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Nonprofit Leaders for Excellence

In 2022, Valley Baptist Legacy Foundation and the Knapp Community Care Foundation launched the region’s first nonprofit leadership cohort – Nonprofit Leaders for Excellence – in partnership with us to bring 12 nonprofit leaders together over 10 months. Cielo Strategy Group designed the cohort program, created the full curriculum, and fully launched and managed the program. We are thrilled to bring Nonprofit Leaders for Excellence back for its second year in 2023-2024.

From August 2022 through May 2023, leaders from organizations in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas prioritized developing their leadership skills to strengthen their organizations thanks to the generosity of these two local foundations. Each month, they spent a full day learning and collaborating on topics such as: nonprofit governance, highly effective teams and culture, philanthropy, communications, financial management, risk management, and more. We brought in a mix of local facilitators, panel discussions, and other experts, including Cielo Strategy Group to cover the variety of learning objectives.

These leaders reflect what the Rio Grande Valley is all about: grit, perseverance, passion, love, strength, intelligence, and most importantly, commitment to the community.

We are proud of the success of this program, and are thrilled to have been asked to guide the second cohort which kicked off in September 2023 and will culminate in May 2024.

Our second Nonprofit Leaders for Excellence class includes:

  • "We chose Cielo because of their extensive expertise and deep understanding of our donor base, and they delivered on every level. From the beginning, they took the time to listen to our unique needs and challenges, ensuring their recommendations were tailored to our organization’s goals and values. With their guidance, we refined our messaging and developed a clear and inspiring vision for the future. They were instrumental in helping us craft a strategic plan with actionable next steps that will drive meaningful progress. The Cielo team exemplifies professionalism, combining their vast knowledge with a personal, empathetic approach that made us feel genuinely supported at every step. We highly recommend them to any organization seeking a partner who listens, understands, and delivers exceptional results."

    HEATHER MCFARLAND, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
    Alamo Heights School Foundation

  • “As the Garden has grown and evolved, Cielo consultants have proven their ability to meet us exactly where we are in the moment. They are flexible, responsive, and creative in developing solutions that fit our unique needs. Cielo understands the delicate balance required when working with both staff and volunteer-driven initiatives. Their ‘listening first’ approach is refreshing. Time and again, Cielo has proven they don't just provide cookie-cutter consulting—they take the time to understand our mission, our community, and our specific challenges, then craft solutions that are both practical and innovative. You won’t find a better strategic partner."

    KATHERINE TRUMBLE, PRESIDENT & CEO
    San Antonio Botanical Garden

  • "Cielo Strategy Group was a joy to work with and has been a big help in channeling our energy in more productive ways. Our board has become more involved, and communication between staff leadership and the board has improved tremendously. The Cielo team has made an incredible impact on our art center!"

    LANZA TEAGUE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
    Kerrville Arts & Cultural Center

  • "The Cielo team has been a trusted partner strengthening our organization from the inside out. After facilitating our initial organizational assessment process, they identified key areas we needed to focus on that would move our mission forward. They didn’t just give us a report with recommendations, they jumped in and created the infrastructure we needed to help us operate more effectively – from basic Board governance documents and processes to a staff and volunteer handbook, to operational planning and goal-setting. They have coached me to become a better leader. As we celebrated our ten-year anniversary, we accepted a transformational gift to purchase our own land and build upon our vision. We could not have done this without “getting our house in order”, which is what Cielo Strategy Group did for us."

    DEBRA FRANCO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
    South Texas Juvenile Diabetes Association

  • "The Cielo team has been instrumental in helping the Weslaco Museum rebuild for the future. As a new Executive Director, I am thankful for their unwavering commitment. They provided our organization with the proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel” – enabling us to focus on our vision and mission. They have helped the Weslaco Museum grow our member base, streamline our website, strengthen our board, and our overall vision for the future."

    CRYSTAL RODRIGUEZ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
    Weslaco Museum

  • "Cielo Strategy Group is part of our Clinic family. With our long-standing partnership, I have relied on their team as a steady support system – responding to our needs and flexing with us. They have elevated our storytelling and communications, guided us through annual fund development plans, designed and project-managed annual appeal mailings, coached us through grant proposals, facilitated Board sessions and a strategic planning process. They push us toward excellence and don’t settle for less."

    GLORIA Z. CANSECO, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
    San Antonio Christian Dental Clinic
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