Membership decline rarely announces itself as a crisis. It shows up gradually—just enough to raise concern, not enough to force immediate change. In one membership organization, the numbers had begun to shift in exactly this way. Participation was down, but more notably, it was inconsistent. Engagement varied widely. The definition of what it meant to “be a member” was no longer shared across the field. At the same time, the field itself was becoming more fragmented. Practice

I've spent much of my career working alongside nonprofit boards, from nearly every possible vantage point. I've reported to boards as an executive director, served as a board member, facilitated retreats, trained governance committees, advised organizations through strategic planning, and stepped into situations where board dysfunction had become a full-blown organizational crisis. And, if I'm being completely transparent, I've also sat through my share of board meetings wond

I have been thinking a lot about CEO burnout lately, not as a passing complaint about being tired or needing a vacation, but as something much more structural. The kind of burnout I am talking about changes the way leaders move through the world. Every email starts to feel loaded. Every board question sounds like criticism. Every staff concern feels like one more thing being tossed into an already overflowing bag. Leaders who are still showing up, still answering questions, s

There’s a mindset sitting under a lot of fundraising that no one names: The idea that we’re asking people to do us a favor. That giving is generosity. That donors are helping us out. That we should be grateful someone said yes. That’s charity mentality. And it’s quietly breaking your fundraising. The Thread Is Thinner Than You Think Think about a quilt. Programs are the fabric. Strategy is the pattern. Fundraising is the thread that holds it all together. When fundraising is

Nonprofits do this all the time. “We need a lawyer.” “We need a CPA.” “We need a fundraiser.” “We need somebody important.” Bless. What you need is not a job title. What you need is a good board member. Those are two very different things. Yes, lawyers can make excellent board members. So can accountants, doctors, bankers, marketers, fundraisers, and business owners. But a profession does not make somebody ready to govern. And a fancy résumé does not make somebody useful in a

You didn’t expect this decision to feel so heavy. You’ve been here long enough to care deeply—about the mission, the staff, the board, the community—but not so long that the organization can’t imagine life without you. And still, the guilt is real. You worry about: leaving the board in a bind staff absorbing uncertainty they didn’t ask for the chaos that might follow Even though you know this move is right for you and your career. Let’s say this clearly: Choosing your next c

You’ve said it casually. “I’m not going to do this forever.” “Someday I’ll slow down.” You’ve tested the words without committing to them. Because the truth is—you’re not afraid of what comes after this role. You’re afraid of what happens to the organization without you . You built this. You protected it. You stayed when it was fragile, underfunded, misunderstood. And walking away feels less like a career move and more like letting go of something you love. The fear beneath

You didn’t campaign for this moment. You became board chair of a strong nonprofit—established, respected, stable. Programs are solid. Funders are happy. Staff trust leadership. You’ve been stewarding, not firefighting. And then your executive director—maybe the founder—tells you she plans to retire. No drama. No crisis. Just a quiet conversation that instantly changes everything. Here’s the hard truth most board chairs aren’t prepared for: This is the single most consequentia