Partners for Developing Futures
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While funding is critically important, we believe non-financial supports are also essential to minority leaders' success in the charter school movement.

This is especially important at the executive level where the CEO or Executive Director is often so focused on the board and staff’s development that no one in the organization pays enough attention to the CEO/Executive Director’s professional growth. Partners provides strategic, customized technical assistance support to facilitate entrepreneurs' ongoing leadership development. It is our intention to help funded leaders cultivate skills and expertise in specific areas that will ultimately contribute to their long-term effectiveness as leaders. Near the end of Partners’ due diligence process, the lead entrepreneur for the school completes a self assessment, which the team uses to develop a customized technical assistance plan collaboratively with each entrepreneur. This technical assistance plan is assessed annually throughout the investment relationship to track entrepreneurs’ achievement of specific goals and anticipate future needs.

Through its technical assistance support to funded leaders, Partners seeks to foster entrepreneurialism and promote minority leaders' work in flexible, efficient ways that empower them to create and run outstanding schools for underserved students. Partners does not offer a formal leadership training program. However, Partners’ technical assistance focuses on

  • Facilitating minority entrepreneurs’ access to external professional resources in specific areas
  • Creating leadership opportunities where entrepreneurs of color can learn from each other and others in the sector, while building a network of peers
  • Attending relevant conferences, seminars, and workshops for executive leaders
  • Arranging for mentoring/coaching, when needed

In addition, Partners will host its own leadership forums for funded entrepreneurs and select applicants.