As highlighted last month, the Social Enterprise Initiative of HBSCP has sponsored scholarships for regional Executive Directors of non-profit organizations to attend a week-long program at HBS entitled “Strategic Perspectives in Non-Profit Management”.  The recipients of this year’s scholarships were JoAnne Fischer, Executive Director of the Maternity Care Coalition, an organization concerned with the health and well being of pregnant mothers, infants and young children and Bill Clark, President and Executive Director of Philabundance, the region’s largest hunger relief organization. Below are excerpts from an inspiring letter from JoAnne expressing gratitude to our club.
 

September 9, 2008


Dear HBS Club of Philadelphia Members,

I am still processing all that I learned this summer at the Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management (SPNM) program at HBS July 13-19, 2008. I am so grateful to the Local Alumni Club for providing me with the scholarship for this program. I would not have had the opportunity to participate in this exceptional program at Harvard otherwise. I know that the knowledge and perspective I gained will enhance my leadership of Maternity Care Coalition (MCC )and my contributions to the nonprofit sector.

As a result of the case studies and small group work I developed a stronger understanding in what is involved in evaluating the scalability and sustainability of an organization. I learned that my organization has a culture of learning and evaluation, well articulated mission, impacts and outcomes and a reasonable balance between process and performance.

We are well positioned to be a very high performing organization, but our complex and fragile funding threatens our capacity, scalability and sustainability. For me, other interesting peer learning opportunities included meeting with other organizational founders and other Head Start program administrators. My alpha seat mates included the director of National Museum in Liverpool on one side and the director of a program for person with disabilities in Australia on the other!  At the same time, I  enjoyed  comparing notes and getting to know my wonderful colleagues from Philadelphia, Thoai  Nguyen and  Bill  Clark. I expect that we will find ways to collaborate more in the future.
 
I appreciate the advantage I had in being exposed to some of the faculty and the case study methodology from participating in the Phila HBS conferences for the past four years. Yes, the program, students and faculty and facilities and food were as promised - all of the highest quality!  

Thank you again for this once in a lifetime opportunity and for helping raise the bar for nonprofit management in the region.

Sincerely,

JoAnne  Fischer
Executive Director,
Maternity Care Coalition