Cultivating the Next Generation of Leaders
We stand at a pivotal moment—one that demands courageous, creative leadership.
So what is a leader? The definition is simple: someone who leads. But the true act of being a leader requires more than words. Leadership isn’t inherited—it’s cultivated. It’s built over time and requires support, trust and long-term vision. It also requires truly seeing those who work alongside you, understanding their superpowers and stepping in with a helping hand when needed.
We asked our Mighty Partners last year about how we, as funders, can take better care of the people doing the work? How can we become better partners? At the end of the day, it’s the people we connect with who ultimately inspire us to think, act and give. I believe it’s the people we need to invest in, to nurture our leaders, so they can continue to hold up the light. These are ordinary people doing extraordinary things. And when we talk about leaders, we’re not only talking about the people with a “C”, “executive” or “director” in their title; we’re talking about those coming up too and those we may not see coming yet.
“Our movement is at a point where investing in leadership pathways is of utmost importance,” says Alicia Olivarez, Executive Vice President of Power California, a statewide multi-racial civic engagement organization made up of on-the-ground community partners in urban, suburban and rural communities throughout California. “As organizational transitions or unexpected crises happen, we have to ensure that front line staff all the way up to directors are equipped to lead. Our ultimate goal is to not just strengthen our organization, but ultimately the bench of leaders who will contribute to the organizational resilience in the larger ecosystem over time.”
While grateful for opportunities, many of the executive leaders we spoke with reported being besieged with conference invites and funder-driven gatherings, and one answer that continued to rise to the top: We should extend invites to include those beyond the executive role to lighten the load and helps build connections and experience in the next generation of leaders. And it goes deeper. Partners spoke to investing in leadership coaching, support funding succession planning, team retreats and sabbaticals. One partner explained that coaching for their team helps staff gain a wider perspective than they can provide as leaders themselves—and also eases the pressure of mentorship. Additionally and perhaps most importantly, it’s investing in the next generation of leaders for their mission.
“Funders usually want to give us money to conserve land, so it's almost a non-starter to have a conversation with a funder about professional development for our team and things like that,” says Tony Caligiuri, Executive Director of Colorado Open Lands. “That's one of the biggest challenges is just having funders who are interested in supporting that aspect of an organization, because ultimately, when we support our team it deepens the overall impact of our work.”
Clark Anderson, the Executive Director of Community Builders, spoke of the need to build a team that’s bigger than one person. In fact, his organization does exactly that, helping local leaders build healthy, equitable and prosperous communities to improve people’s lives today and ensure a sustainable tomorrow. Anderson shared how he and his team have baked leadership into their organizational culture with the key being structure, boundaries and clear communication.
Our founder, Kim, reminds us often—typically with actions, not words: “To whom much is given, much is expected.” She was raised to value the sharing of wealth more than keeping it for herself, and Mighty Arrow is the embodiment of that philosophy. It’s also a throwback to New Belgium Brewing, the inclusive, employee-owned business that generated the wealth behind our fund, and where Kim’s border collie “Arrow” ran around the brewery grounds for 12 years.
Kim has challenged us to ask the important questions: What if we all began to think differently about how we use our privilege, how we share our wealth, how we envision our legacy? What if, collectively, we understood inheritance as more than dollars in the bank—but instead as a healthy planet, a functioning democracy, and an equitable world?
At the heart of it all is true, unshakeable leaders. Those who continue to step up and out, to pass the mic and the reins at times, and to look forward into the future.
So regardless of our respective roles, let’s ask ourselves:
Are we nurturing the curiosity and agency of young changemakers?
Are we building cultures where new leaders can rise, empowered and supported?
Can we match the boldness we expect from them with equally bold investment today?
The answers will shape the world they—and we—will build together.