
A Message from Janine
Inspiration can appear in the strangest places.
I was flipping the pages of decorating magazine recently, when I came across a quote by Suzanne Tucker that really struck a chord with me:
“As we evolve, our homes should too.” — Suzanne Tucker
I couldn’t help but connect the dots in my mind: to our historical ties to The Fieldstone Group of Companies (a collection of land development, home building, and real estate businesses, who established the Fieldstone Foundation in 1983); the creation of the Fieldstone Leadership Network, as a home for nonprofit leadership development; and the evolution of our own “home”, in terms of our independent organizational structure and programing focus, over the years.
As you now know, from our recent announcement, our home is evolving once again.
After a series of strategic planning conversations, we were presented with the opportunity to build a more sustainable home for our SD network; and to create an organizational structure specifically designed to better serve our leadership community.
I couldn’t be more excited about our strategic partnership with the Clare Rose Foundation.
FLN and CRF have worked together over the past six years to present the Clare Rose Sabbatical Program — the only local foundations to make this type of capacity building experience available to nonprofits in San Diego. The success of the Sabbatical Program gives us confidence that our expanded partnership will be equally effective. This is a good fit.
The organizational structure of our new alliance will allow us to return to our roots, be more responsive to the needs of our local nonprofit leaders, and more creative in helping nonprofit executives develop the skills and relationships they need to become exceptional leaders.
We have added ‘San Diego’ to our Fieldstone Leadership Network name and have a new website (fieldstoneleadershipSD.org) to reflect this change. Our website introduces new organizational values, showcases a new sabbatical video, announces a new component to our Leadership Reading Group (called Author’s Insights), and outlines a new retreat offering for 2020 that will focus on social justice. These are only a few of the positive changes made possible by our new home.
Registration for our upcoming learning groups and coaching program is now open. Applications are available on our website here and programs are scheduled to begin, as usual, in January 2020. A few spaces remain for our 2019-2020 Leadership Reading Group, which begins in September and includes participation in our new author’s events.
As I reflect back on the past 31 years, I feel grateful for what has been and excited for what awaits. I am so appreciative of Peter Ochs and Keith Johnson giving me a home to do the work I know I was called to do. I am grateful to my teammates past and present who have joined me on this journey over the years. I have the utmost confidence that FLN OC will flourish under Robin and Peter’s leadership and I am thrilled the legacy of our work will continue in the county in which I grew up. And, I am elated when I think about working with a local team of philanthropic leaders to continue the work of FLNSD and to build on what has been.
That’s what it’s all about, after all: leadership. Whether we’re navigating an organizational transformation — as we are at FLN — or making the day-to-day decisions that leaders must make — it’s never easy.
That’s why we’re here: to support each other, and to be supported. A community of leaders united in the spirit of reciprocity.
As we continue to evolve and settle into our new home with the Clare Rose Foundation, I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of this thriving community that we’ve built, together.
As I shared on the occasion of our 25th anniversary, “A Home is Where Your Story Begins”. We have a new home and I know an important story is beginning for all of us.
While my physical address will stay the same, please make sure to update my email address in your contacts, visit our new website and follow our new social accounts on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn.
With Gratitude and Anticipation,
Janine

Important news from the Fieldstone Leadership Network: A new home. A new chapter.
The Fieldstone Leadership Network is thrilled to announce that, effective today, our San Diego and Orange County offices will begin operating as independent organizations. This organizational transformation will help to ensure the long-term growth and sustainability of both operations, while further enhancing our ability to develop relationships and programming at a local level.
We have a dynamic, and familiar, duo to lead our new organizations:
FLN San Diego will continue under the long-term leadership of Network architect and Executive Director, Janine Mason, and in strategic partnership with the Clare Rose Foundation.
(View a message from Janine)
FLN Orange County will be led by newly appointed Executive Director, Robin Sinclair.
(View Robin’s bio and our OC media announcement)
We’re confident that the “new homes” we’ve built for our SD and OC networks will be better suited to meet the present and future needs of those respective communities.
From the standpoint of your “member experience”, we expect the effects to be fairly minimal. In all likelihood, with the exception of some updated contact information, social media handles, and web addresses, you won’t notice a change at all.
Each organization has launched a new website to reflect its work and program offerings. You can find Fieldstone Leadership Network San Diego at FieldstoneLeadershipSD.org (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn); while Fieldstone Leadership Network, Orange County can be found at FieldstoneLeadershipOC.org (Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn).
Since 1994, the Fieldstone Leadership Network has empowered organizations throughout Orange and San Diego Counties by providing comprehensive leadership development and learning opportunities to nonprofit leaders.
We’re proud of our legacy and of the thriving, supportive community we’ve helped to cultivate here in southern California.
To date, more than 1,200 individuals from 690 organizations have participated in Fieldstone programs; and our belief in the transformational power of leadership — for individuals, organizations, and communities — is as strong as ever.
Today begins a new chapter in our story; one that continues to carry forth our vision of a well-developed, highly effective, and deeply connected nonprofit sector.
It goes without saying, but our work wouldn’t be possible without you: the current and future nonprofit leaders of San Diego and Orange counties; and the funders and strategic partners that have supported our work through the years. Your contributions have made the FLN what it is today.
Thank you for being part of our leadership community. We look forward to writing the next chapter, together.
Sincerely,
Keith Johnson
Chair, Board of Directors

First Giving Tuesday A Success
For the first time, Fieldstone Leadership Network participated in a national day of generosity, #GivingTuesday. Thanks to members and friends of the Network, over $7800 was raised in this premier effort! These gifts come at a critical time in our organizational transition to an operating foundation and will help us continue to support the leaders of over 650 organizations in Orange and San Diego Counties!
The Fieldstone Leadership Network offers a continuum of programs to build and deepen personal and professional relationships among nonprofit leaders through leadership training and learning opportunities, so they are better able to collaborate, problem solve, and support each other. Your generosity allows this important work to continue, strengthening our nonprofit community and all of the individual organizations we love and support. Thank you!
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Crossroads and Turning Points – Cultivating the Bench Strength of your Development Team
On Friday, March 3rd, The Fieldstone Leadership Network hosted its first Crossroads and Turning Points for 2017. Featuring Kathy Drucquer Duff from KDD Philanthropy, over 40 San Diego nonprofit leaders participated in a half day session to receive training and guidance on nuancing donor strategies and outreach.
The session provided practical ideas and advice on the “art” associated with the science of moves management within an organization’s donor development strategy. The session also addressed: asking the right questions, incorporating transitional language into donor meetings, portfolio management strategies and tools to assist in the growing, and upgrading of portfolios and the discipline needed to be successful in this work.
Kathy Drucquer Duff’s unique experience across healthcare, higher education and nonprofit organizations allows her to assess the opportunities within each environment and provide trainings on a wide range of areas. KDD Philanthropy is one of the few consulting firms that regularly builds practical exercises, real-life scenarios and tailored role plays into trainings – allowing participants to take away practical, ready to implement tools for their work. We are proud to have partnered with KDD Philanthropy to bring this learning opportunity to nonprofits across a wide spectrum of focus areas to support them in reaching their fund development goals.
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