Robin Hood Foundation to Train Donors for Nonprofit Posts

The Robin Hood Foundation, which annually raises tens of millions of dollars from Wall Street for anti-poverty programs, is launching an effort to train experienced finance professionals for full-time work at charities it supports, Bloomberg writes.

The LeaderLink program, set to start in September with a pilot class of 15, grew out of Robin Hood grantees’ difficulty in filling senior roles amid greater organizational complexity and scrutiny of their work.

Recent “high-profile financial problems of some high-profile nonprofits have highlighted the need for a competent financial person in these positions,” said Deborah Miller Sakellarios, a senior management consultant at Robin Hood. Donors and volunteers are showing an interest in switching careers, often asking foundation staffers for informational interviews, she said. Following the five-session course, participants will be matched with a mentor and get help searching for nonprofit jobs.