FROM THE PRESIDENT

NO SIDELINES

I've been a "jump-right-in" kind of person since I was 14. That's when I discovered that bold actions lead to bold results. At 14, I moved myself from Texas public schools to a private school in my search for a good education. At 15, I organized a city-wide "run" to save the local theatre that I loved. I learned that I could pursue things that mattered to me. I found out that I didn't have to sit on the sidelines of life.

I love my job at Compass because Compass attracts "jump-right-in" kind of people. Our board members, donors, volunteers, and clients aren't watching from afar. Just because someone chooses to work in finance or marketing or consulting doesn't mean they don't care about their community and the tough social problems that we face. And just because someone chooses to work at a nonprofit, doesn't mean they have agreed to address all of society's problems on their own. We solve problems better together. Whether contributing in your career, with your volunteer time, or through the gift of financial support, the opportunities to jump into tough issues and make a significant difference abound.

Whichever way you choose to contribute, I hope you know that your efforts to make a difference are doing just that. Educational opportunities and family engagement programs are letting kids be kids a little longer. Veterans and their families are receiving support with life transitions. The homeless have a warm place to sleep and a hot meal, and perhaps a place to go on the upcoming holidays. Communities are thriving with cultural offerings that bring people together as only the arts can do.

Wherever you are in your life, Compass provides opportunities to jump right in. We currently have over 300 volunteers in Greater Washington and Philadelphia working with 38 nonprofits. If you aren't volunteering on one of those teams, I have good news. We are about to kick-off Micro Projects in the Washington area in January. Our Micro Project list will be available on our website the week of December 15. Volunteering is a great way to start the new year. It's just a thought!

Finally, like many nonprofits, we too are in the middle of our annual fundraising campaign. At this time of year when giving is on all of our minds, I hope you will consider donating generously to Compass. Your support makes it possible for us to bring the skills and talents of more than 400 business professionals to more than 50 nonprofits each year, and combined, those nonprofits help thousands of people.

At Compass, we give everyone a chance to step off the sidelines. So go ahead. Jump right in. 

I wish you a wonderful holiday, and a very happy - and bold - new year.

Warmly,

JOIN COMPASS VOLUNTEERS AND GIVE TO COMPASS

Did you know that many Compass volunteers who are donating their time to local nonprofits also provide a financial contribution to Compass? So far this year, 204 volunteers have made financial contributions to support Compass. We couldn't provide our unique pro bono consulting program without the infrastructure and staff to carefully select, train and support our clients and volunteers.

Compass offers pro bono consulting projects from January until June for volunteers to work with nonprofits that have a budget below $750,000. These Micro Projects provide similar services to Compass' Classic Projects, but tend to be more narrowly focused and use smaller teams of volunteers. Compass will announce this year's Micro Project clients the week of December 15. If you're interested in volunteering on a Micro Project, please contact Compass. Or for more information on Micro Projects, please check the Compass website in mid December at www.compassprobono.org.

AMAZON SMILE

The Harvard Business School Club of Washington, D.C. will again award two scholarships to local nonprofit leaders so they can attend HBS' Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management (SPNM) program.

Greater Washington D.C. nonprofit Executive Directors, CEOs and presidents may apply for the scholarships. Each candidate should have at least one year of experience working in the role. The activities and focus of their organizations should meet the needs of people in the Metro D.C. community. (Other requirements are listed here.)

This intensive program will be held July 12-18, 2015 on the HBS campus in Boston, MA. Each scholarship covers program fees ($5,250) and reimbursement for $500 in travel expenses. Completed applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, January 5, 2015.

HBS Scholarship Application.

Scholarship winners will be notified by March 1, 2015. For more information and the application, click here. 

NONPROFIT JOB LISTINGS

Compass posts nonprofit job openings on our website to support nonprofits seeking to find seasoned professionals. Current job opportunities include:

LIFT - Chief Development Officer

For more details on these jobs or to see new postings throughout the year, please go to Nonprofit Sector Jobs

If you know of other nonprofit job opportunities, we're happy to list them on our site as well. Please feel free to contact us.