In the news: A diverse generation of highly trained leaders steps up to redefine Arizona’s philanthropic future
It can be tough to spot a sea change. Sometimes the world shifts subtly; other times, with force. But it always shifts.
The Valley’s nonprofit community is no different, particularly during times of uncertainty. And given the region’s relative youth as a major metro area, many of those who were at the forefront of shaping our community’s growth are now transitioning into other phases of life.
But the civic sector adapts — and, most importantly, learns.
Over the past few years, Arizona’s nonprofit and philanthropic landscape has experienced a period of leadership changes. Several of the state’s most influential foundations — including the Arizona Community Foundation, Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation, Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust and others — have installed new CEOs or presidents, as have numerous Arizona nonprofits. These transitions often mark more than routine personnel changes — they reflect a broader shift in leadership across the state’s civic sector.
What’s emerging is not just turnover, but a generational handoff — one defined by formal training, broader representation and a more intentional approach to civic leadership.
Robert Ashcraft, the executive director of the Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation at Arizona State University, has seen a lot in his time working with Valley nonprofits. He said there’s a wave of leadership change underway, but it’s not unlike what he’s seen in the past.
“I’ve been at this a while,” he said. “There have been various waves over the years, if you think about it, relative to people going into retirement or otherwise leaving the nonprofit sector. That’s not unusual. That’s happening across every industry.”
But what is happening now is that younger nonprofit leaders are ascending to these roles with more training and expertise than ever before.
Across Arizona, leadership-development and civic-engagement programs are helping channel new talent into nonprofit and community leadership roles. The Flinn–Brown Fellowship, the Piper Academies and Piper Fellows program, Valley Leadership and several other programs are working to position the next generation of community leaders for success.
Together, these programs create a statewide leadership pipeline, from early-career civic engagement to executive governance, equipping younger and more diverse professionals with experience, networks and skills, and steadily rejuvenating Arizona’s nonprofit sector with new perspectives and energy.
“We’re quite the envy of many other regions,” Ashcraft said. “We have leadership development from entry level all the way to advanced executive leadership.”
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