Marsellus LeadUp (LeadUP CNY)

• Current employees of 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organizations serving residents of Onondaga or Madison counties
• Employee must have three years of experience in the nonprofit sector
• Program management and/or supervisory responsibility required
• Priority will be given to applicants from small- or mid-sized organizations that often have limited professional development resources.

• Marsellus LeadUp (LeadUp CNY) grant application deadline typically falls in mid-July.
  • Marsellus LeadUp is not being offered in 2023.
• To apply, complete our online form and submit with a letter of recommendation from your Executive Director, which includes the agency’s commitment to provide time away to fully participate in the program, along with one other letter of recommendation.
• Only one applicant per organization will be accepted
• Applicants should demonstrate a passion, commitment and level of competency that identifies them as one of the next generation’s nonprofit leaders.

• Identification of strengths and areas of opportunity for growth with tools for professional skill development and effective self-reflection
• Growth in communication skills (Conflict Resolution, Effective Feedback and Listening, Collaboration, Managing Relationships, and Presentation Skills)
• A defined Individualized Development Plan (IDP) and demonstrated growth toward their individual goals
• A defined peer network
• Exposure to current leaders in the community

Individualized Development Plan (IDP)

Each participant will work with the two program coaches to develop a comprehensive IDP.

Program Content

All learning sessions will be experiential and participatory. Participants will deepen their skills and competencies through presentations, experiential learning sessions and assignments. Panel discussions made up of key leaders in the community from the for-profit and nonprofit sectors will expose participants to different perspectives of leadership and community needs. This is also an opportunity to introduce the next generation of leaders to current community leaders.

• Each cohort is comprised of 10-12 participants
• The curriculum consists of five half-day large group learning sessions with speaker panels on specific topics, skill building activities and assignments. Dates will be selected once participant cohort is finalized.
• The curriculum also includes five individual coaching meetings:
• At least one networking/social event with peer group(s) from similar programs.
• Each participant should be willing to dedicate another four to eight hours of additional time each month to work on IDP and prepare for learning sessions.

“The LeadUp CNY (Marsellus LeadUp) program taught me to be an active participant in my leadership journey and helped me to realize that leadership isn’t as simple as being born a strong leader, but it is something that we are responsible for nurturing and growing. It pushed me to accept myself for both my strengths and shortcomings and to make short term goals that were measurable and achievable to help me reach more long term goals. I learned that the things we do behind the scenes and the investments that we make in ourselves are the ones that turn up in our leadership style with others, and my biggest take away from the program was learning that becoming a great leader isn’t a destination but an ongoing process that really never ends.”

“The LeadUp (Marsellus LeadUp) program gave me more than I expected. In addition to the guidance and content on leadership and management, I was delighted to find friends and colleagues across industries. The greatest benefit still continues in the connections I made with some pretty fantastic and brilliant people!”

“LeadUp gave me the opportunity to take the goals I’ve had in my head, get them down on paper in an achievable format and finally execute on them! The networking with other local, like-minded leaders was so valuable. That coupled with the individual coaching sessions made for one of the best professional development opportunities I’ve had the pleasure to take part in. I would recommend this to anyone looking to grow their networks, achieve new goals and sharpen their leadership skills!”