Global Engagement

Housed at Georgetown University, a hub for leaders in public service, law, policy, and international affairs, the Center is committed to empowering change-makers and public leaders not only in the United States, but across the globe. It believes that nonprofit leadership starts at the individual level—that by working with current and emerging leaders, communities, and organizers, each of us can promote a brighter global future.

The Center engages with the global community by hosting events to advance thought leadership, developing customized training programs for NGO leaders, and hosting visiting practitioners who conduct research that helps advance the public good internationally. Many nonprofit and philanthropic leaders also participate in our Executive Certificate Programs.

Customized Program Examples

U.S. Department of State, Middle East Partnership Initiative (2016-present) – The Center provides trainings in program design, needs assessments, program evaluation and contingency planning for MEPI’s Student Leaders Program. It also helps design the annual Accelerator Program for Student Leader Program alumni.

Parents Circle Families Forum (2008 – present) – In an ongoing partnership between Georgetown University and the Parents Circle Families Forum (PCFF), the Center provides capacity-building training and support. The regionally-based PCFF assists bereaved Israeli and Palestinian families in an effort to promote reconciliation.

Leadership Academy for Development (2022 – present) – The Center partners with the Leadership Academy for Development in it’s international programs. In 2022, we led two sessions on Leading Systems Change and Leadership Opportunities and Challenges for 45 women leaders from government, business and nonprofit sectors across the MENA region.

Women in Faith Leadership Fellowship (2023) – The Center hosted the inaugural cohort of the Women in Faith Leadership Fellowship, a two-week experiential leadership development program, welcoming women from Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Nigeria. The program, designed for women religious working in the area of women and girls’ empowerment, was supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.

USAID, Colombia (2022) – The Center provided a keynote presentation for 100 nonprofit and business leaders on leading systems change at the launch of a new 3-year cross-sector program.

U.S. Embassy, Czech Republic (2020) – The Center provided online trainings for forty NGO leaders on strategic communications, narrative framing, and advocating for systems change.

U.S. Embassies, Hungary and Romania (2017) – The Center developed customized NGO Management trainings for NGO leaders in Bucharest, Romania and Budapest, Hungary. The trainings focused on fundraising for sustainability and high-impact volunteer management.

Jane Goodall Foundation (2016) – The Center developed a customized 2-day training for the Jane Goodall Foundation’s field officiers on program design, evaluation and grant writing. Participants came from Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, DRC, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and the United Kingdom.

Federacion Antioquena de ONG, Medellin, Colombia (2015) – The Center developed a customized 4-day NGO Management Certificate Program for 42 leaders of organizations recruited by Federacion Antioquena de ONG. The topics covered were: characteristics of high-impact NGOs, strategic planning, impact evaluation, cross-sector partnerships, governance, human resources management, and resource and fund development.

U.S. Embassy and Consular Officies, China (2014) – The Center developed customized NGO Management trainings for over 330 Chinese NGO leaders in eight cities in China. The program included workshops, public lectures, and individual consultations. The topics covered were: project management, program evaluation, fundraising, grant writing, overview of NGOs in the USA, and characteristics of high-impact NGOs.

U.S. Department of State, Mongolia (2013) – The Center provided expertise in NGO Management during a week-long set of meetings and trainings at the request of the U.S. Embassy in Ulan Bator, Mongolia. The program included a day-long workshop on NGO Management for 50 NGO leaders, a meeting with journalists to discuss the role of the media in covering the work of NGOs, a meeting with the government department mandated to work with NGOs to discuss best practices, site visits to NGOs, and television and newspaper interviews.

USAID, Panama (2012) – The Center provided a Train-the-Trainer NGO Strengthening Program for the first NGO Management Certificate in Panama. The training for 20 Certificate faculty included information on curriculum development and interactive training techniques. CPNL partnered with USAID, the University of Louisville, Alcance Positivo, Banco General, United Way International and Sumarse to make the training and Certificate possible.

Qatar Foundation, Reach Out to Asia (2008) – The Center provided nonprofit leadership and management training to the staff of the Qatar Foundation’s Reach Out to Asia (ROTA) program. ROTA focuses on community development projects in Asia with specific emphasis on promoting global responsibility for quality primary education.

Keynote Addresses

Center leadership is available for speaking engagements for international delegations and audiences. Contact Dr. Luisa Boyarski at boyarskl@georgetown.edu to discuss upcoming opportunities.

Recent presentations include:

Understanding the Concept of Civil Society – Building the TOMODACHI Generation Program, Japanese Emerging Leaders
US Nonprofit Sector and Leadership – Nonprofit and Board Management Training for Binational Centers’ Leadership in Argentina
Organizational Development for Volunteer-based Initiatives – Young African Leaders Network
Civil Society and Public Policy – The Collaborative Leadership Initiative, Advantere School of Management
Systems Change and Leadership – Greek NGO Accelerator, HIGGS – Higher Incubator Giving Growth & Sustainability