WHAT IS HANO FELLOWS?

HANO Fellows is a nine-month cohort program for nonprofit executives designed to support leadership development, share nonprofit management principles and foster peer relationships in the Hawaiʻi nonprofit community.

The program will bring together 15 emerging nonprofit directors, who represent diverse missions and perspectives, but have a shared dedication to serving the people and communities of Hawaiʻi, to learn together. The program will also foster intentional connections with seasoned nonprofit leaders who have been through the Weinberg Fellows program and through the first cohort of the HANO Fellows program.

The program will include two in-person sessions—at the beginning and ending of the program—if/as public health conditions permit. The rest of the sessions will be conducted virtually. Travel costs for neighbor island participants will be covered for any in-person sessions.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?

The program is intended for nonprofit Executive Directors who are:

• First time leaders with 5 years or less experience in their role
• Leading teams at organizations with paid staff
• Leaders with an appetite for change and a commitment to learning and growth

PROGRAM GOALS

For individual leaders:

• To strengthen their confidence in themselves as leaders and in their management role
• To support a stronger and beneficial peer network
• To encourage a commitment to service in the nonprofit sector

For participating organizations (the program will emphasize three priority areas that will be interwoven throughout the sessions):

• Strengthening organizational health and well-being
• Supporting a focus on equity and justice by providing tools and practices to apply to internal and external work
• Encouraging collaboration among/across participant organizations or with other organizations outside the cohort

For Hawaii’s nonprofit sector:

• To build sector leadership and connectivity

APPLICATION PROCESS

If you fit the eligibility criteria above, you are invited to submit an online application.

While we have set an application deadline of March 23, 2023, applications will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis until the program reaches enrollment capacity.

Participants who are accepted into the cohort can expect to be notified in early April.

2023 PROGRAM SCHEDULE*

The cohort will commence and close with a two-day in-person retreat. The rest of the time, we will meet one day a month (typically the third Friday of the month) via Zoom. Each virtual session will include content from expert presenters, a mid-day break, and opportunities to build connections in large and small group discussions and activities.

*If in-person sessions become impossible, due to public health circumstances, some dates may be shifted.

PLANNED TOPICS

• Your Leadership Journey: Who You Are, Why You Do This Work, Wellness
• The Nonprofit Ecosystem: Understanding Our Context
• Organizational Alignment: Strategy & Planning
• Compliance 101: What You Need to Know
• Partners in Leadership: Working with your Board
• Your Team: Staffing, Human Resources, Developing an Equitable & Inclusive Workplace
• Sustaining Your work: Financial Management & Fundraising
• Connecting with Your Community: Engagement and Collaboration
• Connecting with Fellow Leaders: Opportunities with Weinberg Fellows and 2022 HANO Fellows Cohort
• Standing for Your Mission: Advocacy and Communications
• Leading for Systemic Change

PROGRAM COSTS & SCHOLARSHIP ASSISTANCE

Although the majority of the Fellows Program costs are supported by our generous funder partners, accepted participant organizations will be asked to contribute a modest $325 to cover the remaining costs (the full cost of the experience, per fellow, is approximately $7,000).

A limited number of scholarships will be available for individuals whose organizations are unable to afford the full $325. If you are interested in a scholarship, please make sure to complete the last question on the application form.