A Courageous Leadership Strategy

In February 2021, the Philanthropy Southeast Board of Trustees approved a new Strategic Plan to guide our work through 2025. It represents a culmination of work that includes 2017’s Philanthropy as the South’s Passing Gear: Fulfilling the Promise, 2019’s Equity Framework, and our Values & Guiding Principles adopted in 2020.

The strategy will form the foundation of a workplan for Philanthropy Southeast's staff and Board leadership that will benefit our members, our field and our region.

What Is Courageous Leadership?

Calling our members into courageous leadership will be essential to meet the opportunities and challenges facing philanthropy in the South and communities in the South during the next five years. Courageous leadership is our commitment to:

· Mobilize the people and resources in our organization and network to realize our vision, mission and values,

· Address critical issues facing philanthropy in the South and communities in the South, and

· Take the risks and make the leaps necessary to do so.

Our Strategic Priorities

Hover over or click to learn more about each of our 2021-25 Strategic Priorities!

Cross-Cutting Priority

Equity Framework Integration

Including development of an equity policy, creation of an advocacy agenda, development of equity leadership opportunities, and a reimagination of equity-focused grantmaking.

External Priorities

Member Engagement

Cultivating strong, dynamic and mutually- beneficial relationships between Philanthropy Southeast and its members.

Community Culture

Identifying, expressing and continually developing the living culture of our community of members.

Supporting Leadership

Providing what leaders in our region need to be courageous and effective.

Programs & Learning

Opportunities for in-person and virtual peer-to-peer learning and connection to experts, innovations and best practices.

Policy, Advocacy & Action

Advocating for federal and state policies that promote the work and priorities of our members while being vocal, courageous leaders in our field and in our communities.

Internal Priorities

Business Model

How we create and deliver value for our members while generating revenue that enables us to fulfill our mission and achieve our vision.

Organizational Rebranding

How we see ourselves, define ourselves and project ourselves to the outside world, particularly peer organizations, members and prospects.

Organizational Culture

The shared beliefs and values that our organization practices and relies upon to guide our work.

Talent Management

Strategically developing a staff that is engaged, skilled, and productive while meeting current and anticipated needs.

Ongoing Learning & Adaptation

Philanthropy Southeast's 2021-2025 Strategic Plan is dynamic and adaptive. We continuously track, adapt to and account for evolutions and interrelationships among three domains: Philanthropy Southeast, the organizations and people who are part of philanthropy in the South, and the communities in our region.

This plan is designed to be continually informed by the latest research and data on the South and Southern communities, feedback from our members, changes in the field of philanthropy and other knowledge and insight gained from our work.