Experiential Leadership Lab
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Three full-day, in-person sessions + bonus trustee session (10 a.m. - 4 p.m.)
- Learning Peer Groups
TIMELINE: March 2026 - October 2026
COST: Free in 2026, fee-based starting 2027
Why This Matters Now
The Leadership Lab is designed for philanthropic leaders navigating tension between personal commitments, organizational constraints, and public pressure in a polarized time. It is an invitation for you to unlock a deeper kind of leadership: one grounded in discernment, relational integrity, and imagination. We're not pretending this is easy. Together, we're creating and nurturing conditions to grow our individual and collective capacity to lead with clarity, courage, and coherence.
Who Is Invited
All Minnesota Council on Foundations (MCF) members are welcome. This work belongs to all of us, whether you're in grantmaking, operations, leadership, communications, finance, board service, or any other foundation role.
What We Offer
Quarterly Leadership Development Sessions
Sessions are highly experiential and interactive, with thought-provoking content, ample time for reflection, small group work, and paired shares. All designed to expand your perspective and deepend your capacity to lead with an EBDI lens.
You'll leave each session with greater capacity to see multiple perspectives, work with discomfort, navigate relational dynamics, and gain support in making progress on complex EBDI challenges in the context of your role and organizations — even when the path forward isn't obvious.
Location: To deepen community and connection across our region, sessions are hosted in both the Twin Cities Metro and Greater Minnesota.
Learning Peer Groups (LPGs)
At each session you attend, you'll be placed in a small facilitated group (3-5 colleagues) from different foundation types.
In these Learning Peer Groups, you'll:
- Connect session content to real leadership challenges in the context of your role and organization
- Bring a current EBDI challenge from your work (or simply listen and learn)
- Give and receive non-judgmental peer feedback in a confidential space
- Practice new approaches in a supportive environment
- Strengthen relationships across our philanthropic community
Upcoming Offerings
ELL 2: Our Governance Work
Ready to Join? Connect With Wally.
