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Anne Glendon

Insights

September 2008

Member Spotlight

Anne Glendon

Senior Consultant

Anne Glendon is a senior consultant, facilitator and trainer who has worked with hundreds of nonprofit organizations. She is a frequent speaker on subjects related to capacity building, including governance, strategic and succession planning, the role of consultants, collaborations and mergers, nonprofit ethics and other sector-wide issues. Anne has served on dozens of boards, including the Support Centers of America and the Nonprofit Management Association, both precursors of the Alliance for Nonprofit Management where she was one of the founding trustees. This past July, she was a panelist on the "State of the Nonprofit Sector," the opening event of the 2008 Alliance conference. In addition to her consulting practice, she reviews books and articles on nonprofit management and theory; currently serves on several nonprofit boards, including two foundations. And, she tries to spend as much time as possible on Beaver Island in Northern Lake Michigan, where there’s time to read, reflect, write, and walk on the beach.

How long have you been involved in nonprofit capacity building?

About 25 years, give or take a decade.

What roles have you played?

I’ve been lucky enough to work locally, nationally and internationally in the arts, healthcare, community development, pre-K – 12 education, libraries and government. In terms of roles, I’ve done my share on all sides of the table including: board member and volunteer; funder; CEO; direct service provider; and, especially in the past 15 years, as a consultant.

What is your current capacity building work and what is the most exciting possible outcome of your work as a capacity builder?

What hard questions to answer succinctly! I’m always focused on the work at hand, and right now that’s the BEST Project in Flint, MI, a capacity building initiative funded by the Flint Funders Collaborative, where I’ve been fortunate to serve as lead consultant since the project began. Evaluation data shows that many organizations have benefited from participating in the project. Please check their website, www.bestprojectonline.org; it's a great resource on how capacity building works while adding tremendous value to the community even in these challenging times.

I also remain close to past clients and organizational involvement. It’s thrilling to remember where we started and see the progress months and years later: a fledgling endowment is now a major community funder; what was a volunteer orchestra in 1984, today is a fully professional symphony that’s recording on the Naxos label; NEW Center in Ann Arbor was opened its doors to 20 nonprofits in 1993, but today it has a national reputation and is still growing in depth and impact. These are some of the benefits in being a “senior” consultant! In addition to consulting, I still volunteer regularly and serve on 4 boards whose causes are near and dear to my heart.

What do you find most challenging?

I’m learning to say “no” more often, but it’s still hard, especially when the causes and people involved are so compelling.

How do you participate in the Alliance, and why?

I’m a charter member of the Alliance and, as noted above, served on the founding board. I’ve participated on a number of committees and task forces, including the McAdams award committee which involves reading lots of great books. Although I’ve presented at many regional meetings and national Alliance conferences, one of my favorite experiences was as part of a team that created a daylong workshop in 2005 proposing a “place-based” context for capacity building. It was a new idea then, but now it has many adherents because, just like politics, capacity building has to be grounded in local realities to be successful.

What would you like to see happen in the field and what are the unmet or growing needs in the field?

We must address the increasing economic and social disparities in the US and internationally. Our national policies offer lip service to “equality” but the facts don’t bear this out. I’m generally a positive person but am truly discouraged by our eroding infrastructure, deep ideological divisions, and growing intolerance for otherness of every sort. Those of us who are “capacity builders” must become effective advocates for social, economic and environmental justice at home and abroad. And, we must speak out before policies are made, not simply lending a hand after the damage is done.

How has your relationship with the Alliance impacted your career?

Some of my best friends and most valued professional colleagues are fellow members from whom I’ve learned so much. My entire career in capacity building has been influenced and immeasurably enriched by my affiliation with the Alliance and all it offers – a network of like-minded professionals; conference presentations and memorable workshops with terrific handouts; important research publications; book reviews. It’s all part of the Alliance package and essential to those who do this work.

If you could offer advice to someone who is young and emerging into the field, what would you offer?

I'm really interesting in passing a bright torch to the next generation of nonprofit leadership. Those of us who are soon to retire from the sector must take responsibility for leaving a positive legacy to our successors – lessons learned, mistakes and accomplishments, and any pearls of wisdom, whatever our field of work. As for advice, the following are good guideline: Listen with compassion and empathy before offering advice. Accept challenges that stretch you, but be honest with yourself and your prospective clients about your knowledge, experience and skills. Respect and learn from your colleagues and clients in the field.