About the Center
Since 1991, the Center for Nonprofit Leadership has been the point of convergence serving nonprofit leaders and organizations serving the region.
California Lutheran University’s Center for Nonprofit Leadership builds the leadership and management capacity of individuals and organizations serving the Ventura County region.
A thriving nonprofit sector that serves the needs of our region, advocates for the well-being of all community members, and provides the spark for a robust culture of local philanthropy.
One Gift of High Impact
An investment in the Center for Nonprofit Leadership is an investment in every nonprofit in our region.
Build Strong Leaders
We develop and empower strong leaders who have the capacity to serve effectively, efficiently and ethically to strengthen the fabric of our community.
Essential One-of-a-Kind Resource
We deliver low-cost board and staff training to help individuals and organizations navigate change, adapt and achieve their missions.
Collective Voice
We serve as a lead advocate in building local philanthropy, inspiring donor trust and elevating the sector’s ability to serve our community.
Standards of Practice
Our programs model and teach the highest ethical standards of nonprofit practice and authentic community engagement.
Reputation
Our work has received state and national recognition and has served the region’s nonprofit leaders for more than 20 years, guided by longstanding volunteer leadership and seasoned staff.
As the only management training center of its kind in Ventura County, the Center has earned a reputation as the one-stop source for excellence in nonprofit leadership. It is the one place in Ventura County that provides a comprehensive approach to sustaining nonprofit-specific organizational and leadership development.
Through a broad array of programming that is accessible, relevant, timely and adaptive to the current needs of leaders and organizations, the Center plays a critical role in the organizational and leadership development of the nonprofit sector in Ventura County. By entrusting their time, energy and resources with us, leaders will attain higher levels of skills and capacity, and nonprofit organizations will achieve a higher level of efficiency and effectiveness.
The success of the Center is tied closely with its role in the overall nonprofit ecosystem, where the Center wears multiple hats: as player and coach, leader and community partner, as well as provider of unbiased information and community data. We keep our finger on the pulse of the trends affecting the sector and adapt programming to reflect both best practices and emerging trends.
Skills-building opportunities provide a combination of hands-on management tools and peer networking opportunities that help nonprofit leaders strengthen skills and make valuable contacts for future collaboration.
Faculty members are subject matter experts and respected leaders in their fields who provide practical perspectives that can be put to use immediately. Workshops are facilitated based on best practices of adult learning with the intent of fostering an adult co-learning environment where ideas are shared and resources optimized.
A byproduct of the Center’s learning model is the collaborative co-learning environment in which the faculty not only provides content expertise but also fosters co- learning and sharing among attendees. Attendees learn as much from each other as they do from subject matter experts, particularly organizational change strategies and how best to leverage new found skills and relationships in their daily work.