Neil D. Steinberg | Rhode Island Foundation CEO and president
Leadership is not an executive title. Leaders do not have to be anointed, trained or raised for the position. Leaders are people who stand up, step up, listen up and speak up. At the Rhode Island Foundation, we know that each and every Rhode Islander can lead in their own way and we are committed to using our position as a civic leader, to inspire and encourage individual civic leadership.
As the state’s largest funder of nonprofit organizations, we’ve made civic leadership a linchpin of our strategy. Using convening and engagement tools that go beyond grantmaking, we are able to have significant impact on issues that are critical for our state today and tomorrow. That includes improving our public-education system, the state’s economy and the health of all who call Rhode Island home. It also means that we step in to advocate for important civic activities, including participating in the upcoming 2020 census.
We encourage all Rhode Islanders to lead in their own way. Be empathetic, informed on the issues, listen and speak civilly with others, debate respectfully and do not follow blindly. Vocally raise issues and expound on your individual beliefs or set a quieter example. Lead the charge or stand side by side with many.
The best leaders have the courage to do the right thing even when it is not easy, and even if it means defending unpopular choices. They are honest brokers, passionate relationship builders and focused advocates. They are Rhode Islanders, like you.
