Did you know that only 27% of nonprofits have a succession plan in place? Whether a transition occurs due to an unexpected vacancy on the staff or board, or the anticipated transition of a long-tenured leader, being deliberative and thoughtful, and having a plan in place, can help a nonprofit weather the inevitable challenges of leadership transition. At Catalyst Consulting Services, we help prepare nonprofits for emergency and planned executive transitions. As your organization considers your plan, we would like to share some readiness questions you can discuss with your board and leadership team to ensure a thoughtful exit and successful transition for the individuals you serve and donors. Call us today at 813.839.2282 or reach out to us at catalystcs.org if we can help you with this important organizational transition.
- Is your organization in a position to implement a succession plan that was previously adopted and approved?
- If your executive is suddenly unable to serve or retires, have you identified candidates for the job?
- Does everyone within the organization know who will be the acting executive until the board can meet and appoint someone officially?
- Would your organization be able to sustain a decline in income or fundraising activities without the executive?
- Do board and staff work with the executive to maintain relationships with funders
- Do funders trust that the organization can succeed without the current executive
- Does the board have the right mix of talent to effectively hire a new executive for your organization?
- Will the organization lose institutional knowledge and contacts if your executive were to suddenly leave?
- What skills need to be replicated in the new executive versus those that could be developed among staff or board members?
- Does your current executive understand and possess the skills and expertise necessary to lead your organization in today’s resource constrained-world?
- Are there other positions besides the executive that would leave the organization vulnerable should they depart?
Call us today at 813.839.2282 or reach out to us at www.catalystcs.org if we can help you with this important organizational transition.