This week, TNP in collaboration with Good Citizen hosted a Visioning Gathering to help shape the path forward as we search for our next Executive Director. We took this opportunity to come together as a community during an important moment for The New Philanthropists. We gathered with 20+ community members in the room, the conversation was grounded in a shared commitment to what TNP can become.
One thing was clear. This community cares deeply about TNP and believes in our organization’s values of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging; and our role as a connector across people, ideas, and resources.
As we move forward, we’re committed to carrying out the community’s input by staying transparent, maintaining your trust, staying rooted in community, and continuing to create a more inclusive and equitable community. Thank you to Kevin Bryant from Good Citizen for capturing the highlights from our Vision Gathering.
If you’d like to talk the team, board or the staff at Good Citizen, please send your emails to: tnp-executivedirector@goodcitizen.com. You can also reach out to individual board members, if you have more questions. You can see them on the team page on our website. If you’d like to apply for the position, you can learn more here.
Here’s what we heard:
What the community hopes to see in TNP’s next leader
Participants emphasized the importance of a leader who is deeply community-rooted, relational, visible, and able to build trust across TNP’s ecosystem. They want someone who is energetic, personable, collaborative, brave, and able to manage conflict while keeping people connected to the mission.
There was also strong interest in a leader who is equity-grounded and experienced in the nonprofit sector, particularly with nonprofit boards, DEI, BIPOC leadership, and the gaps that still exist in board representation and access. Several participants named the importance of someone who understands Austin’s nonprofit landscape and is not coming into the role without local or community context.
The community also wants a strategic and business-minded leader — someone who can think beyond traditional fundraising, understand earned revenue and program models, and help clarify TNP’s niche, value proposition, and long-term sustainability.
Key hopes, concerns, and ideas shared
A recurring theme was sustainability. Participants noted that TNP’s future revenue model cannot rely only on fundraising and that the next leader will need to help identify broader revenue opportunities, partnerships, and resources.
Several participants also raised the need for strategic clarity: What is TNP’s strongest niche? How does it differentiate itself? What is its role in educating boards and advancing equity in nonprofit leadership? How should TNP navigate the current political and funding environment?
There was also a strong call for transparency. Participants encouraged the board and organization to be honest about both strengths and challenges, including funding, organizational capacity, and the choices ahead.
What the next leader should understand about TNP’s work and role
Participants described TNP as community-centric, relational, and connected to a broad nonprofit ecosystem. They want the next leader to understand Austin’s generational, racial, geographic, and philanthropic diversity, while also recognizing opportunities to connect beyond Austin, including rural areas and smaller communities.
There was broad agreement that TNP plays an important bridge-building role among nonprofit leaders, boards, funders, entrepreneurs, and community stakeholders. Participants also lifted up the need for resource mapping, ecosystem mapping, and clarity about who may still be missing from the work.
What TNP and the board should keep in mind moving forward
Participants encouraged the board to be deliberate, transparent, and aligned during the search and transition process. They noted the importance of clear board roles and expectations, strong support for staff and the incoming Executive Director, and continued communication with TNP’s supporters and community.
They also encouraged TNP to keep sharpening its infrastructure, operating model, and strategic direction. Several comments pointed to the need to clarify whether TNP is best understood as a program, movement, convening space, leadership development hub, or some combination of these.
Overall, the feedback was generous, constructive, and deeply affirming of TNP’s mission. Community members clearly care about the organization and want to see it enter this next chapter with clarity, sustainability, courage, and strong leadership.