What's your nonprofits "what-if" plan?

Stephanie Cooper, LMSW

CEO | Board Governance Expert | Nonprofit Consultant | Fractional ED | Entrepreneur| Enhancing Missions. Transforming Communities

We all hope for smooth sailing, but the reality is, key people move on—from the board chair to a favorite program manager. The biggest risk isn't just who leaves, but what knowledge and leadership walk out the door with them.

Think of your nonprofit as a complex ecosystem. The health of one part affects the whole. A succession plan focused only on the CEO might address a major risk, but it leaves your other key functions vulnerable. What happens when:

➡️A senior program director retires? They hold decades of institutional knowledge and relationships with your community.

➡️A board member with deep financial expertise steps down? Who will guide your organization through budget season?

➡️A key volunteer leader moves away? They were the engine behind your most successful annual event.

A true succession plan is a proactive strategy to build a stronger, more resilient organization from the ground up. It’s about creating a system to capture and share vital knowledge, so your mission never loses momentum.

That's why effective succession planning isn't just for the top. It's about having a game plan for every critical role in your organization. This means building a pipeline of leaders at all levels and creating a system to capture and share vital knowledge.

A succession audit helps you get proactive. My team and I work with nonprofits to map out who does what and create a clear plan to prepare for any transition. It's about empowering your whole team to ensure your mission never loses momentum.

Ready to build a stronger, more resilient organization? Let's talk.