Social Innovation Forum
Note: This message was sent out to the SIF community on Wednesday May 10, 2023.
As we approach the end of spring, I will be completing my 18th year leading the Social Innovation Forum (SIF). It has been an incredible journey for both the organization and me. When I joined SIF as the first staff member and director in the spring of 2005, the landscape of social change was vastly different from what it is today. Over these years, SIF has experienced significant growth and change, and I have decided it is time for me to step down by the end of this calendar year.
SIF has evolved tremendously during my tenure, and I am proud of the strong team and board, and the programs we have built together. I have cherished working with a dynamic community of change makers, fostering trust, shifting power, and being at the forefront of complex social change work. Collaborating with staff, board members, community leaders, and funders has enriched my knowledge and allowed me to steer SIF to become a trusted partner in our community. I have gained immeasurably from these experiences and the deep connections I have forged with so many of you.
My 2022 sabbatical confirmed that SIF has developed strong leadership and is ready to flourish in new ways. I am committed to ensuring a smooth handover to my successor and supporting the Board and staff in their transition and search process. I will continue to lead SIF throughout 2023 and plan to remain active in the social change arena after I leave SIF, focusing on project-based work and seeking new opportunities to contribute toward building inclusive communities.
I am immensely proud of our collective accomplishments and excited for the future of SIF. We have recently launched the Social Innovator Fund, expanded our reach through our Alumni/Nonprofit Network, and are preparing to revitalize our 20-year-old Accelerator program in the upcoming year.
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to each of you for believing in SIF and the potential for building transparency and collaboration in the local philanthropic arena. It’s a work in progress. Thank you for doing your part.
Warm regards,
Susan Musinsky
Executive Director