Conferences & Executive Education

Each year, we offer a number of partial scholarships for our membership community, detailed below. We are committed to growing this program and the scope of opportunities, with a specific focus on increasing accessibility for BAIPOC leaders in the nonprofit sector. Please see each opportunity below to learn more about how to apply. Finally, we ask that you please note that past participation in either CEN Leaders Institute or Nonprofit Boot Camp will continue to be considered as another indicator of a candidate's continued commitment to learning and development when evaluating applications.

Stanford Social Innovation Review Conferences

​Nonprofit Management Institute

CEN offers one full scholarship, annually, for our member community. In response to COVID-19, this year's conference will be offered virtually at a reduced cost and we will have three scholarships available. "Although virtual experiences are radically different from those presented in-person, we are committed to delivering a program that is just as informative, insightful, and engaging as that of any prior NMI. Over the next several weeks, we will be busy confirming our speakers and sessions, and developing other elements – including ways to network with your fellow social innovators – in order to provide you with an experience on par with what you have come to expect from SSIR convenings." Click here to learn about last year's institute.
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2021 Conference Dates: Pending
CEN scholarship applications are due: Pending
Interested in applying? CEN members, please email jen@cen.org.

Frontiers of Social Innovation

Every two years, Stanford Social Innovation Review—the leading global publication on cutting-edge theory and practice for the social sector—brings together senior leaders from nonprofit organizations and foundations, social entrepreneurs and philanthropists, leading academics and researchers, executives of for-profit CSR-centric businesses, and government policymakers from around the world for two days, to discuss, debate and develop solutions that address the most pressing global challenges. CEN has one full scholarship available for our membership community.

2021 Conference Dates: May 11-13 (Virtual)
CEN scholarship applications are due: March 12
​Interested in applying? CEN members, please email jen@cen.org.

"Attending the Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders at the Stanford Graduate School of Business was an absolutely amazing experience! You immerse yourself in an experience where you not only learn from some of the best professors on campus, but you truly develop relationships with other nonprofits from around the world, while you share and learn alongside of them during the program. I picked up valuable information that I can implement right away, use down the line and in some cases just when needed. I recommend the program to any and every nonprofit leader that wants to take another step in professional development."

-Jason Minsky, Executive Director at Christmas in the Park

Executive Education Scholarships

Thanks to our partnerships with Harvard Business School as well as Stanford's Graduate School of Business and their Social Innovation Review, we offer exclusive scholarship opportunities for our members to attend executive education programs and conferences at these institutions. We sponsor up to five local leaders annually because we believe in the importance of continued education and professional development in the nonprofit sector. Recipients must be current members, have a strong connection with CEN, and be able to communicate how this opportunity will enhance their effectiveness/community impact. Although applications are open to our entire member community, preference is often given to those that have participated in CEN's Leaders Institute. Check out the opportunities below!

Stanford Business School Course:
Executive Program for Nonprofit Leadership

Each year, we offer one of our members a 50% scholarship to the Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders (EPNL).  This course is a ten-day residential program designed to further the professional development of leaders in the nonprofit sector. Led by a strong sense of mission and vision, the EPNL course brings together leaders from social and human services, health care, community development, arts, environment, and education organizations to further their professional development and build an enduring network. Drawing on leading-edge research, and taught by Stanford faculty, this program integrates conceptual knowledge with individual experiences to support participants in their impact on the nonprofit sector.
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2021 Program Dates: Pending
​CEN Scholarship Applications are due: Pending
Interested in applying? CEN Members, please email jen@cen.org.

Harvard Business School Course:
Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management

CEN provides up to two partial scholarships for our members, annually, to access this incredible program. The Harvard Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management Course (SPNM) is a week-long executive education and leadership development program offered by the Social Enterprise Initiative. Participants will explore proactive methods for anticipating the evolving requirements of nonprofit leadership, gain a great understanding of fiscal management and accountability, and identify the characteristics of high-performing nonprofits. The program is designed for EDs/CEOs of nonprofit organizations and is taught by a team of faculty members from HBS and other graduate schools within Harvard University.

2021 Program Dates: June 3-12 (Virtual)
CEN Scholarship Applications are due: April 23rd
Interested in applying? CEN Members, please download the application and email the completed version to jen@cen.org by the April 23rd deadline.

"My experience attending the HBS Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management was beyond expectation - it was completely life changing. I have always approached my work with great enthusiasm and optimism, but in just a few short hours of the 7-day course, I knew my commitment to work in this industry would be turned into overdrive. The course, led by amazingly gifted and inspirational professors, had me laughing, crying and deepening my understanding of the impact I could have as a leader."

-Sonja Palmer, Executive Director at Music for Minors