USD's The Nonprofit Institute Celebrates Good Governance in San Diego

Two Nonprofits Awarded the Prestigious Kaleidoscope Award for Good Governance - North County Lifeline and the San Diego Museum of Man

Each year, The Nonprofit Institute at the University of San Diego showcases what strong nonprofit governance looks like through the USD Kaleidoscope Award for Good Governance. The purpose of the award is to recognize, celebrate and promote good governance across the San Diego region's nonprofit sector. This year’s Kaleidoscope awards, presented at opening reception for the 14^th Annual Nonprofit Governance Symposium on January 25th, go to the boards of North County Lifeline and the San Diego Museum of Man.

The name for the award – Kaleidoscope – reflects the idea that nonprofit governance is both intricate and multifaceted, best viewed through three lenses: fiduciary, strategic and generative. Dr. Emily Young, Executive Director of The Nonprofit Institute, states that, “good boards are dedicated volunteers who understand which lens to apply at any given time, to provide leadership that enhances an organization’s ability to fulfill its mission.”

North County Lifeline and the San Diego Museum of Man will share their stories of how good board governance has propelled their organizations to higher performance and impact in fulfilling their missions.

In the case of North County Lifeline, Board Chair Mary Urelius-Daum noted: “We are now in a much better position to secure resources and enact effective programs to build self-reliance among youth, individuals and families through problem solving, skill-building and accessible community-based services.”  

With the San Diego Museum of Man, Board Chair George Ramirez commented: “The San Diego Museum of Man has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past several years, largely by putting governance at the front and center of our efforts, rather than as an afterthought. This has led to key institutional initiatives such as World Peace Starts at Home and Decolonization, which are not only radically redefining our day-to-day work, but also enabling us to more effectively deliver on our mission.“

The Kaleidoscope award is part of the larger Annual Nonprofit Governance Symposium, a three-day event from January 25-57 at the University of San Diego, dedicated to highlighting current best practices, lessons learned from the field, and trends in effective nonprofit and philanthropic board leadership, as well as board recruitment and retention. This year, the Symposium’s overarching theme is People, Place and Performance: The Triple Bottom Line for Nonprofit Governance. 

For more information regarding the Kaleidoscope Award and the Annual Governance Symposium, please visit here. The Nonprofit Institute staff team and researchers are available to respond to additional inquiries and provide consulting support as requested. 

About the University of San Diego

Strengthened by the Catholic intellectual tradition, we confront humanity’s challenges by fostering peace, working for justice and leading with love. With more than 8,000 students from 75 countries and 44 states, USD is among the Top 20 Best Private Schools for Making an Impact according to The Princeton Review. USD’s eight academic divisions include the College of Arts and Sciences, the Knauss School of Business, the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, the School of Law, the School of Leadership and Education Sciences, the Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science, the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, and the Division of Professional and Continuing Education. In 2021, USD was named a “Laudato Si’ University” by the Vatican with a seven-year commitment to address humanity’s urgent challenges by working together to take care of our common home.