A roadmap to sustainable growth and global impact

2024-2028 Strategic Direction

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Better nonprofits for better communities

Arizona State University’s Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation educates, empowers and connects nonprofit and philanthropic leaders.

Housed within ASU’s Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions and its School of Community Resources and Development, the ASU Lodestar Center has been guided by a vision and a mission since 1999.

In this work, we serve individuals locally and around the globe who currently, or aspire to, lead and support nonprofit organizations, as well as organizations and networks in the philanthropic sector. Our offerings — focused on increased leadership, management effectiveness and impactful philanthropy — integrate knowledge generated by academic faculty, our own applied research and best practices gleaned from study throughout the world.

The Center's support, in accord with our strategic plan, is generated by income earned through delivery of programs and services as well as philanthropic gifts and grants.

A photo of a crowd of people during an ASU Lodestar Center conference.

Who we are

What we do

The ASU Lodestar Center provides education, research, practical tools and convenings for nonprofit professionals, philanthropists and volunteers who seek to solve problems and realize their communities’ highest aspirations. From professional development opportunities to a broad portfolio of capacity-building programs, our work makes nonprofits and their teams better, accelerating social impact.

We meet our mission through:

Academic excellence and accessibility
We continuously enhance the quality of programs and services while maintaining affordability for learners wherever they are in their personal and professional journeys, and representing all socioeconomic, geographic and demographic backgrounds.
Local impact, social embeddedness
We leverage the ASU brand to strengthen our network of teaching, learning and resources for nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, which are essential social institutions that enhance the quality of life in our communities.
Solutions-oriented research
We advance knowledge and understanding of the nonprofit and philanthropic sector through research, education and community engagement activities.

Our core values

🌎 Collaboration

Empowering and leveraging resources to strengthen communities and increase impact.

🎨 Creativity

Generating and disseminating knowledge based on a leading-edge, innovative and transformational culture.

⭐ Excellence

Offering relevant services and programs of the highest quality.

➕ Inclusiveness

Respecting, valuing and intentionally engaging the range of diverse individuals within communities served by the Center.

✅ Trust

Demonstrating integrity, transparency, accountability and ethical principles as a commitment to public value and the common good.

A mountain in the distance, surrounded by blooming desert vegetation.

Our past, present and future

We were originally founded in 1999 as the Center for Nonprofit Leadership and Management, developed from ASU’s American Humanics program (now the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance). In 2008, thanks to a naming investment from the Lodestar Foundation, we became the ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation. As we approached our 25th year, we began work on a new strategic plan, informed by a thoughtful and thorough process involving stakeholder input and guided by the board that we call our Leadership Council. The 2024-2028 plan will be our own lodestar in achieving the “3.0” vision for the Center.

Three circles represent the ASU Lodestar Center's three era: 1.0 in 1999, 2.0 in 2008, and 3.0 beginning in 2024 as we grow beyond Arizona.

Our home at ASU and the Watts College

The Lodestar Center resides within ASU’s Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions. Watts College is driven by a set of aspirations that communicate what the college desires to be: a vehicle through which we make the world a better place. These aspirations—equity, community, justice, participation and potential—are a fundamental lens through which we view our own work.

The ASU Lodestar Center “is fundamental to our mission. Lodestar supports our nonprofit students on the academic-degree side, Lodestar engages in solutions-oriented research, and [also] does continuing education and direct-service provision. Lodestar’s really unique not just based on its size, depth and breadth, but also that it is one of the few units within our college that is truly engaging all of the aspects of our strategy” to build more vibrant, healthy communities.

Cynthia Lietz, dean of Watts College

ASU’s design aspirations as a New American University

Two decades ago, ASU set forth a new and ambitious trajectory to become a comprehensive knowledge enterprise dedicated to the simultaneous pursuit of excellence, broad access to quality education and meaningful societal impact. From that point forward, all of its energy, creativity and resources have been brought to bear on the design of a uniquely adaptive and transdisciplinary university committed to producing master learners. Today, ASU exemplifies a new prototype for the American public research university.

Nine design aspirations guide the ongoing evolution of ASU as a New American University. These institutional objectives are integrated in innovative ways throughout the university to achieve excellence, access and impact.

In developing our Strategic Plan, the ASU Lodestar Center incorporated each of the university’s design aspirations into our goals and objectives to ensure alignment and to best leverage the resources of this institution we call home.

ASU Lodestar Center

Operational pillars

Our vision for five key pillars: People, programs, growth and markets, operations, and financial.

Sisters Jackie Phillips (left) and Eshawn Peterson founded Phoenix-based Onward Hope. To help the organization grow its impact, they both enrolled in professional development programs at the ASU Lodestar Center.

People

By 2028, the Center will have...

Depth at the leadership, staff, council, instructor and participant levels that is fully representative of the stakeholders the Center currently serves and are striving to serve.

Goals and aspirations:

Justice

Ensure that Center staff, management and Leadership Council represent the social, cultural and racial demographics of the state.

Participation

Cultivate an environment where successful talent is recruited, developed and retained for roles that align with the needs of the “3.0” Center.

Potential

Ensure continuity of leadership and staff to support the Center’s ongoing mission.

Programs

By 2028, the Center will have...

Relevant, nimble and sustainable programming through fees for service, philanthropic support, and strategic partnerships that deliver high-value to our stakeholders.

Goals and aspirations:

Potential

Assess internal infrastructure and invest where necessary to build the Center’s capacity.

Increase revenue generation, through strategic program implementation, so that we can scale our impact to better serve stakeholders.

Participation

Prioritize research and the creation of original knowledge to advance the field of nonprofit/philanthropic leadership practice.

The McDowell Sonoran Conservancy enrolled in the ASU Lodestar Center’s Service Enterprise Initiative to rethink how they manage their 700 volunteers and earn the nationally recognized accreditation in strategic volunteer engagement.

Maggie Saucedo returned to school after 15 years away. Along with a degree and Certified Nonprofit Professional credential through ASU, she has completed the ASU Lodestar Center’s Public Allies Arizona program and online courses from our Nonprofit Management Institute.

Growth and markets

By 2028, the Center will have...

Digitally transformed, innovative services and programming (in-person and virtual) for those who lead, manage and support nonprofit and philanthropic organizations in Arizona, nationally and internationally.

Goals and aspirations:

Equity

Develop key strategies to effectively reach our geographic audiences: local, state, national and global.

Community

Brand building and promotion: Leverage both the ASU and the Center brand to enhance reach and awareness.

Operations

By 2028, the Center will have...

Efficient and effective strategic operations, management, processes and infrastructure that can scale to meet the promise of the Center’s mission, its stakeholders and that is fully aligned with the goals of ASU, the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions and its School of Community Resources and Development.

Goals and aspirations:

Potential

Alignment of Lodestar Center operations with the Center’s 3.0 vision.

Principled Innovation

Ensure the Center’s leaders are able to make informed management decisions based on technology/data-driven information and within the framework of principled innovation.

Financial

By 2028, the Center will have...

Reliable revenue through diversified sources to sustain current and new programs/services, while building the necessary cash reserve to support critical innovative and transformative programs, services and initiatives.

Goals and aspirations:

Equity

Engage Leadership Council members with an expected commitment to give to the Center and share connections.

Community

Enact strategic mergers, acquisitions, partnerships and collaborations that enhance the mission of the Center. Scale revenue generation and sponsor opportunities.

Potential

Explore new revenue models that are relevant to achieve the Center’s 3.0 vision.

Principled Innovation

Create a business resource-development function dedicated to building reliable, principled revenue through a sustainable pipeline of donors and sponsors, including individual, corporate, planned gifts and foundation giving.

Group of prospective students listen to a presenter during an info session.

Support our work

Make a gift

Accelerate social impact when you help us educate, empower and connect nonprofit leaders.

Nonprofit and philanthropic organizations are essential social institutions. But they are only as effective as the individuals who serve in leadership and management roles.

If you’re inspired by our Center’s mission, contact us to learn about opportunities for partnerships, collaborations and gifts.

With your support, we can expand educational and professional development opportunities for the nonprofit community; build a pipeline of diverse nonprofit leaders; fund critical research on the sector; help nonprofits find innovative solutions to community challenges; and so much more.

Explore our suite of programs and services today, for yourself or your network.

2024-2028 Strategic Direction

On This Page:

Better nonprofits for better communities

Learn more about the ASU Lodestar Center

Who we are

What we do

Our core values

🌎 Collaboration

🎨 Creativity

⭐ Excellence

➕ Inclusiveness

✅ Trust

Our past, present and future

Our home at ASU and the Watts College

ASU’s design aspirations as a New American University

Operational pillars

People

Goals and aspirations:

Programs

Goals and aspirations:

Growth and markets

Goals and aspirations:

Operations

Goals and aspirations:

Financial

Goals and aspirations:

Support our work

Accelerate social impact when you help us educate, empower and connect nonprofit leaders.

Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation

Academics

Programs and Services

Nonprofit Research

News and Events