Founder transitions are different from every other leadership transition. They require boards to distinguish loyalty to a founder from responsibility for the organization’s future.

Leadership transitions offer nonprofit boards an opportunity to reflect on how their organization has evolved and what leadership it needs for the next chapter.

Executive Directors carry enormous responsibility. They oversee staff, manage programs, cultivate donors, steward the organization’s reputation, and translate the board’s vision into day-to-day action. But one relationship shapes their ability to succeed more than any other: the relationship with the board. When that partnership is clear, organizations thrive. When expectations are unclear, even talented leaders can struggle. Nonprofit governance often focuses on the responsi