Executive Director

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Co.act Detroit, a place-based nonprofit intermediary at the intersections of community, nonprofit, and philanthropic leadership in Detroit, Michigan is seeking nominations and applications for its next Executive Director. The organization brings together funders, investors, practitioners, nonprofits, and community leaders in collective support of community success and resiliency. As a catalyst and connector with tools and programs that help nonprofits sustain and build their capacity, Co.act transcends sector power dynamics to ensure community voice is ever-present in decision making. Now in its sixth year of operations, Co.act has fostered the relationships and built the conditions for creative solutions to sector challenges and, in doing so, has provided essential technical support to organizations serving community need and increased wellness for community and nonprofit leaders across Southeast Michigan’s diverse 7-county region.

Co.act’s next visionary Executive Director will lead the organization through an exciting period of operational evolution as it transitions from a subsidiary program of a partner organization to fiscal sponsorship with the Michigan Nonprofit Association (MNA) and activates its own 501c3 status. This step toward greater operational and financial independence will enhance Co.act’s ability to extend and expand its purpose and its model across the Detroit region during this particularly dynamic time for the sector and far into the future.

The ideal candidate for Executive Director will bring vision, energy, humility, and proven commitment to collective impact and possess successful experience in nonprofit leadership including team management, fiscal management, and community engagement. Reporting to Co.act’s Board of Directors, the Executive Director will be an effective fundraiser, champion, and connector with demonstrated ability to articulate the essential value of Co.act services and contributions to Southeast Michigan and lift up the relevance of its voice across the sector.

ABOUT CO.ACT DETROIT

Co.act Detroit launched in 2019 with support from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation to address pressing systemic challenges within the nonprofit sector. Conceived through a collaborative process that brought together diverse perspectives from Detroit nonprofits, funders, entrepreneurs, and service providers, Co.act has distinguished itself as an authentic and innovative force for community building. In doing so, it has modeled listening to community leadership, testing new approaches for building nonprofit capacity, centering the wellness of leaders attending to community needs, and nurturing a culture of collaboration and trust across funders, nonprofits, and service providers. Co.act is also both a physical space and virtual hub for community convening and creative solutioning. The success of its programs in technical assistance and organizational health and its ability to extend funders’ capacity to get resources quickly and effectively to community needs has quickly established the organization as an essential actor bringing equitable and transformative change to Southeast Michigan’s nonprofit ecosystem.

Co.act’s programs support the sharing of local wisdom and national best practices with community leaders across the region as a trusted, values-aligned actor that brings the sector together with energy, imagination, and a bias toward action. The Co.act team is committed to meeting nonprofits and leaders where they are and has a strong track record of providing tailored support to help organizations achieve their missions. The organization’s dynamic and welcoming physical space provides world class facilities for community gathering and organizational needs. The space houses advanced tools and studio technology that helps expand organizational technical capacity and community reach. The next chapter for Co.act will be an exciting and definitional opportunity to bring the power of Michigan’s substantial philanthropic, nonprofit, and mission-driven communities together to ensure a resilient and thriving sector and Detroit area region.

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The Executive Director will be a nimble, forward-thinking, entrepreneurial, and savvy leader with the ability to guide Co.act into its next phase of relevance and sustained service. The Executive Director will be instrumental in leading the organization through critical moments of operational transition and funding diversification, while strategically supporting the sector through a rapidly evolving political and economic environment. This role requires a collaborative, community-engaged leader who has a fundamental commitment to building relationships across and outside of the organization, a drive to advance financial resiliency for the organization and those it serves, and is inspired to reinforce Co.act’s values in their decision making and leadership practice.

Opportunities and challenges for the next Executive Director include:

Strategic Vision & Field Leadership

• Articulate and champion the next level vision and field leadership role for Co.act as a place-based intermediary holding Southeast Michigan communities and organizational values at the forefront during a time of rapid change in the region and across the country.
• Identify, reinforce, and galvanize Co.act’s strong partnership, programmatic, and physical space assets while strategically exploring and activating new opportunities.
• Review, revise, and advance Co.act’s business model to align to organizational vision and impact goals and ensure programs and services support the conditions for long-term sustainability.

Operational Leadership & Management

• Lead the financial, operational, and programmatic excellence of Co.act as it lives into its new independent 501c3 status, shifts to fiscal sponsorship at MNA, and builds a more diversified funding model.
• Empower and lead a talented team of five full-time and two part-time professionals and aligned partners and ensure team structure and communication is optimized to meet the evolving needs of the organization.
• Work collaboratively with Co.act’s Board of Directors to support best practices in good governance and to capitalize on areas of strategic opportunity.

Fundraising & Financial Stability

• Steward and strengthen relationships with existing donors while cultivating and supporting new partners to advance Co.act’s essential role in and capacity to serve nonprofits and communities in need.
• Develop and implement diverse fundraising, pass-through grantmaking, and earned revenue strategies including individual, institutional, campaign, and fee-for-service approaches to build momentum and continue to effectively resource Co.act as an essential partner of choice.

Community Engagement

• Sustain and deepen trust and relationship with community and nonprofit leaders who not only benefit from but must also be an active voice in the creation of Co.act’s program strategy and focus.
• Work collaboratively with board, funders, clients, staff, and community partners to reinforce Co.act’s success as a trusted hub of resources for community nonprofit organizations in Southeast Michigan, ensuring Co.act remains a pillar for trust, values, wellness, and equity.
• Nurture existing and build upon aligned partnerships with complementary intermediaries and technical service providers to reduce inefficiencies, ensure excellence, and build impact for dollars distributed to Detroit nonprofits.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the person holding this position. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. Co.act reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet organizational needs as necessary.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

While no one candidate will possess all the qualifications listed below, the ideal candidate will be passionate about Co.act’s mission and bring many of the following skills and experiences:

• Leadership & Strategy: At least 10 years of nonprofit or community-based leadership experience, with a track record of strategic growth and impact.
• Fundraising & Financial Acumen: Proven success in fundraising, including but not limited to securing grants and major gifts, individual fundraising, campaign fundraising, and/or fee-for-service revenue streams in support of nonprofit programs and operations.
• Program Development: Experience facilitating, designing, and overseeing strategic program development.
• High Emotional Intelligence: Ability to foster trust, build relationships, and lead with compassion, integrity, and humility.
• Operational & Financial Management: Experience overseeing budgets in excess of $1M annually as well as management of financial planning and organizational systems to support impact goals.
• Collaboration & Team Building: Strong people management skills with the ability to build, mentor, and empower staff.
• Equity Fluency: Ability to operationalize equity in both programmatic strategy and organizational systems and advance intersectional understanding.
• Community Engagement: Strong communication skills combined with deep appreciation and familiarity with the region’s community values, ethos, culture, and sector ecosystem. Deep experience in, connection to, and love for the Detroit region is highly desirable.