About

Life Update

I am pleased to announce that I was recently named the director of the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy at the Japanese American National Museum.

My Offerings

When I moved to Los Angeles in 1996, one of my goals was to look for volunteer opportunities.  I figured that it was a good way to learn about the city and meet people. Little did I know that working with nonprofits would become my life’s work.

Since then I’ve have had incredible opportunities to work for leaders in their fields. From Corporate Philanthropy/Social Responsibility/Citizenship to traditional foundation settings, my grantmaking experience has be concentrated in the areas of arts education, education, the environment, and social services.

Consulting for the Philanthropic Sector

• Grantmaking
• Strategic Planning
• Program Design and Development
• Meeting Facilitation
• Community Engagement
• Coaching for Leadership
• Executive and Management Search
• Extended Staffing
• Government Relations/Advocacy
• Grantmaking through a DEI Lens
• Ethical Storytelling

Consulting for the Nonprofit Sector

• Strategic Planning
• Board Development and Training
• Staff Development and Training
• Meeting Facilitation
• Fundraising Strategy and Culture
• Development and Fundraising
• Grantsmanship
• Application Reviews
• Coaching for Leadership
• Executive and Management Search
• Interim Management
• DEI Training and Facilitated Discussions
• Ethical Storytelling

Professional Experience

• Annenberg Foundation
• California Community Foundation
• The Boeing Company
• Film Independent
• Sony Pictures Entertainment

Client List

• Annenberg Foundation
• Roy & Patricia Disney Family Foundation
• Stuart Foundation
• CalHumanities
• Los Angeles Urban Philanthropy Network
• Visual Communications/The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival
• Los Angeles Maritime Institute
• EduCare Foundation
• GetLit-Words Ignite
• Global Eye Entrepreneurs
• East LA Community Corporation
• Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
• Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce
• Asian Americans Advancing Justice
• Center for Cultural Innovation
• Jewish Community Foundation
• Films by Youth Inside
• LURN/Inclusive Action for the City
• API Forward Movement
• Academia Avance Charter School
• The Libra Foundation
• Avance Academia
• Community Works Consulting
• County of Los Angeles, Center for Strategic Partnerships
• Southern California Grantmakers
• The Nonprofit Partnership
• Los Angeles County Probation Department/Ready to Rise
• California Community Foundation
• Mar Vista Family Center
• Meztli Arts/Meztli Projects
• Amazing Grace Conservatory
• Pasadena Arts Council
• Los Angeles County Arts Recovery Fund
• Educational Student Tours College Access Program
• Music Forward Foundation
• Healthy Valley Foundation

Leadership Development

• Southern California Leadership Network/Leadership Southern California
• Global Cooperative Society/Los Angeles/Korea Leadership Exchange and Visitation Program
• National Urban Fellows/America’s Leadership of Change

Community and Civic Engagement

• Southern California Leadership Network Board of Directors—Past Chair
• Human Relations Commissioner-City of Los Angeles (appointed)
• Liberty Hill Foundation—Board of Directors, Finance Committee, Fundraising Committee
• Visual Communications—Board of Directors
• East West Players—Board of Directors
• Film Independent—Advisory Board Project:Involve Diversity Initiative
• Visual Communications—Programmer Los Angeles Asia Pacific Film Festival
• Los Angeles Unified School District Bond Oversight Committee (appointed)
• Co-chair of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce Education and Workforce Development Committee
• CaliforniaVolunteers Business Partner Council
• Los Angeles Corporate Volunteer Council—Core Committee Member
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles and the Inland Empire—Big Brother
• Habitat for Humanity Los Angeles—Board of Directors
• Para Los Niños—Co-Chair of the Los Amigos Council
• Entertainment Industry Foundation Grant Allocations Committee and Industry Volunteer Council
• Liberty Hill Foundation—Fund for a New Los Angeles Grant Review Committee
• California Humanities Community Stories Grant Review Panel
• Los Angeles County Arts Commission Arts for All Pooled Fund Member

AWARDS

• 2011 Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year
• “Partner of the Year Award”—Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles
• “Corporate Partner of the Year Award”—Exceptional Children’s Foundation
• “Outstanding Volunteer Organization”—Association of Fundraising Professionals
• “Service Above Self”—Stuart Ketchum Downtown YMCA

PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

• Herr, James E., Hass, Carol A., Samala, Roselma, and Miao, Jean. (August 2020). “New Challenges, Greater Callings: Exploring the Needs of Philanthropy in Time of Change.” Community Works Consulting
• Herr, James E. (lead), Hass, Carol A., Samala, Roselma, and Miao, Jean. (August 2020).“New Challenges, Greater Callings: Exploring the Needs of Philanthropy in Time of Change—The Individual Donor Sector Addendum.” Community Works Consulting
• Callow, E. Herr, J., Ito, L. (Winter 2016). “Building Equity in the Arts: From Financial Equity to Access Equity.” Grantmakers in the Arts GIA Reader, Vol. 27 (No.1), 20-23.
• Presenter: “Building Equity in the Arts,” Conference Session, Grantmakers in the Arts, October 2015.
• Presenter: “SoCal’s Industry Engagement in STEAM,” U.S. News STEM Solutions, June 2015.
• Presenter: “Grantmakers Panel” STEAM Connect Conference, March 2015
• Presenter: “Board Leadership Panel” Riordan Leadership Institute, November 2016
• Presenter: LEAD INNOVATE—B-STEM Project, CBS Diversity and Inclusion, December 2016
• Presenter: “Strategic Framework for Funding in the Arts,” Southern California Grantmakers Annual Conference 2019
• Panelist: “Accessible DEI: The Importance of including Disability in Philanthropy” Change Philanthropy Annual Conference, 2019

James E. Herr  (Jim)

11237 Garfield Avenue

Culver City, CA 91105

(310) 283-1107

Jim@JamesEHerr.com

@JEHConsulting (Twitter and Instagram)