Resources

📖 Understanding the Emotional Realities of Social Sector Leadership Transitions
A new report from the Leadership Transition Community and our lessons to date- available here.

📖 FLY Leadership Transition Case Study
A three-part series from Bridgespan documenting Christa and FLY’s leadership transition:

• Part One

• Part Two

• Part Three

Guides

📁 Nonprofit CEO Transitions Resource Center
A robust toolkit from Bridgespan offering guidance for executive transitions.
→ Explore the resource center

🔄 Navigating Intergenerational & Racial Dynamics
From the Building Movement Project, a resource on transitions across generations and identities.
→ Read more

📄 Exit Agreements: A Nonprofit CEO Guide
A guide from Nonprofit Quarterly offering legal and practical advice for board and executive leaders planning a CEO’s exit.
→ Read the guide

🚪 The Ideal Exit of the Nonprofit Executive
An overview from BoardEffect on how to plan and support a successful and thoughtful executive departure.
→ Read the article

Stanford Social Innovation Review Resources

📚 Founder Transitions Series
A curated collection from Stanford Social Innovation Review on founder transitions.
→ Read the series

📘 The Five Stages of Founder Transitions
An SSIR article outlining the key phases founders experience as they prepare to step away.

→ Read the article

🔥 The Upside of Nonprofit Burnout
An SSIR piece that reframes burnout as an invitation to reevaluate systems and leadership practices.
→ Read the article

🔁 Making Founder Successions Work
Insights from SSIR on common pitfalls and practical strategies for founder transitions.
→ Read the article

🌍 Navigating Race and New Leadership in a Time of Upheaval
An SSIR article exploring the racial and organizational dynamics that arise during leadership transitions, particularly when new leaders bring different lived experiences and identities than their predecessors.
→ Read the article

Nonprofit Sustainability Initiative Resources

📚 Executive Transition Reading & Resources
A comprehensive collection of articles and tools supporting nonprofit executive transitions, featuring insights from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Building Movement Project, BoardSource, and more.
→ Explore the reading list

🎥 Executive Transition Video Library
A curated set of videos offering guidance on navigating leadership changes, including interviews with sector leaders and practical transition strategies.
→ Watch the videos

📈 2025 Executive Transition Fund Report
An in-depth report highlighting lessons learned, challenges, and outcomes from the 2025 cohort of the Executive Transition Fund.
→ Read the report

Articles

🌿 Movements and Leaders Have Seasons
An Ayni Institute piece reflecting on the natural cycles of leadership and movement-building.
→ Explore the insight

⏳ The Clockwork of Major Life Changes
A The Atlantic article that examines the surprising regularity of transformative life transitions.
→ Read the article

🧠 Change Management Requires a Change Mindset
A Harvard Business Review article arguing that leadership transitions demand psychological readiness, not just structural planning.
→ Read the article

👥 From Demonization to Recognition of Founders
A Nonprofit Quarterly article challenging the stigmatization of nonprofit founders during transitions.
→ Explore the perspective

🔍 Five Challenges and Five Solutions for Founder Transitions
A BoardSource piece highlighting key founder departure challenges and innovative approaches to addressing them.
→ Read the article

Poems

“Fear” by Kahlil Gibran → Read the poem

“The Journey” by David Whyte → Read the poem

“Up-Hill” by Christina Rossetti → Read the poem

“For a Leader” by John O’Donohue → Read the poem