The Civic Bench™

Powered by DiverseForce

Building The Civic Leadership Infrastructure and Engine for Inclusive, Innovative, and Impact-Driven Board Governance Across the Public and Private Nonprofit Sector.

Build The Civic Bench. Strengthen Our Democracy and Shape Our Future.

The Opportunity

The Philadelphia nonprofit sector has an annual spending power of approximately $50 billion (over 1/3rd of Philadelphia GDP.) This substantial financial resource presents a unique opportunity for strategic governance to maximize community investment and impact.

Inclusive, innovative, and impactful governance across both public and private nonprofit sectors is key to unlocking and directing this collective spending power.


DiverseForce on Boards Fellowship

6-month hybrid learning program

Virtual and in-person components

Cohort-based experience

With coaching, board matching, and practical tools

Professional development

Trains mid-to-senior-level professionals for strategic nonprofit board leadership

Since 2017

375+

Alumni Trained

325+

Nonprofit Board Seats Filled

35%

Promoted to the Exec Committee in 2yrs or less


The Two-Part Program Model

Step 1: DiverseForce on Boards (DFOB)

  • 6-month leadership and board governance program

Step 2: The Civic Bench™ Accelerator

  • 1-day leadership bootcamp focused on public board readiness

Together: A powerful pipeline for nonprofit and public governance that reflects and serves our communities

The Civic Bench™ Accelerator

1-day retreat-style bootcamp hosted at the P4 Hub in Philadelphia — the birthplace of democracy

Governance Excellence & Strategic Oversight

AI and Innovation in the Public Sector

Civic Power & Public Voice Panel

Lunch & Reflection with a Call to Action

Designed to prepare leaders for public boards, commissions, and advisory bodies

Why This Matters

Public trust in institutions is declining — governance must be more inclusive and innovative

Philadelphia alone has 75+ boards and commissions with an estimate of over 675 seats — many remain unfilled or underleveraged

There is no shortage of talent — only a shortage of pathways

DiverseForce delivers a proven model with measurable results

Deliverable — The Civic Bench™ Slate

After the bootcamp, DiverseForce delivers:

1

A vetted, curated slate of appointment-ready leaders

2

Including bios, interest areas, and governance resumes

3

Provided to elected officials to accelerate inclusive appointments

4

Support includes onboarding, coaching, and impact tracking

The P4 Partnership Model

Public-Private-Philanthropic Partnership (P4):

Funds the DFOB Fellowship ($5,000 per participant)

Funds The Civic Bench™ Accelerator and matching support ($3,500 per participant)

DiverseForce designs and delivers the full leadership pipeline and civic readiness model.

Return on Investment

A one-time $8,500 investment in a board leader can influence the stewardship of over an average of $2 million in annual organizational budgets — year after year, for as long as they serve. At an average of 6 years of service, that's $12M.

That is less than one-tenth of 1% of the dollars they’ll oversee on each board.

Additional value includes...

1

Increased transparency, trust, and innovation in public governance

2

Faster, more informed, and more representative appointments

3

A growing bench of civic-minded, cross-sector leaders

4

A legacy of inclusive leadership that reflects your values and district

The Civic Bench Accelerator™

Powered by DiverseForce at the P4 Hub – Philadelphia, PA

Purpose of the Bootcamp

Inclusive governance

Strategic oversight

Civic leadership

AI and innovation fluency


This experience culminates in the development of a appointment-ready candidates, which DiverseForce presents to elected officials on-demand for consideration and appointment.

Call to Action

Contribute to the budget for 50 leaders in Southeastern PA Counties (Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, and Delaware Counties) per year at $8,500 each ($5,000 for Core Program + $3,500 for The Civic Bench). A total of $425k per year as a pilot for targeted PA Expansion

"We're not asking public officials to build the bench — we're asking them to invest in it."

The Civic Bench™ Accelerator: Full-Day Agenda

Total Duration: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM

9:00 AM – 9:30 AM: Light Breakfast & Networking

Continental breakfast served

Informal networking and cohort introductions

9:30 AM – 9:45 AM: Welcome & Opening Remarks

Presented by: DiverseForce Leadership

Welcome and agenda overview

Frame the Civic Bench™ as a civic infrastructure investment

12:15 PM – 1:15 PM: Working Lunch & Reflections

Engage in table discussions on civic leadership aspirations and complete commitment cards for public service. Includes cohort photo and informal networking.

1:15 PM – 1:30 PM: Break

The Civic Bench™ Accelerator: Full-Day Agenda (Continued)

Total Duration: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM

1:30 PM – 3:00 PM: Session 2: AI, Innovation & the Future of Governance

Explore DiverseForce’s 4 Pillars of AI Governance, AI’s role in oversight and transparency, and participate in breakout sessions on responsible AI strategy.

3:00 PM – 3:15 PM: Break

3:15 PM – 4:00 PM: Panel: A Conversation with Civic Leaders

Hear from public board members and elected officials on authentic leadership, political navigation, and building trust. Includes audience Q&A.

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM: Wine & Dining Etiquette for Civic Leaders

Learn fine dining protocol, wine pairing insights, and practice conversation skills from a professional etiquette coach or sommelier.

5:00 PM – 6:30 PM: Dinner & Networking

Enjoy a seated dinner with curated networking, with table assignments based on civic interests and regions for deeper connections.

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