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.
2027 Ventura County Cohort
In sponsorship with the Amgen Foundation
APPLICATIONS WILL OPEN IN DECEMBER 2026
Program runs March 2027 through July 2027.
Meetings will include a mix of Zoom and in-person workshop sessions.
Applications Due Date: March 1, 2027
APPLY NOW
2027 Santa Barbara County Cohort
In sponsorship with the Santa Barbara Foundation
APPLICATIONS COMING IN JANUARY 2027
Program runs June 2027 through October 2027.
Meetings will include a mix of Zoom and in-person workshop sessions.
Applications Due Date: TBD
APPLY NOW
About the Board Leadership Institute
This five-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). The goal of the program is to improve board governance practices, fiduciary oversight, and the skills and abilities of boards of directors to steward our region’s nonprofit organizations.
Download the 2026 Santa Barbara County BLI cohort flyer
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). Substitutions allowed if the head of staff has previously participated in the program. Ideally the participating board members are a mix of seasoned 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.
View past cohorts
How to Apply
- Space is limited, and participation is by application only
- Application deadline is March 1, 2027
- Registration fee* due no later than April 30, 2027
APPLY NOW
Cohort Information
The 2026 cohort of the Board Leadership Institute will be hosted with a mix of Zoom and in-person sessions. There will be a mandatory 90-minute in-person orientation to launch the program. Gatherings for Modules I-IV of the program will be conducted each month as two 2-hour sessions on Zoom with subject matter experts, tools and templates & interactive team excercises.
We kindly ask that all participants log in 15 minutes prior to the sessions to get settled and to network with other program participants. The final Module will be conducted in-person as a single session from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Zoom log-in information will be sent prior to the orientation.
Pricing & Cost
Program fees are $475 for a team of up to four (4) people include digital program materials, access to the Board Leadership Institute portal of resources, and a one year organizational membership in the Center for Nonprofit Leadership. This fee is waived for active CNL organizational members.
Important Dates
-
Orientation
Thursday, March XX
In-person Session: 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. @ CLU Oxnard Campus -
Board Service 101
Thursdays -- March XX & XX
Via Zoom: Log-in: 8:45 a.m. | Session 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. - Board/Staff Partnership
Thursdays -- April XX & XX
Via Zoom: Log-in: 8:45 a.m. | Session 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m - Strategic Planning & Board Becruitment
Thursday -- May XX | Via Zoom: Log-in: 8:45 a.m. | Session 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m
Thursday -- May XX | In-person Session: 9:00a.m. - 11:00 a.m. @ TBD
-
Financial Oversight
Thursdays -- June XX & XX
Via Zoom: Log-in: 8:45 a.m. | Session 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. -
Development & Fundraising
Thursday -- July XX
In-person Session: 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. @ TBD
The 2026 cohort of the Board Leadership Institute will be hosted with a mix of Zoom and in-person sessions. There will be a mandatory 90-minute in-person orientation to launch the program. Gatherings for Modules I-IV of the program will be conducted each month as two 2-hour sessions on Zoom with subject matter experts, tools & templates and interactive team excercises.
We kindly ask that all participants log in 15 minutes prior to the sessions to get settled and to network with other program participants. The final Module will be conducted in-person as a single session from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Zoom log-in information will be sent prior to the orientation.
Pricing & Cost
Program fees are $150 for a team of up to four (4) people include digital program materials, access to the Board Leadership Institute portal of resources, and a one year organizational membership in the Center for Nonprofit Leadership. This fee is waived for active CNL organizational members.
Important Dates
-
Orientation
Tuesday, June XX
In-person Session: 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. @ SB Foundation Offices (North County) -
Board Service 101
Tuesdays -- June XX & XX
Via Zoom: Log-in: 11:45 a.m. | Session: Noon - 2 p.m. - Board/Staff Partnership
Tuesdays -- July XX & XX
Via Zoom: Log-in: 8:45 a.m. | Session: Noon - 2 p.m. - Strategic Planning & Board Becruitment
Tuesday -- August XX | Via Zoom: Log-in: 8:45 a.m. | Session: Noon - 2 p.m. Tuesday -- August XX | In-person Session: 9:00a.m. - 11:00 a.m. @ SB Foundation Offices (North County)
-
Financial Oversight
Tuesdays -- September XX & XX
Via Zoom: Log-in: 8:45 a.m. | Session: Noon - 2 p.m. -
Development & Fundraising
Tuesday -- October XX
In-person Session: 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. @ SB Foundation Offices (North County)
Thank You to Our Partners!
This program is offered with generous support from the Santa Barbara Foundations and Amgen Foundation

Meet the Faculty

Jennifer Lobenhoffer
Principal, JSL Community Strategies

Madison Jones McAleese
Founder, Access Impact

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

Doug Green

Judy Guillermo-Newton, MFT
Senior Consultant, Equity Praxis Group

Andrew Peake
Vice President, Netzel Grigsby Associates

Jarrod Schwartz
Founder and Principal Consultant, Equity Praxis Group

Jeffrey King
Vice President, Netzel Grigsby Associates