This new online workshop focuses on best practice in nonprofit succession planning. A scary statistic from US charity research indicates that the average time a new CEO of a nonprofit lasts after taking over from its founder or a previous long-term leader is 18 months. The reasons for this can be complex, but planning for the succession in your leadership is a key moment of risk – but also of opportunity – for nonprofit organisations. Getting it right is the responsibility of both the existing leadership and your board of trustees – but it is a key management and governance challenge for which there is often no plan until the last minute. As a result, bigger challenges can arise.

The session is for nonprofits leaders provides an opportunity to share your perspectives and learn from others and a space to start thinking about how to make a proper plan for a smooth succession in your organisation. Based partly on our own experience where it has gone right (and sometimes gone wrong) and best practice and useful tips from others, it will explore the ways to get your succession planning right and the common pitfalls to avoid.

You will learn

* an ideal timeline for putting in place a succession plan

* what the key decisions need to be taken to shape a plan

* who needs to be involved in it and how to take these decisions

* how to preserve the core of the organisation whilst opening it up to the potential of change with new leadership

* how to ensure a smooth handover period

We will provide some useful resources that will help you to think through and shape your succession plan.

“This was one of the best workshops I have been on. It really opened my eyes to what the board (and not just me) need to do to get this right. It gave me the permission to have discussions about how we take a lead on this together. I have also suggested that the Chair of our Board attends a future workshop.”

Charity Founder & CEO on Succession Planning for Nonprofits Pilot Workshop in Summer 2023