As many tenured nonprofit leaders prepare to transition out of leadership roles, studies predict an approaching gap in the leadership pipeline. They report that a limited number of “next generation leaders” are ready and eager to accept senior leadership positions. This impending gap is evident in the community clinics field, as well as the broader nonprofit sector.

In response to leadership challenges and needs in the clinics field, the Blue Shield of California Foundation (the Foundation) has partnered with the Center for the Health Professions at the University of California, San Francisco (the Center), to design and implement the Clinic Leadership Institute (CLI). CLI is an 18-month leadership program designed to prepare next generation leaders to move into executive leadership positions within 5 to 8 years to help sustain a strong and vibrant California community clinics system. The Foundation is investing $10 million to support 5 CLI cohorts, the first of which was launched in 2008.

The Foundation contracted with BTW informing change to conduct an ongoing evaluation of CLI’s impacts, strengths, challenges and opportunities for improvement.