Constellation Energy Leadership Development Program Supports 10 Local Nonprofits

Over the last six months, twenty-one Constellation Leadership Development participants supported ten local nonprofits, providing volunteer consulting on projects ranging from financial modeling and projections to developing decision support processes.   This initiative, the result of a partnership between Business Volunteers Unlimited and Constellation’s internal Leadership Development Program, was unique in supporting a cross-section of nonprofits with multiple teams from a single company.   The Constellation teams donated 760 hours to local nonprofit partners, at an estimated value of over $90,000.  Each team learned about their selected nonprofit’s mission, the challenges currently faced by the organization and how they could be of support.  Through the course of six months the volunteers worked with their specific partners to present solutions as they related to the organizations’ greatest needs.  Local nonprofit organizations supported by this initiative included:

• Rebuilding Together Baltimore
• Family and Children’s Services
• Civic Works
• Big Brothers Big Sisters
• Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake
• CollegeBound Foundation
• Baltimore Green Works
• Blue Water Baltimore
• Fuel Fund of Maryland
• Maryland Business Roundtable for Education

Constellation Leadership Development participants supported these organizations using a range of professional skills to complete their team service projects. Volunteers were able to develop cost-benefit models, refine strategic plans, develop marketing plans, identify strategies for program evaluation and create metrics tracking systems for their partner organizations.

Although each of these partnerships were designed to support a local nonprofit that would not otherwise have the expertise or available staff to address these organizational concerns, Constellation Leadership Development participants were able to take a great deal from the experience as well.  Engaging with the organization leaders provided the volunteers with a unique opportunity to gain leadership experience and develop professionally.  They were able to practice their professional skills as they worked through challenges, such as thinking through business processes from end-to-end and analyzing how various teams work together, many of which were relevant to their work and experience at Constellation Energy.

On May 19th, 2011, participants from all volunteer-nonprofit teams gathered to celebrate the success of their projects and share their results.  Bob Gauch, Vice President and Chief Credit Officer and executive sponsor for this event, congratulated the group for their success, “You stepped up, persisted, and demonstrated the commitment we have as a company to our local community.” Finding the opportunity as valuable for Constellation’s employees as it was for the partner organizations, Gauch said proudly, “Thank you for the work you’ve accomplished and the relationships you’ve built.  We are very proud of your efforts.”

‹ back to news index