Board Leadership Institute
A strong board is key for a successful nonprofit.
The nonprofit board is charged with:
- Legal, fiduciary oversight
- Attracting and stewarding resources
- Planning and setting strategic direction
- Hiring and evaluating the chief executive
Your leadership team can learn and adopt the practices of high performing boards.
There will be two cohorts of the Board Leadership Institute in 2022 - one in Santa
Barbara County and one with both Ventura and Santa Barbara County organizations.
We are currently recruiting the second cohort with a deadline to apply of Friday,
April 15, 2022 no later than 12:00 noon. This cohort will be hosted virtually via
Zoom.
About the Board Leadership Institute
The Center for Nonprofit Leadership at California Lutheran is pleased to announce the application process for the 2022 cohorts of the Board Leadership Institute. This six-month certificate program will enhance the knowledge and skills among leadership teams comprised of nonprofit board members and their head of staff (CEO or Executive Directors).
With incredible support from the Santa Barbara Foundation and the Amgen Foundation, this year’s Board Leadership Institute will bring a special focus on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as it relates to all components of board governance. With a framework of DEI, the program endeavors to have graduates of this program feel more confident in their board governance practices, fiduciary oversight and the skills and abilities of boards of directors to steward our region’s nonprofit organizations.
Download the 2022 Santa Barbara County cohort flyer
DOWNLOAD THE 2022 VENTURA/SANTA BARBARA COUNTIES COHORT FLYER
Thank You to Our Partners!
This program is generously underwritten by the Amgen Foundation & the Santa Barbara
Foundation.
![]() ![]() |
|
Certification
Each organization, as well as each fully participating board and staff leader, will receive a Certificate of Completion, useful for resumes, references, and grant applications. All Certificate holders will be listed on the Center for Nonprofit Leadership’s website.
Who Should Attend?
Each participating organization is required to send a leadership team of two to three board members and the organization’s current head of staff (CEO or Executive Director). Ideally this is a mix of seasoned board members and emerging leaders. For the greatest impact, the board chair is strongly encouraged to be part of this group. We ask that the team remain consistent through the life of the program; and each person make every effort to attend all sessions to offer the greatest depth and continuity to the Board Leadership Institute experience.
How to Apply
Applications for remaining team slots are accepted on a rolling basis.
The deadline to submit an application for the next cohort is 12:00 noon Friday, April 15, 2022.
Location, Dates and Times
The 2022 cohorts of the Board Leadership Institute will be hosted via Zoom. With the exception of the mandatory orientation, each month will include two 2-hour sessions from 9 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Zoom with subject matter experts, tools & templates and interactive team excercises. We kindly ask that all participants log in no later than 8:45 a.m. to get settled and to network with other program participants.
Zoom log-in information will be sent prior to the orientation.
Important Dates
-
Mandatory Orientation
Tuesday, April 19, 2022
Log-in: 8:45 a.m. | Session 9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. -
Board Service 101
Tuesdays - May 10 & 17
Log-in: 8:45 a.m. | Session 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. -
Board/Staff Partnership
Tuesdays - June 14 & 21
Log-in: 8:45 a.m. | Session 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. -
Power & Privilege
Tuesdays - July 12 & 19
Log-in: 8:45 a.m. | Session 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. -
Strategy & Strategic Planning
Tuesdays - August 9 & 16
Log-in: 8:45 a.m. | Session 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. -
Development & Fundraising
Tuesdays - September 13 & 20
Log-in: 8:45 a.m. | Session 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. -
Financial Oversight
Thursdays - October 11 & 18
Log-in: 8:45 a.m. | Session 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Pricing/Cost
Program fees include all facilitated sessions, digital program materials, and access to an online library of resources.
For a team of up to four (4):
- $150 per team of up to four (4) participants. This special rate for the Santa Barbara County cohort is made possible by the generous support of the Santa Barbara Foundation. CNL organizational members pay no additional fee to participate.
Meet the Faculty

Caryn Bosson
Principal, Caryn Bosson Consulting

David Greco
President & CEO, Social Sector Partners and Professional Speaker

Doug Green
Chief of Staff, Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers

Rebekah Harding
CEO & Founder, Clover Consulting

Debbie Brokaw-Jackson
Vice President and Chair of the Board, Brokaw Ranch Company

Becca Merrell, CFRE
Regional Director, Central Coast Region of NETZEL GRIGSBY ASSOCIATES, INC.

Norbert Tan
Principal, S.B. Lemons & Company

Steve Willmont
Vice President, NETZEL GRIGSBY ASSOCIATES, INC.