New program for nonprofit leaders receives scholarship support

New program for nonprofit leaders receives scholarship support

BY KRISTAL SCHEFFLER
Special to the Rice News

Executive directors of local nonprofit organizations in the greater Houston area will be able to develop their leadership skills through Rice’s Glasscock School of Continuing Studies. The school recently received three local grants for its new Leadership Institute for Nonprofit Executives (LINE) program.

Funding from the David Weekley Family, the Rockwell Fund and the Houston Endowment will support scholarships and/or program development. The grants enabled the Glasscock School to provide scholarships for all 16 students who requested assistance.

The LINE program is designed for executive directors of nonprofits or those who wish to become one. The program provides participants with practical training and skills to address the complex challenges and unique opportunities of the nonprofit sector.

The inaugural class, which begins Sept. 28, admitted 26 applicants from a variety of nonprofits, including the Greater Houston Area Chapter of the American Red Cross, Homes4Good, Houston Area Women’s Shelter, Houston Zoo, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Lance Armstrong Foundation and Urban Harvest.

“The success of a nonprofit organization hinges on the ability of its executive director to lead effectively,” said Carroll Scherer, professional programs manager at the Glasscock School. “Not only must directors be knowledgeable about their nonprofit organization’s particular function within the community, they must follow sound business strategies to deal with changing economic forces, competition for funds and the need to do more with less.” The new LINE program has been designed specifically to meet these development needs.
 
“We greatly appreciate the David Weekley Family, Rockwell Fund and Houston Endowment,” Scherer said. “Without their contributions to scholarships, many of the participants could not have attended the LINE program.”

For more information about the LINE program, visit line.rice.edu.