 2012 Fellowship Role: Strategy Fellow with FHI 360’s Strategic Planning and Analysis Team in Washington, DC Pre-Fellowship: Manager, Talent and Organizational Performance Practice Area, with Accenture LLP in Houston, T…
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Fellowship Profile: Crystal MooreName: Crystal Moore Hometown: Meridian, MS Fellowship Year: 2010 Fellowship Role: Business Analyst with District of Columbia Public Schools, Washington, DC Pre-Fellowship: Client Financial Manager with Accenture LLP Education: BS, Business Administration & Finance, …
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Fellowship Profile: Christine WangName: Christine Wang Hometown: Plano, TX Fellowship Year: 2012 Fellowship Role: Program Associate, Flexible Leadership Awards Program, Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund in San Francisco, CA Pre-Fellowship: Underwriter at JP Morgan Chase in New York City Education: BS, …
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Fellowship Profile: Carlos GarciaName: Carlos Garcia Hometown: St. Louis, MO Fellowship Year: 2013 Fellowship Role: Resource Development & Marketing Manager for Eagle Academy Public Charter School, Washington, DC Pre-Fellowship: Literacy Intervention Tutor with Reading Partners Education: BA, Inter…
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Fellowship Profile: Ashley SigmonName: Ashley Sigmon Hometown: Charlotte, NC Fellowship Year: 2013 Fellowship Role: Strategic Partnerships Fellow at Tipping Point Community in San Francisco, CA Pre-Fellowship: Senior Associate with Triage Consulting Group, a healthcare consulting firm in San Francisco, CA E…
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Fellowship Profile: Isayas TheodrosName: Isayas Theodros Hometown: Fullerton, CA Fellowship Year: 2013 Fellowship Role: Portfolio Manager for Partners for the Common Good in Washington, DC Pre-Fellowship: Senior Auditor at Deloitte & Touche in Costa Mesa, CA Education: BA, Economics & Accounting,…
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Exploring a Global ‘Local’ Approach to Impact Investment as a ProInspire FellowThis is a guest post that Brint Markle, 2011 ProInspire Fellow, wrote for NextBillion.net. After three great years as a strategy consultant at Bain & Company, I decided to explore opportunities in impact investing. While at Bain, I helped start our first global social impact initiative, but felt…
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Brint Markle (2011 Fellow) writes a guest post for Next BillionExploring a Global ‘Local’ Approach to Impact Investment as a ProInspire Fellow by Brint Markle After three great years as a strategy consultant at Bain & Company, I decided to explore opportunities in impact investing. While at Bain, I helped start our first global social impa…
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Maurice Matthews (2010 Fellow) on “one of the best experiences of my life”By Maurice Matthews, 2010 ProInspire Fellow Working for Year Up as a 2010 ProInspire Fellow was hands down one of the best experiences of my life. I often used the term “I wear many hats” to describe my role at Year Up. While my official title was “Special Projects & Operations Manager,”…
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Tiffany Goh (2010 Fellow) on the perfect marriage of business and passion for social impactBy Tiffany Goh, 2010 ProInspire Fellow As ProInspire kicks into gear to recruit the next class of fellows, I’m reminded of where I was when I applied myself two years ago. I applied to ProInspire eager to pursue a career that focused on my passion for social impact and international economic devel…
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Teja Padma (2010 Fellow) pursuing her passion for international developmentBy Teja Padma (2010 ProInspire Fellow) Nearly a year and a half ago, I left Mercer Consulting to join the Business Planning & Strategy team as a ProInspire Fellow at FHI 360, (formerly known as Family Health International). I learned more in the one year that I spent at FHI 360 than in th…
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Introducing 2011 ProInspire Fellow: Meaghan CaseyName: Meaghan CaseyHometown: Bristol, CTOrganization: FHI 360Previous Employer: Dynamics Research Corporation What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector?I decided to switch into the nonprofit sector because I would like my career path to continuously challenge me to develop as an…
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ProInspire Profiled by Shoestring VentureMonisha Kapila and ProInspire were recently profiled by Shoestring Venture, a resource for entrepreneurs seeking to build effective startups. Read on to learn more about Monisha's experience getting ProInspire started: On February 26, 2009 I launched ProInspire, with the mission of…
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Introducing 2011 ProInspire Fellow: Brint MarkleName: Brint Markle Hometown: Philadelphia Organization: Small Enterprise Assistance Funds Previous Employer: Bain & Company What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector? I decided to switch to the nonprofit sector this year for two main reasons: 1) I wanted to take on greater l…
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Chavez Schools: A Public Charter Success StoryWritten by 2011 Fellow, Camiel Irving This post is part of a series on our hiring partners which highlights the work they are doing in the community. Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools for Public Policy is one of the oldest Charter Management Organizations (CMOs) is The District of Columbia. The sy…
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Introducing 2011 ProInspire Fellow: Camiel IrvingName: Camiel IrvingHometown: Baltimore, MarylandOrganization: Chavez Public Charter SchoolsPrevious Employer: 3M What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector?At the beginning of my career, I chose the medical device industry because I would be selling products that improved the liv…
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“Treat” YourselfToday is Blog Action Day 2011, which happens to coincide with World Food Day. Being the passionate food advocate that he is, 2010 Inspire Fellow David DeVaughn reflects on his early memories of food. My parents separated soon after my younger sister was born when I was two years old. Once the legal …
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Lessons on Leadership in the Nonprofit SectorNonprofits have a bad rep when it comes to professional development and career growth. It’s a source of frustration for many young professionals in the sector. Having experienced their own challenges throughout their careers, Trista Harris and Rosetta Thurman published Nonprofit Rockstar: 50 Ways …
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How to Be a Great FellowHave you ever considered how similar advice for a new job is to advice for a first date? Neither did the 2011 class of Inspire Fellows before Lisa Lazarus sat down to talk to us about what it would take to be successful in our fellowship. Lisa is no stranger to fellowships. Most recently she [&helli…
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Reflections on the 11th Annual Public Private Partnership ConferenceWritten by 2011 Fellow, Schuyler Woods Determining compounding returns in an Excel macro is so much easier than determining the solution to unemployment. To think I was under the illusion I was actually shaping future income with my projection models! While my future simulations were solitary work, …
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ProInspire’s Growth Strategy: Defining the HedgehogEarlier this year, we decided it was time to develop ProInspire’s growth strategy. I started ProInspire in 2009 with a hypothesis – that one way to address the nonprofit leadership deficit is to expand talent pools in the sector. We launched the Inspire Fellowship to do just that by recruiting y…
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Book Review: Good to Great by Jim CollinsProInspire is no stranger to Jim Collins. Good to Great and the Social Sectors: a Monograph to Accompany Good to Great is an introductory read for all Fellows within the first few months in the sector. However after reading the monograph and receiving so many recommendations to read his best seller …
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7 Lessons from the 2010 Inspire FellowsThis month we kicked off the third class of Inspire Fellows! We have a fantastic group of individuals joining the nonprofit sector with backgrounds in consulting, banking, private equity, and marketing. During our Foundations Training, which is provided to everyone at the beginning of their Fellowsh…
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Addressing the Nonprofit Leadership Deficit by Utilizing Business TalentOver the last several years interest in working in the social sector has soared. President Obama has brought considerable attention to the importance of volunteerism and civic engagement since the beginning of his presidency. Fellowships and post-graduate programs have steadily gained popularity ove…
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3 Reasons Why Every Young Professional Should Serve on a Nonprofit BoardBoard membership is something that I almost never hear young professionals discuss. If I had to venture a guess why, I’d say that there is a perception held by many that it’s something you do later in your career when you’re older, wiser, more experienced, etc. This, however, couldn’t be far…
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Nikita Mitchell (2011 Fellow) writes a guest post for SocialEarthProInspire: Addressing the Nonprofit Leadership Deficit by Utilizing Business Talent by Nikita Mitchell Over the last several years interest in working in the social sector has soared. President Obama has brought considerable attention to the importance of volunteerism and civic engagement sin…
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2010 Inspire Fellows Graduate, Celebrating a Year of AccomplishmentsOn Tuesday evening, ProInspire’s second class of Inspire Fellows gathered with family, friends, alumni, board members and partners of the organization to celebrate their accomplishments over the last year. The atmosphere was relaxed, the food was delicious and the drinks were flowing. After gi…
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Introducing 2010 Inspire Fellow: Tiffany GohTiffany Goh Hometown: Port Washington, NY Organization: ACCION International Previous Employer: Credit Suisse What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector?I’ve always had an interest in helping to improve the lives of people who, for reasons beyond their control, do not ha…
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Introducing 2010 Inspire Fellow: Kathleen SheehanKathleen Sheehan Hometown: Worcester, MA Organization: DC Prep Previous Employer: Federal News Service What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector?I was just finishing my third year of work at my former employer when I became aware of the ProInspire opportunity. Reflecting …
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Check us out on Unwitting Entrepreneur blogThank you to the Unwitting Entrepreneur blog for featuring us in their Entrepreneur Spotlight. Check out the post at http://www.unwittingentrepreneur.com/2011/04/18/entrepreneur-spotlight-proinspire/ Name: Monisha Kapila Name of your product/ company: ProInspire What does your company do/ produce?Pr…
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Congratulations to Lisa Hall, Calvert Foundation CEOOn Monday I was honored to celebrate the appointment of Lisa Hall as President and CEO of Calvert Foundation. Lisa is on ProInspire’s Advisory Board and has been a great mentor to me. Calvert Foundation’s mission is to maximize the flow of capital to disadvantaged communities in order to cre…
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From Microsoft to Grassroots Business FundThis post was written by Inspire Fellow Tony Cappaert for the Next Billion blog. NextBillion.net is a website and blog bringing together the community of business leaders, social entrepreneurs, NGOs, policy makers and academics who want to explore the connection between development and enterprise. T…
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Announcing 2011 Inspire Fellowship PartnersWe are are excited to announce the first set of hiring partners for the 2011 Inspire Fellowship! Additional partners will be announced in the coming weeks: ACCION InternationalAssociation for Enterprise OpportunityCesar Chavez Charter SchoolsCityFirst EnterprisesDC Prep Public Charter SchoolE.L. Hay…
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Introducing 2010 Inspire Fellow: Reena SikdarName: Reena Sikdar Hometown: Cincinnati, OH Organization: Eagle Academy PCS Former Employer: General Mills What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector? I wanted to work for a cause I felt connected to, surrounded by equally passionate people. What is your current…
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Introducing 2010 Inspire Fellow: Crystal MooreName: Crystal MooreHometown: Collinsville, MSOrganization: DC Public SchoolsFormer Employer: Accenture What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector? I’ve always had the desire to transform low-income communities. I majored in business administration and finance during college…
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Introducing 2010 Inspire Fellow: Teja PadmaName: Teja PadmaHometown: Chino Hills, CaliforniaOrganization: FHI (formerly known as Family Health International)Former Employer: Mercer What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector? Working in the nonprofit sector has been my lifelong passion and I’ve al…
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Introducing 2010 Inspire Fellow: Maurice MatthewsName: Maurice MatthewsHometown: Harlem, New YorkOrganization: Year UpFormer Employer: JP Morgan Chase What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector? I was looking for a change of environment. I’ve always had a passion for working with students in the social sector. Coming from an …
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Introducing 2010 Inspire Fellow: Tiffany HawkinsTiffany Hawkins Hometown: Fort Washington, MDOrganization: Eagle Academy Public Charter School (EAPCS)Previous Employer: Accenture What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector? All of my past job experiences have been either working directly in the public sector or with public sect…
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Introducing 2010 Inspire Fellow: David DeVaughnDavid DeVaughn Hometown: Newton, MA Organization: Family Health International Previous Employer: Cambridge Associates What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector? I had reached the point in my career where I knew I could add value to non-profits, and wanted to transfer my passion …
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Good to Great and the Social Sectors: Seminar ReviewThis past Wednesday following the Proinspire workshop for this month, many Fellows and alumni attended Good to Great and the Social Sectors: a discussion of what makes an organization Great. This seminar was led by a panel consisting of Schroeder Stribling, Executive Director of N Street Village, an…
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Day in the Life of an Inspire Fellows Alum: Nick TakamineAfter a year as an Inspire Fellow with FHI, an international development NGO working in global health and related areas, Nick joined FHI as a Strategy & Analysis Officer. In this role, he is leading the development of a performance metrics framework for the Business Planning & Strategy…
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Introducing 2010 Inspire Fellow: Laura StephensonLaura Stephenson Hometown: Hillsborough, CaliforniaOrganization: Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) Previous Employer: Booz Allen Hamilton What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector?I am very passionate about education, and always imagined myself working at a nonprofit focu…
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Alum Book Review: How to Become a Nonprofit Rockstar: 50 Ways to Accelerate your CareerWhen I was in 6th grade, my biggest fear was of wasting my life. I was a strange kid. I even wrote a long, sappy poem about it. Re-reading that poem in the midst of a recent closet-cleaning exercise brought a bit of chagrin, but also a realization: living intentionally has been the hound at [&hellip…
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Introducing 2010 Inspire Fellow: Erika WhiteErika WhiteHometown: New Rochelle, New YorkOrganization: Association for Enterprise OpportunityPrevious Employer: Jones Lang LaSalleWhat inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector?The passion I have for positively impacting the local and global community was the long-term inspiration.…
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Introducing…2010 Inspire FellowsThe 2010 class of Inspire Fellows has hit the ground running at each of their respective organizations in the Washington, DC area. In the coming weeks, we will be featuring interviews with each of the 13 fellows. Hopefully, these interviews will give you more insight into who we are professionally a…
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10 Interview Tips for Sector SwitchersNext week, Inspire Fellows candidates will be coming to Washington D.C. to interview with our 18 nonprofit partners. Based on the experience of our pilot class of Inspire Fellows, we put together a list of tips that can help any sector switcher prepare for interviews in the nonprofit sector: 1. Prep…
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Tips on Working at a Small NonprofitSimilar to for-profit organizations, there are substantial benefits and drawbacks to working at a small nonprofit organization rather than a larger one. For example, it may be confusing and overwhelming to work at a large organization where you might feel lost in the sea of other colleagues serving …
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Nick’s Application Tips: 5 Questions to Ask YourselfApplications for the 2010 Inspire Fellows program are open. For what it’s worth, I’m offering my advice for creating a strong application. As you go through the application process, ask yourself these five questions. (Note that this is my personal advice; I don’t speak on behalf of…
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On Asset Building For Nonprofitsby 2009 Fellow Rashan Jibowu Despite my short tenure as a nonprofit professional, I have significantly increased my appreciation for the great work that nonprofit organizations perform every day. But, I also feel compelled to ask: Are nonprofit business models generally sustainable? Many people corr…
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Learn about transitioning from business to nonprofit as an Inspire FellowProInspire is hosting information calls in February for candidates interested in the Inspire Fellows 2010 program. Details at http://proinspire.org/fellows/information-calls/ Inspire Fellows Information CallsWednesday, February 3 at 9pm ESTTuesday, February 9 at 7pm ESTMonday, February 15 at 6pm EST…
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ProInspire Spotlight: Keiva Dennis, National Housing Trust Community Development FundProInspire Spotlight is our monthly feature profiling sector switchers and people using their business experience in the social sector. This month we spotlight Keiva Dennis at the National Housing Trust Community Development Fund. Keiva used her experience at Deutsche Bank and her MBA from Yale Scho…
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ProInspire Spotlight: Amitabh Saxena, ACCION InternationalProInspire Spotlight is our monthly feature profiling sector switchers and people using their business experience in the social sector. This month we spotlight Amitabh Saxena at ACCION International. Amitabh is doing great work helping microfinance institutions leverage new channels like mobile phon…
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NI09: Rebecca Onie and Alex Counts on Social EntrepreneurshipMy favorite speakers from Net Impact 2009 were the Saturday morning keynotes on Social Entrepreneurship – Rebecca Onie of Project Health and Alex Counts of the Grameen Foundation. Both Rebecca and Alex shared stories about starting their organizations, the change they are trying to drive, and …
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The Same GameThe answer: This type of entity is organized and operated to make a profit. The question: What is a business? A $200-level Jeopardy! clue, perhaps. But is it that obvious of a response? In some ways, yes; in others, no. The clue, it seems, is responsive to perspective. Within a society that communic…
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ProInspire Spotlight: Valerie Faillace, KIPP FoundationWe are starting a new monthly feature on our blog. ProInspire Spotlight will feature sector switchers and people using their business experience in the social sector. This month we speak with Valerie Faillace at the KIPP Foundation. Valerie and I were roommates at Harvard Business School – she…
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A business professional’s observations about direct serviceI thought I knew what I would be doing in the non-profit sector when I became a ProInspire Fellow. The roles for those of us transitioning from the business world tend to be functional and strategic, leveraging our analytical background. However, I work at Year Up, Inc., and they are not content lea…
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Sector Switchers: Five challenges to prepare for in your new nonprofit jobI wrote today’s post for Nonprofit Career Month. In August, ProInspire launched the Inspire Fellows program for young business professionals transitioning into the nonprofit sector. As part of our orientation, we led a discussion on challenges faced by sector switchers. While many sector switc…