WILMINGTON – Sheila Bravo, who has led DANA, the Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement, for more than a decade, has announced that she will leave the organization later this spring.
Bravo announced that she is leaving to pursue new opportunities, but leaving the alliance was a difficult decision after years of growth and expansion in both size and scope of DANA’s mission.
“I feel very proud of the contributions DANA has made during the last 10 years. We have been able to advance and support Delaware nonprofits, their leaders and boards, helping to amplify their impact on the communities they serve,” Bravo said. “As we celebrate our 40th anniversary, it’s important to note that DANA has evolved through the years, and I know that with new leadership will come new opportunities to advance Delaware’s nonprofit sector.”
“When I came to DANA, it had been reinvented as an alliance, focused on building nonprofit leadership and board capacity across Delaware. Together, we have built a community where nonprofit members learn from each other and find partnerships to collaborate.”
Bravo joined DANA in September 2015 as president and CEO. During her tenure, DANA’s membership has grown, it has expanded its service offerings, and it has actively pursued a successful public policy agenda to improve the climate for Delaware nonprofits.
Under her leadership, DANA expanded its nonprofit consulting services, providing strategic planning, board development, fundraising, financial management, and public policy strategy guidance. DANA launched its Nonprofit Accelerator, a three-year program that provides participating nonprofits with organizational support, technical assistance, coaching and consulting, and expanded members benefits such as Board Connections, which allows members the opportunity to submit their open board positions to be matched with board-trained individuals from the corporate world and from the community that nonprofits serve. DANA continues to innovate and grow, recently introducing new member benefits to assist nonprofits.
During this time, DANA also deepened its partnership with philanthropy. This served Delaware nonprofits well during the COVID-19 pandemic, as DANA – in partnership with the Delaware Community Foundation, United Way of Delaware, and Philanthropy Delaware – responded quickly to provide nonprofit resources and funding.
To expand its advocacy impact, DANA launched an affiliated 501(c)(4) organization, Delaware Nonprofit Action Network, which has allowed DANA to engage with elected officials in a different capacity.
“All of these accomplishments were a team effort, with dedicated, innovative staff, engaged board members, and valued partner organizations that have made significant contributions to the nonprofit sector,” Bravo said.
“The DANA board is sad to see Sheila leave, but we strongly support her in her next chapter,” said DANA Board Chair Kathleen Hawkins. “Her passion for the nonprofit sector was never more evident than during COVID when she and the entire DANA team worked substantial hours helping nonprofits apply for and receive the funding they needed to stay in business.
“During the past 10 years, Sheila has grown DANA’s services from providing education and consulting to nonprofits, to significantly expanding the advocacy role DANA plays. Although she is embarking on a new journey, Sheila will continue to be active with DANA and in the Delaware nonprofit sector. She will serve in a consulting role to assist DANA as we work through this transition.
“The leadership team at DANA is quite strong and the board has no doubt that the team will continue to deliver excellent service for the nonprofit sector as we work through the transition to a new CEO.”
Bravo will officially step down in mid-April, but DANA’s board of directors has been working for the past several months to establish the process to identify and hire a successor and develop plans to ensure a smooth leadership transition.
Hawkins said the board has hired Lambert & Associates, an executive search firm, to conduct a national search. The job description has been posted, and applications are being accepted by Lambert & Associates. Inquiries, nominations and applications for the position should be directed to Cathy McGeever, Managing Partner, at 610-924-9100 or [email protected].
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