Fieldstone4U Assists Nonprofit Leaders During Pandemic

When the stay-at-home orders were enacted in March, Fieldstone Leadership Network Orange County was quick to respond to the over 325 nonprofit leaders they serve. Within two weeks, they created Fieldstone4U to connect and respond to the most pressing needs of the nonprofit community during COVID-19.

Fieldstone4U engages nonprofit executives virtually and connects them to leading industry teachers, resources and mentors. Fieldstone’s regular programs serving nonprofit leaders also transitioned virtually and the Fieldstone4U sessions will continue as needed.

Fieldstone Leadership Network Orange County Executive Director Robin Sinclair said, “I wanted to respond immediately to the needs of our network so they could navigate their organizations through the most trying times most have ever faced. With total support from our board of directors, we quickly set up multiple sessions based on our members’ needs. The programs have grown organically based on issues and challenges they are facing on a day-to-day basis.”

Opportunities through Zoom teleconferencing have included Employment Law, Drafting a COVID-19 Action Plan, How to Engage Teams Remotely, SBA Funding, Steady Development in Unsteady Times, Public Law Center Q&A and Building a Dream Team: Hiring and Firing During the Pandemic. Reciprocal learning opportunities are also made available during virtual Happy Hours and Network member check-ins to combat isolation and to respond to immediate issues.

Employment attorneys Tiffanny Brosnan and Ron Brand donated their time by providing vital support on navigating a myriad of HR issues, while Janet Buck, Senior Managing Director with First Republic Bank assisted with SBA and PPP loan questions.

Farrell Hirsch, CEO of The Muckenthaler Cultural Center in Fullerton and Network member said, “For me, what separates the Fieldstone Zoom chats in a very crowded field is context. I look at the names and faces of the other participants and I'm highly aware that this is a group of peers - the very people who are facing the same set of circumstances as I am. This allows us to get to the meat of the discussion quickly, whether the problems are about cash flow, programmatic challenges, or loneliness.”

Fieldstone Leadership Network is a member-based organization and open to all nonprofit leaders. Contact Robin Sinclair at rsinclair@fieldstoneleadership.org or visit fieldstoneleadershipoc.org for more information.

About Fieldstone Leadership Network Orange County Fieldstone Leadership Network is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides a safe and trusted community of senior nonprofit leaders who gather to receive support, inspiration, education and other vital resources. The reciprocal learning opportunities build, deepen and sustain personal and professional capabilities and relationships that ultimately strengthen the entire nonprofit community. The Fieldstone Foundation was originally formed in 1983 as a corporate grant making foundation for the home building Fieldstone Group of Companies and became Fieldstone Leadership Network in 2017.

For more information, visit fieldstoneleadershipoc.org.

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