NGO Leadership Workshop in Warsaw
October 21 – 24, 2025
Build resilient leadership for a changing world
In partnership with the University of Michigan’s Weiser Center for Europe & Eurasia and the William Davidson Institute, we are pleased to announce the upcoming NGO Leadership Workshop in Warsaw, Poland.
Amid global uncertainty and the ongoing challenges facing civil society across Central and Eastern Europe and beyond, this workshop is part of our continued effort to empower NGO leaders from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Poland, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
The four-day workshop equips participants with tools to lead through complexity and uncertainty. Topics include values-based leadership, systems thinking, stakeholder analysis, innovation, and navigating political and economic change. The agenda also explores how to strengthen organizational culture, align teams around purpose, and lead with authenticity and resilience. Through a dynamic mix of interactive live sessions and e-learning, participants will engage deeply with peers across the region, building lasting connections and fresh perspectives.
Now in its 15th edition, the NGO Leadership Workshop offers access to a network of more than 350 alumni across the region. As a participant, you will join a dynamic community of peers who continue to support, collaborate, and learn from one another long after the workshop ends.
Exclusive tailor-made content and supplementary
e-learning module
Distinguished instructors
Certificate upon completion
Learning outcomes
By attending this workshop, participants will:
Strengthen their strategic decision-making capabilities in complex and uncertain environments
Learn how to lead organizational change while fostering a culture of innovation and impact
Gain a clear understanding of the international funding landscape and diverse partnership opportunities
Identify practical, mission-aligned strategies for engaging donors, corporate allies, and grassroots supporters
Explore innovative fundraising and income generation models to enhance financial sustainability
Share insights and experiences with peers to build a cross-border network of NGO leaders
More information
Participant selection
Participation in the workshop is by invitation only. This selective approach reflects our commitment to engaging organizations that are actively driving meaningful impact and are well-positioned to benefit from the program. By bringing together a thoughtfully curated group of leaders, we aim to create a focused, collaborative environment where participants can deepen existing partnerships, build new connections, and engage in shared learning rooted in common values and purpose.
Costs
Participants will receive the training at no charge. The organizers will cover participants' accommodation and meals and reimburse their travel expenses.
Program
outline
The four-day workshop is a blend of in-person sessions complemented by self-paced e-learning modules to provide a comprehensive learning experience. Participants will engage in interactive sessions led by seasoned instructors, crafted to foster meaningful connections. Beyond skill building, the workshop is an opportunity to forge new partnerships and collaborations, offering a unique platform for NGO leaders to network and explore synergies.
Sustainable leadership requires balance, so the workshop includes time to rest and recharge. These moments of renewal help participants return to their organizations feeling energized, inspired, and ready to put new ideas into action.
Program kickoff: Evening reception in Warsaw on Monday, October 20
Day 1
October 21
Adaptive Leadership: Navigating Change in NGO Management
Frank C. Schultz (University of California, Berkeley, USA)
Leading organizations in stable, predictable environments is relatively easy. Unfortunately, those environments are now extinct. This session will focus on the skills NGO Leaders need to effectively and efficiently lead their organizations when change is happening at so many levels – externally, internally and personally. It will examine the powerful, but relatively limited number of tools that NGO executives have at their disposal to adapt their organizations to the ever-present changes. In this session, participants will:
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Examine the seven available tools executives can use to bring about change and assess how they differ in their ease of use
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Personally discover which tool or tools you have relied upon in the past
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Consider alternative leadership approaches to mobilizing your organization toward its societal mission
Leaders develop habits and routines which reflect the way they prefer to lead. These approaches have made them and their organizations successful in the past. But as the world changes, it can be prudent to not only reassess our organizations, but also our own leadership preferences.
Day 2
October 22
Strategic Funding Mix Essentials: Rethinking NGO Sustainability
Mirella Panek-Owsiańska (Poland)
In today’s resource-scarce and high-stakes landscape, NGO leaders must cultivate a resilient and diversified funding base. This workshop offers
a deep dive into how civil society organizations can craft strategic approaches to funding that balance reliability, innovation,
and values-alignment. Drawing on Mirella Panek-Owsiańska’s extensive experience in CSR, fundraising, and cross-sector partnerships, participants will explore practical models, real-world examples, and actionable planning tools.
In this session, participants will:
● Map the international funding landscape, including top foundation opportunities and partnership models
● Identify effective, low-risk collaboration strategies with corporate allies
● Explore how to mobilize grassroots and diaspora support through digital tools
● Develop creative income strategies that align with legal frameworks and mission integrity
● Design your own 6-month funding diversification plan
A sustainable NGO future requires more than chasing grants. It calls for strategic clarity, innovative partnerships, and courageous leadership
in building financial models that reflect your mission. This workshop offers tools and insights to help you chart that course.
Day 3
October 23
Peer Leadership Lab: Scenario-Based Simulation
Facilitated by participants
This dynamic, participant-led session gives NGO leaders the opportunity to step into real-world decision-making scenarios and practice navigating organizational complexity under pressure. Drawing on the leadership and strategy frameworks explored earlier in the week, participants will work in teams to analyze a high-stakes NGO leadership challenge and present their strategic response to peers.
Scenarios may include:
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Managing a leadership transition
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Navigating political or reputational risk
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Weighing mission alignment against funding opportunities
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Resolving tensions between programs and capacity
Each team will:
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Receive their scenario in advance
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Collaborate to define their approach and assign roles
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Prepare a short presentation (10 minutes)
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Receive peer & instructor feedback and engage in Q&A (20 minutes)
This session fosters strategic thinking, leadership communication, and collaborative problem-solving—while deepening relationships across a diverse peer network.
The hands-on workshop with participants will be followed by a field trip.
Day 4
October 24
Using innovation to drive positive global impact
Tanya Popeau (UK)
In today’s global context, many organizations are struggling to generate fresh ideas, business models, and ways of working to address systemic challenges—from poverty and inequality to human rights and social cohesion.
Innovative approaches help organizations better understand risks and uncover opportunities. They offer a structured way to get to the root of complex problems and design creative, effective solutions, often delivering results more quickly and at lower cost than traditional methods.
In this session, participants will:
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Explore practical innovation techniques, skills, and tools that the public and private sector have used to tackle complex social and environmental challenges.
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Learn how innovation can support mission-driven work while also contributing to organizational growth and sustainability
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Walk through key stages of the innovation cycle: from identifying the challenge to designing, testing, and scaling impactful solutions
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Analyze real-world case studies of how organizations have successfully applied innovation in diverse global contexts
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Discuss common obstacles faced by organizations when implementing innovation and the lessons learned from overcoming them
Our instructors
...bring a blend of deep expertise and genuine passion to every session, fostering
a professional yet approachable environment that enriches and empowers our participants.
Frank C. Schultz
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Faculty Member and Distinguished Teaching Fellow
University of California, Berkeley
USA
Frank C. Schultz is a Faculty Member and Distinguished Teaching Fellow at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, and a Faculty Affiliate with the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan. He teaches courses on strategy and leadership and has served as Faculty Director of both the Center for Teaching Excellence and the International Business Development program at Berkeley.
Previously, he taught in the MBA program at the University of Michigan, where he also earned his MBA. Frank has taught in diverse global contexts including Japan, India, Saudi Arabia, China, Brazil, and across Europe.
Mirella Panek-Owsiańska
CSR/ESG and Fundraising Consultant
Poland
Mirella Panek-Owsiańska is a consultant and trainer specializing
in CSR/ESG, social communication, and fundraising. She has served
as president of the Responsible Business Forum and a board member
of CSR Europe, and she co-authored the Positive Impact Startups project.
Her diverse experience includes serving as press officer for Amnesty International in Poland and co-founding the Cosmos for Girls foundation.
Mirella supports NGOs in developing fundraising strategies, building partnerships, and designing income-generating initiatives. She is also an academic lecturer, mentor, and juror in communication and social responsibility competitions. Her work bridges the nonprofit, business, and public sectors.
Tanya Popeau
Innovation Expert and Director
Synthesis
United Kingdom
Tanya Popeau is the Director of Synthesis, an award-winning innovation and sustainability agency. She has worked globally with leading corporates, nonprofits, governments, and academic institutions to design breakthrough solutions to complex challenges. Her clients have included Unilever, the United Nations, Amazon, HSBC, and the UK government.
She previously advised the UN’s largest agency, leading innovation strategy across 15 Asia-Pacific countries and spearheading the region’s first innovation fund. Her work spans urban poverty, energy efficiency, social cohesion, and women’s economic empowerment.
A frequent guest lecturer, she has taught at UCL, Warwick Business School, the University of Chicago, and the University of Exeter, where she led the "Tackling Global Challenges" module. Tanya studied at Cambridge University and King’s College London, with a focus on sustainable innovation and emerging technologies.
Donors
... with their generous contributions and shared values
and insights, play a crucial role in enabling this program.
Organizers
...through their expertise and dedication, join us in shaping
a dynamic and impactful program, ensuring every detail reflects our collaborative commitment to excellence.
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