NeighborWorks America Renews Partnership With Harvard University for Program to Transform Nonprofit Leadership

WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwired - February 09, 2016) - Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government has been selected to partner with NeighborWorks America once again on the NeighborWorks Achieving Excellence Program. Applications now are being accepted for the 18-month program, during which nonprofit leaders tackle the most important organizational challenges that, when met, will position their organizations to thrive and better serve their communities.

There are 50 open seats in the 2016-2018 Achieving Excellence program. Since its launch in 2002, 325 people have graduated from the program. Applications are due to NeighborWorks America by March 17.

The program includes three one-week sessions at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, executive coaching throughout and work in peer groups. Representing a diverse range of organizations, participating organizations range from small but high-impact associations to housing authorities and large regional organizations, with a few to 5,000 employees. The 2015 class included the first international participant, from the United Kingdom.

Also reported in that impact evaluation was the fact that 100 percent of graduates from the most recent class and 89 percent of respondents from the first five classes (2002-2010) noted that they continue to regularly use the tools and approaches they learned in Achieving Excellence. As a result of participation, the most-noted improvements were that the participants now act as a catalyst for change, a focus on results/outcomes and overall organizational performance.

"The Achieving Excellence Program equips leaders with the tools to go back to their organization and create systemic, long-term change," says Paul Weech, president and chief executive officer of NeighborWorks America.

The program will begin with the first of three Harvard-based sessions in fall 2016, followed by two additional meetings at Harvard and 4 other meetings across the country. It will conclude with a forum and graduation in February 2018 at the NeighborWorks Training Institute. Between sessions, participants will work on the challenge most critical to their organizations' success, with the guidance of their executive coach and feedback from their peer group.

For more information, including a video, visit www.NeighborWorks.org/ae.

About NeighborWorks America
For more than 35 years, NeighborWorks America has created opportunities for people to improve their lives and strengthen their communities by providing access to homeownership and to safe and affordable rental housing. In the last five years, NeighborWorks organizations have generated more than $24.5 billion in reinvestment in these communities. NeighborWorks America is the nation's leading trainer of community development and affordable housing professionals.