Strengthening the Nonprofit Sector – Leadership Transitions Program

Nonprofit leadership transitions are critically important and often challenging for boards to navigate. The decisions made at these junctures have substantial, lasting effects on organizations. Each year, CFHZ dedicates a portion of our Community’s Endowment funding towards resources and programs that maximize our collective capacity to serve the community well.

These efforts include support for the Leadership Transitions Program. Led and facilitated by Patrick Cisler, Executive Director of the Lakeshore Nonprofit Alliance, the Leadership Transitions Program assists nonprofit boards as they design and implement their recruitment process for an executive director.

“One of the things we consistently hear from executive directors, both new and experienced, is how difficult it is to jump into that role. It’s a unique position with multiple different stakeholders. The Leadership Transitions Program is designed to help nonprofit boards navigate changes in leadership in a way that promotes the long-term health of the organization and the stability of our nonprofit sector,” said Patrick.

The Leadership Transitions Program emerged after conversations with nonprofit partners and an assessment of the relative success or failure of past transitions in leadership. The program is available to nonprofits in the Holland/Zeeland area who meet a number of criteria including playing a significant role in one or more of the subsectors in which CFHZ invests – arts and culture, community and economic development, environment, education, health, human services, housing, seniors, and youth; having been in existence for at least ten years with five full time employees; and membership in the Lakeshore Nonprofit Alliance. Over the past five years, 12 organizations have engaged in the program.

“A phrase we kept hearing was, ‘We didn’t know what we didn’t know,’” said Patrick. “It’s important to acknowledge that nonprofit boards are volunteers – hardworking, talented, and successful in their fields. However, there are unique qualities to nonprofits, and leadership specifically, that board members just didn’t know about until they were faced with the challenge of filling that role.”

As he facilitates the Leadership Transition Program, Patrick provides expert knowledge and guidance to boards. Along with this support, CFHZ provides $4,000 in funding for each organization to invest in their transition process. “Those funds enable boards to create the best process instead of the most economical process,” said Patrick. “They have space to evaluate and identify their priorities.” Many nonprofits have used funding to hire an interim executive director. Often, that individual helps with key staff transitions and realignment prior to the organization selecting a permanent leader. Other participants have used the funding for skill and personality testing of potential candidates or executive coaching for the new leader.

When Disability Network Lakeshore (DNL) Board Chair, Amber Marcy, learned she would be leading their board through the search for a new executive director she acknowledges it was a bit overwhelming at first. Upon learning about the Leadership Transitions Program, Amber said, “It was such a relief to know that this was available. The support we got from Patrick was incredibly helpful.  It really helped us focus on exactly what strengths we needed and find that right person for the job.” In addition to bringing extra resources to the search phase of the transition, DNL also used some of the organizational funds CFHZ provides to invest in onboarding training and support for their new Executive Director, Amanda Rhines. “I am really excited about where Amanda is going to bring us,” said Amber. Her advice to other boards as they navigate a staff leadership transition: “I would say take a deep breath and really dive into all that the program has to offer.”

“For the most part, the folks we helped boards identify have stepped into those leadership roles and remained with the organization,” said Patrick. “I believe this program has shown its value in supporting the health of our nonprofit sector and, by extension, helping our community thrive.”

This article originally appeared in the CFHZ Spring 2021 Newsletter.