Give to our matching grant, supporting the Leadership Bend, NEXTUp Leaders and Bend Emerging Talent programs - and double your impact. Thanks to the Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund, every contribution will be matched, up to $10,000. 

These funds will keep program tuition within reach, provide scholarships as needed and build greater program capacity.

Thank you for "paying it forward" by investing in the next generation of leaders, preparing them to meet the challenges and opportunities of a fast-growing Central Oregon!

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About Our Work:

BendNEXT Foundation (the Foundation) empowers our community through holistic workforce development and retention, leadership cultivation, and building strategic partnerships to address the region's most pressing challenges.

Originally founded as the Leadership Bend Foundation more than 30 years ago, the Foundation serves as the community investment arm of the Bend Chamber and delivers essential programs that bolster economic and community vitality.

As the charitable arm of the Bend Chamber of Commerce, BendNEXT serves as a unique nexus between business, nonprofit, and civic sectors, preparing early- and mid-career professionals for leadership roles, empowering young talent, and fostering inclusive workplace cultures to build an informed and connected community.

Key Programs, Initiatives and Outcomes:

• Leadership Bend and the Leadership Bend Alumni Association: A flagship 10-month civic leadership program (running for 32 years) with over 700 alumni now serving Central Oregon and other areas as elected officials, nonprofit directors, board members, and business leaders. Each year, 30 professionals engage in deep civic education and examine the challenges this rapidly growing community faces. They are equipped with the skills and experience to engage productively in difficult conversations and to view our community through an expansive lens.
• Bend Emerging Talent (Bend ET): A career development and networking program engaging emerging leaders (ages 21–40) through monthly skill-building workshops, mentorship events, intentional social opportunities and an annual Keynote Summit. In 2024 alone, total attendees at Bend ET programs exceeded 700; follow-up surveys and conversations demonstrate that participants felt program impact, gained confidence in their career path and a developed a stronger commitment to building their futures in Central Oregon. This pipeline is helping the region retain talented young professionals who might otherwise leave in search of opportunity.
• Bend 101: An orientation program for newcomers to the Bend area, offering participants an introduction to the community’s history, key challenges, and avenues for civic engagement. By helping hundreds of new residents find their path to belonging and service, Bend 101 strengthens community cohesion and volunteerism in our rapidly growing city.
• NEXTUp Leaders: A leadership accelerator for rising professionals in various industries. The majority of participants have earned promotions, salary raises or new responsibilities within 12 months of completing the program, demonstrating how BendNEXT directly fosters career advancement and leadership capacity within local organizations. This has also proven a valuable retention tool for local employers.
• Strategic Initiatives: The Foundation BendNEXT also spearheads broad and impactful initiatives based on community-need, such as a multi-year workforce housing initiative and revolving loan fund, collaborative work to increase the availability and affordability of childcare, and taking part in community efforts to address workforce challenges.

These programs collectively serve over 1,000 individuals annually and directly strengthen our region’s talent pipeline, employee retention, and civic infrastructure. They also yield tangible community solutions: for example, a recent Leadership Bend class developed a “How-To Guide for Building an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)” to help address workforce housing shortages, a resource distributed to thousands of residents. This illustrates how BendNEXT turns leadership training into on-the-ground impact for pressing local issues. Our holistic approach from empowering individual leaders to convening task forces on housing and childcare has made BendNEXT an important catalyst in addressing Central Oregon’s economic and social challenges.