If Frances Sheehan had to claim a superpower, it would be turning around nonprofits on the edge of failure and building nonprofits from scratch. She has done each twice. The first two nonprofit leadership jobs Sheehan took on, one in 1985 and the second in 1990, were both turnaround jobs in which she took failing nonprofits with major financial issues to stability and growth.
After 15 years leading the Brandywine Health Foundation, where she directed efforts that raised and distributed over $15 million to safety net health providers and youth agencies, she became the founding President and CEO of the Foundation for Delaware County.
The Foundation for Delaware County is a community foundation serving all of Delaware County with a mission to ensure an equitable, vibrant future for Delaware County by promoting generosity, inspiring participation and partnership across its communities, and improving the quality of life for all. The Foundation’s community programs help to improve birth outcomes, maternal and child health and the overall well-being of families serviced.
Since the foundation’s founding, its asset size has grown from $55 million to $75+ million via fund development, fundraising and strong fiscal management. In addition, Sheehan launched the nonprofit services of the foundation which has grown from giving $330,000 in grants in 2018 to $2+ million each year. She was also instrumental in building and managing the COVID-19 Delco Response Fund, the 2020 Delco Census Fund, the Foundation’s Center for Nonprofit Excellence, the new Housing Opportunies Program for Equity (HOPE), and supported the county’s efforts to develop a health department.
Sheehan’s efforts have landed her both the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce and Chester County Chamber of Commerce of Business and Industry’s citizen of the year award, the Main Line Chamber’s gold leaf award, the Philadelphia Business Journal’s women of distinction award, and recognition as the March of Dimes woman of achievement in the field of health.
As a leader, Sheehan said she relies on ambition, drive and resilience in the face of failure. She also embraces respect for everyone, regardless of their place in an organization or community. “Be sure to thank everyone – you can never thank people enough,” she said. “It sounds very simple, but it’s not. It takes treating everyone respectfully, appreciating their contributions to the interaction, and thanking those who help you along the way because it’s a small world, and you never know when you will come into contact again.”
