Nonprofit leaders are carrying a heavy load. The last few years have brought a global pandemic, economic turbulence, societal polarization and increasingly poor health outcomes across our state. In a time where chaos is the new normal, worries about burnout – and its effect on an organization’s mission – are increasing, with 95 percent of nonprofit leaders in a recent survey citing burnout as a concern. The workload can take a serious toll on the personal health and wellness of the people who work at mission-driven organizations.
That’s why Cal Wellness is introducing Be Well, Lead Well, a new sabbatical award program that is designed to create space for senior leaders (members of leadership teams) at health equity nonprofits to partake in restorative rest while ensuring their team maintains high performance and operational standards. Strong, effective, creative leaders are rested leaders. The sabbatical aims to inspire funders and nonprofits to make rest and recovery a common practice.
This program is one part of our Wellness Together campaign, which builds resilience for mission-driven organizations by sharing resources for rest and recovery. The Be Well, Lead Well component has been designed in collaboration with partners who bring valuable nonprofit leadership experience, ensuring that this program is responsive, inclusive, and effectively supports the well-being and development of leaders and their organizations. The sabbatical is flexible so that the recipients can take the rest that is most meaningful to them.
We will award up to eight $60,000 grants to nonprofit organizations based in California that advance health equity and wellness in historically underserved communities. Grant funding must center the leader; the organization must use at least $45,000 of the award to pay for the leader’s salaries and expenses during the sabbatical period. The remaining funds (up to $15,000) are to go toward professional development for staff and interim leadership. Only one application per organization will be considered.
The application will be available on Monday, April 28, 2025. All applications must be received by June 20, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. Recipients of the 2025 Be Well, Lead Well Sabbatical Program Award will be notified by September 2025.
Key Eligibility Requirements
- Senior leader
- Be a current member of the organization’s leadership team (including, but not limited to the executive director), having served in a senior-level position for 5 years in the nonprofit sector. A senior position is one with significant responsibility for the strategic direction, operations or programmatic vision of the organization. For more on this definition, visit the Frequently Asked Questions section.
- Be full-time at the applicant organization.
- Be committed to staying at the organization for at least the next two to three years.
- Be willing to participate in the debrief and share reflections from the sabbatical following completion.
- Organization
- Be a nonprofit health organization exempt under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3).
- Be based in California.
- Address the particular community health needs of historically underserved populations, such as low-income individuals, people of color, youth, and residents of rural areas (with a preference given to organizations with long-standing track record of serving these communities).
- Be able to sustain regular operations during the candidate’s absence.
Additional Criteria for a Successful Application
Successful applicants will demonstrate:
- A priority for using the sabbatical as an opportunity for rest and rejuvenation.
- A thoughtful plan for how the sabbatical will be utilized, including a strong interim management plan for the organization.
- A clear structure of how funds will be allocated, clearly centering the leader’s sabbatical
- Enthusiastic support from the organization’s board and favorable agreement from staff
- A long-standing commitment to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion, and serving historically underserved communities, with a verifiable track record of impact
Required Documents for the Application
- Sabbatical program award narrative (up to four pages)
- Budget form
- Budget narrative
- Annual report or description of the organization (up to two pages)
- List of board of directors
- Candidate’s resume that covers, at a minimum, the last 10 years
- Organizational chart
- Letter of support from your executive director (this is only required if applicant is not the executive director).
Timeline
- The application opens Monday, April 28, 2025 and closes June 20, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.
- After applications are reviewed, finalists will be contacted for an interview by August 2025.
- Recipients of the Be Well, Lead Well Sabbatical will be notified by September 2025.
Where to Apply
Contact
If you have questions that are not addressed here, please email BeWellSabbatical(at)calwellness.org.