Envision Consulting's Accelerated Search is built for organizations needing to move quickly without sacrificing quality. This streamlined process uses our proprietary database of pre-vetted, mission-aligned candidates and an agile rolling submission format. While maintaining our high-touch, data-informed approach, Accelerated Search shortens the timeline from search launch to hire, making it ideal for time-sensitive placements.
How to Win Friends & Influence Fundraising
August 31, 20223 | 11:00am - 12:00pm PST
Presented by, By Valerie Lord, Managing Director, Envision Consulting
A culture of philanthropy, community-centric fundraising, flexible giving options, longtermism - are you familiar with these fundraising terms and how you could be maximizing these strategies for increased giving? In this month's CauseCoaching webinar, we will delve into the art of recruiting people (staff and volunteers!) to join you in your fundraising efforts and retaining their focus and talent. Learn when and how to tailor your fundraising efforts to resonate with your supporters, while also harnessing the collective strength of your community!
This fundraising webinar is part of our CauseCoaching content series.
What is CauseCoaching? A subscription-based board recruiting & development tool for organizations looking to grow.Limited-time access: Catch a sneak peek of our full webinar series within CauseCoaching.
Crafting an Intentional Organizational Culture
July 27,2023 | 11:00am - 12:00pm PST
Presented by, By Michelle Mapp, Vice President, Envision Consulting
Organizational culture impacts employee retention, productivity, services, and virtually every aspect of an organization. But how often do we intentionally and thoughtfully examine and then craft the culture? In this session we will look at the components of organizational culture, the importance of creating a culture that reflects your organization, and some practical steps and action plans for moving toward a positive, intentional culture.
This webinar is part of our CauseCoaching content series. What is CauseCoaching? A subscription-based board recruiting & development tool for organizations looking to grow.
Limited-time access: Catch a sneak peek of our full webinar series within CauseCoaching.
Successful Strategic Planning
February 09, 2023 | 11:00am - 12:00pm PST
Presented by Jennifer Lobenhofer, Director of Strategy Services, Envision Consulting
Jennifer specializes in strategic planning and performance evaluation, helping mission-driven organizations to envision and achieve impact and sustainability.
She has more than twenty years of experience and engagement in education, capacity building, and applied research projects in the public and nonprofit sectors.
What topics to expect? * Ensuring an inclusive and transparent process * Assessing program impact and sustainability * Setting clear, measurable goals * Identifying realistic and appropriate strategies * Designing the plan for implementation and accountability, including realistic budget projections
"What I learned in two decades as a nonprofit CEO"
January 19, 2023 | 10:30am - 12:00pm PST
Presented by Mitch Dorger, Senior Consultant, Envision Consulting
Mitch has over 40 years of professional experience, including 20 years as the CEO of organizations with operating budgets of up to $100 million and staff of 1,800. His work experience encompasses a wide range of functional areas, including aviation, international relations, program planning and budgeting, facility and installation management, crisis management, government relations, event management, and sports management.
Mitch has special expertise in the world of nonprofit organizations; and he is well versed in corporate governance, strategic planning, change management — including first-hand experience in managing executive transitions — and leadership development, volunteer management, financial planning and management, government relations, and event management.
In addition to his executive experience, Mitch has served on boards in the sports and entertainment industries. He currently serves on the Advisory Boards for the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission and the Sports Business Institute at the USC Marshall School of Business.
So You Think You Can Governance: The Fundamentals of Nonprofit Board Governance
September 14, 2022 - 11:00am - 12:15pm PT
Presented by Mitch Dorger, Senior Consultant, Envision Consulting
Within nonprofits, the responsibility for ensuring the organization is carrying out its mission is shared by the board of directors and the operational management staff. The functions of the board are referred to as “governance” while the work of the staff is operational management.
Staff managers are usually selected based on their expertise in functional areas that will help the organization thrive. Board members, however, are most often selected for reasons not directly related to their knowledge of what it takes to properly set the strategic direction of the organization and oversee its success.
In our experience and in the minds of staff leaders across the nation is that the board of directors often fall short in carrying out their part of the partnership. Part of the problem is that organizations frequently do not have an effective “onboarding” process for new directors. These new directors come to board meetings and try to help, but in many cases, they don’t know what specifically the board is supposed to be doing or how.
This webinar is designed for current and future board members, as well as senior staff members. We'll discuss:
Participants in this webinar will come away with a better idea of nonprofit governance and how the board and staff management should interact in their various roles.
Becoming the CEO of Your Career
Here’s the truth, friends: Much of what we’ve been taught about managing our careers, ourselves, and others is wrong.
Join Asia Bribiesca-Hedin of Bridgewell Professional Services and Matt Kamin of Envision Consulting for a lively discussion about how to take control of your career, whether you’re looking for a new job or trying to navigate where you are now.
Asia will share her 3 myths that keep people from becoming the CEOs of their careers – and break down what to do instead. Matt will add his recruiter perspective about how self-awareness is the key to landing your dream job and excelling once you get there.
Asia Bribiesca-Hedin, Bridgewell Professional Services
Matt Kamin, Envision Consulting
Envision recently conducted a survey of nonprofits to better understand what organizations have been dealing with in 2020 - and how they're thinking about and planning for the months ahead.
We spoke with Mary Donnelly-Crocker (Executive Director, Young & Healthy), Molly Snow (Executive Director, Girls on the Run of Los Angeles County) and Ana Rose O'Halloran (Executive Director, Antaeus Theatre Company) about their experiences in 2020 and perspectives on shaping the future.
During our first webinar about strategic restructuring, we covered the basics. In this session, we'll hear from leaders who have walked this path and can share lessons learned, tips for success, and pitfalls to avoid.
We’ll speak with Sara Straubel (Program Officer, The Ahmanson Foundation), Wendy Carpenter (CEO, Penny Lane Centers) and Lori Gangemi (CEO, AbilityFirst) about their experiences with and perspectives on strategic restructuring.
Learn more about the Nonprofit Sustainability Initiative
Have you already read our latest blog? Good! Then that means you should feel less terrified of strategic restructuring (yes, including mergers)! On this webinar we took a deep dive on this topic, including when to consider strategic restructuring, how to assess your organization's readiness, and the first steps for getting started.
We also spoke with Carrie Harlow, project manager for the Nonprofit Sustainability Initiative in Los Angeles, which supports strategic restructuring exploration and implementation.
Guest Speaker: Carrie Harlow
Carrie Harlow is founder and principal consultant for Harlow Consulting. She serves as the project manager for the Nonprofit Sustainability Initiative (NSI) - an LA County based pooled fund held at the California Community Foundation. Through this role, Carrie facilitates governance for the NSI with a committee of four managing funders, stewards relationships with 19 participating foundations and cultivates prospective new funders, manages local grantmaking activities for the NSI, and represents Los Angeles on a national steering committee for the Sustained Collaborative Network.
The COVID-19 crisis is heightening the need for skilled and committed nonprofit board members. Summer is also the time when many board terms expire. Together, these factors mean that board recruiting is a critical priority for many organizations.
But how do you identify and vet new board members when typical “get-to-know-you” meetings are impossible and both board and staff are stretched thin? The good news is the economic and health crisis is motivating more people to seek meaningful opportunities to serve their communities, so promising board members are out there!
Join us for practical strategies and tools to connect your organization’s needs with the people willing to give their time, talent and treasure to your mission. We’ll also tackle today’s unique challenges of remote interviews, orientation without “seeing” programs, and realistic expectations for engagement.
You still have a job – YAY! Only, it’s not as fun as it used to be. You’re sick of zoom, you’re annoyed at your team’s miscommunication, you have nothing positive to add and you’re overwhelmed by the fact that you’re one of the lucky ones.
Employee morale is at an all-time low! The best part about working for a nonprofit was believing that you can make a difference. Let us help you find that purpose again!
Join us for another town hall featuring experts giving you tips on:
So you were laid off, furloughed, or your hours have been reduced to something unsustainable... put down the whisky, delete the twitter rant, and start thinking about the next step in your career.
The nonprofit sector still needs you. Human resources are the lifeblood of our industry and the key to our strength and resilience.
Hear from our recruiting team about:
Whatever you do, don't stop fundraising! Maybe your programs are on hold, your staff is overwhelmed, your board is tired and your donors are distracted, but that doesn't mean that you should stop. Join us for a development professional roundtable to talk through the challenges and brainstorm strategies related to Making the Ask, Special Events, Donor Relations and #GivingTuesday coming up on May 5th.
Featuring Dana Bean from Union Station, Niki Richardson from TOARTS, and Katherine DeFoyd of Good for Growth, each bringing their own ideas and examples to inspire you!
The COVID-19 crisis is having a significant programmatic and financial impact on all nonprofit organizations. Some are stretched to the breaking point to meet increased demand for their services; some are working to reshape their program model and delivery in response to new challenges; and some are simply paused in a “wait and see” mode – or maybe some combination of all three.
Now is when nonprofit organizations need the talent, wisdom, and leadership of their boards the most to navigate this unprecedented time.
In this webinar, we dive into the most important discussions and decisions for your board, the questions you should be asking, and provide examples of innovative strategies that could ensure your organization's resiliency and sustainability.
This webinar's experts cover how you can make working from home more productive and resources available to keep children and youth educated and entertained.
Things are changing quickly as organizations are responding to the impact of COVID-19. Building on our first virtual townhall, we're bringing together experts in the field to provide nonprofits with additional insights and resources.
In this webinar, we covered:
12 of Los Angeles' leading nonprofits joined us on a live chat to discuss how they're being impacted by COVID-19, their immediate needs, and what you can do to help from home.
Download the resource list here which includes notes from our chat and specific volunteer opportunities of each nonprofit.
You can also watch the live chat on our channel!
We hosted an emergency planning webinar for nonprofits responding to Coronavirus (COVID-19). During the webinar, we addressed:
At Envision, we have been overwhelmed with gratitude and inspiration by the remarkable nonprofits we have seen adapting, responding, and rising up to meet the growing needs of our communities and society in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
We’re excited to raise awareness and support for our nonprofit heroes during the pandemic through the #SupportNonprofits social media campaign (led by our brilliant friends at Anat Gerstein Inc.), our CauseCupid Podcast (coming soon) featuring 20-minute deeper dives with nonprofit leaders, board service opportunities through our Board Member Postings, and continuing to share ways that everyone can give back and make a difference! #EnvisionMakingADifference
If you’d like to share your organization’s story and ways that people can get involved, submit it here!
La Casa serves children and families by providing educational and social services that promote self-sufficiency and motivation for lifelong learning.
La Casa's preschool, which served breakfast and lunch to 3-4 yr. old, had to close on March 13. Providing food to children became our first priority. We now distribute food to 100+ families weekly.
How you can help:
La Casa needs people with trucks to collect food from the LA Regional Food Bank.
Donate non-perishable food to La Casa, 203 E. Mission Rd., San Gabriel, CA 91776 on Wednesday mornings 9-12.
Donate: https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E121070&id=1
Contact: Jane at
Imagine LA's mission is to end the cycle of family homelessness and chronic poverty through an empowering support system of mentors and professional social workers who understand that a roof over one's head is merely the starting point to a better life.
The families we serve have all recently experienced homelessness and are in the process of building their economic foundation. They are navigating having their children at home as schools and daycare centers are closed. Many have had their employment terminated or work hours drastically reduced, resulting in serious financial challenges. Others continue to work "essential" jobs, putting themselves and their families at risk of contracting the disease as they simply cannot afford to miss work. For those parents who are single, the challenge of working and ensuring safe care of their children is tremendous.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have adapted to serve our families in new ways that allow us to practice physical distancing while maintaining social connection. Our business operations have moved to virtual platforms, our office staff is working remotely, and Imagine LA is fully mobilized and proactively working with our current families, alumni families, and mentors to navigate the economic, health, social, distance learning, and psychological impacts of COVID-19 with the "Safer at Home" edicts.
One of Imagine LA's core programs and its key volunteer opportunity is serving as a volunteer mentor for families who have exited homelessness and are now housed. Volunteers serve as friends, partners, and companions for youth and parents. For a full description, please visit: https://action.imaginela.org/mentor_overview
How you can help:
Purchase Imagine LA Family Fun Care Packages for our families: https://a.co/2Vtcqzc
Donate: https://action.imaginela.org/donate
Contact: Brian at
Food Forward fights hunger and prevents food waste by rescuing fresh surplus produce, connecting this abundance with people in need and inspiring others to do the same.
Since the COVID-19 crisis started and restaurants and other commercial food providers have closed, farmers have been left with more food than they can sell. This is resulting in a drastic increase in food waste – all while more and more people are seeking food assistance.
In Southern California, Food Forward has been helping to connect the dots between wholesale produce sellers and hunger relief agencies of all sizes. At Food Forward’s Produce Pit Stop, a warehouse equipped with a massive refrigerator, staff accepts large donations of fruits and vegetables from LA’s Wholesale Produce District. In an average week during this pandemic, Food Forward has been able to recover 750,000 pounds from going to waste. All of this food is sent to hunger relief agencies serving people experiencing food insecurity. Such a radical change in the food system required an immediate response, and Food Forward is working to creatively meet this challenge.
How you can help:
Are you a fruit tree owner with ripe fruit? Food Forward has a guide for DIY safe harvesting and sharing of your fruit.
Make a monetary donation to support Food Forward.
Since 1977, Haven Hills has provided safety and support to survivors of domestic violence. The organization offers shelter, crisis intervention, counseling, advocacy, and activities supporting increased economic opportunity.
During this challenging time, Haven Hills is continuing and enhancing services to Survivors. They are providing shelter to additional families, delivering education programs in a virtual setting, and donating desperately needed food, toiletries and cloth masks to outreach clients.
The organization is also speaking out on the severe impact the pandemic is having on Survivors and their safety. Executive Director Iliana Tavera was recently interviewed on NBC4 and KPCC.
How you can help:
Donate items on Haven Hills’ Amazon wish list to help Survivors and their children when they arrive at the shelter, often with none of their own possessions.
Support Haven Hills’ virtual fundraiser “Stand Up Against Domestic Violence” on Saturday, June 20. Enjoy a lineup that includes Maya May (MC), Dana Eagle (Last Comic Standing), Chris Fairbanks (Comedy Central) and headliner Daniel Franzese (Damian from Mean Girls).
Make a monetary donation to support Haven Hills.
The Mexican American Opportunity Foundation provides for the socio-economic betterment of the greater Latino community of California, while preserving the pride, values and heritage of the Mexican American culture.
Even though MAOF’s early education programs are temporarily closed during California’s Safer At Home orders, MAOF is providing Grab and Go meals to families with children enrolled at their sites. The organization is also connecting emergency and essential workers with childcare funding. The State of California Department of Education also provided MAOF with $1.7 million to provide cash relief to home-based childcare providers so they can purchase supplies to ensure a safe and healthy environment.
MAOF has redesigned their food program and senior services in response to increasing needs and Safer At Home restrictions. MAOF’s food bank at their Montebello office is serving 40% more families in recent weeks. The organization’s congregate dining for seniors has been replaced with home-delivered meals to allow these vulnerable community members to stay safe at home.
Other community services such as financial literacy, tax preparation and more are being delivered virtually by MAOF staff.
How you can help:
Make a monetary donation to support MAOF.
Volunteer to help MAOF’s Food Bank. If interested, contact Elizabeth Jimenez at (323) 278-3896.
Camp Blue Skies offers camps to adults with developmental disabilities, enhancing their lives through recreation, socialization and life skills education.
Camp Blue Skies made the difficult decision to cancel both of their camp sessions scheduled for March in Georgia. However, the team quickly pivoted to offer Virtual Camp with videos, remote activities, and a special packet mailed to registered campers.
How you can help:
Learn about volunteer opportunities with Camp Blue Skies in North Carolina and Georgia
Donate items from Camp Blue Skies’ monetary donation to support Camp Blue Skies.
In this moment of crisis, ASTEP is supporting partners that are addressing food scarcity, economic hardships and home safety, among a host of issues. In a time of virtual learning, ASTEP is also making sure the young people who have limited or no access to online platforms are not forgotten.
They’re teaming up with teachers and schools to build English and Spanish arts packets that support social and emotional development and academic curriculum. They’re also reaching young people living with HIV/AIDS at a pediatric residential facility through virtual open mic nights.
To build mindfulness and resilience, ASTEP is connecting artists around the world through live and prerecorded #artistathome series and professional development workshops. Now more than ever, ASTEP is using the arts to create a space for healing, a platform for connectivity and an outlet to express ourselves.
How you can help:
Watch “Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration” and make a monetary donation to support ASTEP’s Arts Resilience Fund, designated to bring the arts to those most in need during this time.
Jay Nolan Community Services, Inc. (JNCS) enables individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other Developmental Disabilities to live fulfilling lives as members of the community by providing support services customized to their individual needs.
Jay Nolan was well prepared for COVID-19 because we provide communicative disease and blood born pathogen training already. This, in conjunction with new COVID-19 training, has well equipped our staff. We never stopped providing individualized services And adapted to accommodate those with digital preferences. Jay Nolan has remained flexible and creative in providing services to each individual In the method they choose. PPE is also distributed in full.
Jay Nolan's amazing team empowers every person they serve to live fulfilling lives as members of their community through a range of support services customized to individual needs. Today, we have helped almost 10,000 individuals since being established in 1975, and it couldn’t have been done without our amazing staff and volunteers. Become more involved and share your talents and gifts with us! We are always looking for people to help. Whether it is joining a committee, helping to plan a fundraiser, doing some office work, or helping to paint a house, our volunteers provide an important service.
How you can help:
Donations to JNCS help make sure individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities get the customized support they need to live a quality life in our California communities. Together, we can make sure all people are empowered, included, and embraced. So please join ‘Journey Partners’, our monthly giving program.
Become a Journey Partner: for just $10/month ($120 per year), you can help us provide vital services to individuals with Autism and other developmental disabilities in your community. Click here to join the Journey Partners monthly giving program.
Become a volunteer: There are many ways to support us virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic! Visit our volunteer opportunities page for details.
Contact Person: Noelle,
"I would highly recommend Envision Consulting for executive search services. Matt and Allison took the time to understand the many aspects of our most significant leadership transition at Working Wardrobes. The work they took on to understand our stakeholder groups helped create a knowledge base that they used to lead us through an incredibly informed, transparent and professional executive search process.
Envision consultants are experienced nonprofit leaders themselves, and their backgrounds informed the way they effectively worked with our Board of Directors and Executive staff.
After 31 years at the helm of Working Wardrobes, I am ready to retire, ready to open our thoughts and doors to new ideas while I add new experiences to my life. What makes this process so much easier for me is that I do so knowing full well that we have found the right successor in Bonni Pomush.
Thank you, Envision!"
- Jerri Rosen, Founder/CEO of Working Wardrobes
- Eden Garcia-Balis CEO, Airport Marina Counseling Service
“The Strategic Planning Retreat was extremely well done. It was organized, structured, informative, and well thought out. As a new board member, it is much appreciated.”- Laura McGaughey Board Member, Airport Marina Counseling Service
- Ferran Prieto, CEO & Managing Director, Pau Gasol Enterprises
- LeeAnn Havner, Chair of Governance Committee, Hillsides
"About 18 months ago, you and the team from Envision helped Grandview Foundation find Shelly Wood as Executive Director. During her first year, she won the support of her staff, improved operations and helped make the organization more financially stable. It was a wonderful fit. During these difficult last couple of months, Shelly's leadership has been incredible. With 30+ clients and nearly as many staff, she has kept them all motivated and safe, a challenging combination across 4 homes with guys in recovery. Grandview is even admitting new clients, putting them safely in isolation for 14 days.
The entire Board at Grandview is incredibly proud of the amazing and brave work being done by Shelly and her team. I don't know how Grandview Foundation would have survived without her. We are very grateful. Thanks!"
- Mark Rice, Board Member, Grandview Foundation
- Kenneth Korman, Audit Committee Chair, Woodcraft Rangers
- Helen Davidov, President of Board of Directors, National Council of Jewish Women | Los Angeles
- Alan Greenlee, Executive Director, Southern California Association of Non Profit Housing (SCANPH)
- Erica Fisher and Melanie Neumann, Co-Founders, PRESENT NOW
- Lori Warren, Director of Marketing & Communications, REDF
- Carlyne Ervin, Director of Administration, Facilities & HR, The Kavli Foundation
- Javier LaFianza, CEO, Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership
- Lisa Doromal, CEO, Dress for Success Phoenix
- Gail Schaper-Gordon, Board Chair, Pasadena Media
- Dora Edney, Director of Development and Public Relations, Baldy View Regional Occupational Program
- Amy Grat, CEO, International Trade Education Programs (ITEP)
