[Spoiler Alert] Paul Huberty is on the list!
Published by Inside Philanthropy
The community development sector is undergoing a crucial leadership transition, marked by a notable shift in leadership diversity. Member data from the Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) shows increasing diversity among its member institutions’ leadership and employees: from 2017 to 2021, the proportion of OFN member CEOs who were people of color grew threefold, to more than one-third of all OFN member CEOs. This shift is due to the growing emphasis on the importance of having “proximate” leaders, meaning having community development organizations run by leaders who share identities and lived experiences with the communities they serve. This means that, for example, Black leaders in majority-Black communities, rural leaders in rural communities, or Native American leaders in Indigenous communities, can draw on the expertise of lived experience to inform decision-making to benefit their communities.
Proximate leaders’ deep understanding of the systemic challenges, needs, hopes, and dreams of the communities they serve — along with their connections — allow them to create solutions that are truly community-focused, working closely with their teams, stakeholders and community members. Research shows that proximate leaders bring distinctive assets to their roles, but, unfortunately, face compounding barriers such as unconscious bias and the pressure to resolve existing issues more rapidly than is realistic.
With the belief that funders can help position proximate leaders for long-term success, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is supporting a cohort of five community development organizations — including community development loan funds and credit unions, development finance agencies, and housing finance agencies — with standout leaders who have recently taken the helm. This support includes flexible, unrestricted funding to reduce the pressure of fundraising, facilitating learning exchanges with proximate leaders and mentors, and elevating leaders’ voices via shared learning opportunities.