Onboarding Guide for a New Executive Director Following a Founder's Retirement
By Bonnie Hilory
Introduction & Announcements
Introduce the new Executive Director to your board, staff, volunteers, and community.
Create a short bio (50 to 250 words - max 1 page) for and approved by the new Executive Director.
Carefully consider the audiences and tailor the bio to different segments (shorter for social media, more detailed for the board).
Publish the bio across multiple platforms (website, email, social channels, etc.)
Release external bio to media with a quote from the Board President, mentioning retirement of the Founder and expressing gratitude for their years of service and legacy. Effective board recruitment is essential for nonprofit sustainability and governance. This guide provides a structured approach to finding and onboarding board members who bring value, diversity, and commitment to your organization.
Welcome & Transition Events
Host a transition/welcome lunch or dinner with Board and appropriate staff (based on budget, space, and culture). During pandemic conditions, a virtual experience may suffice.
The Board President welcomes all attendees (including the Founder)
Each person introduces themselves
The Board presents the Founder with a thoughtful thank you gift for years of service and leadership (for virtual events, have the package pre-delivered with instructions not to open until the event)
The Board President shares about the recruitment process, thanks staff and fellow board members for their patience and support, articulates the vision the new Executive Director will be supporting, and explains why they're the right fit
The new Executive Director is invited to share words of appreciation, excitement, and an authentic reflection of why they chose this nonprofit
The Board President (or another appropriate person) concludes with a toast to the outgoing Founder, followed by wishes and dreams for the new leader from each attendee
Donor Relationship Management
Donor Meetings and reassignments
Focus on the top 6-10 donor relationships
Have the outgoing leader make introductions via email, phone, virtual or in-person meetings
Conduct a donor portfolio review with the Founder to determine:
Which donor relationships should transfer to the new Executive Director
Which might be better assigned to others
Which donors are personal friends of the Founder requiring special approaches
Any donor relationship issues that need addressing
Legal & Governance Issues
Legal matters
Identify any pending or past legal matters with personnel, vendors, clients, etc.
Review these with the Board, CFO, legal counsel, and Founder
Board Journey and relations
Create or update a Board matrix chart
Add information about who recruited each board member to help with influence and understanding board dynamics
Review the matrix to ensure diverse representation across industries, geographic areas, and community demographics (socio-economic, race, age, etc.)
Assess potential "founder's syndrome" challenges
Understanding Founder's Syndrome
Founder's syndrome is the difficulty faced by organizations where one or more founders maintain disproportionate power and influence following the effective initial establishment of the organization, leading to a wide range of problems. The passion and charisma of the founder(s), sources of the initial creativity and productivity of the organization, become limiting or destructive factors.
The syndrome occurs in both non-profit and for-profit organizations. It may:
Limit further growth and success of the project
Lead to bitter factionalism and divisions as demands on the organization increase
Result in outright failure in some cases
There are ways in which a founder or organization can respond and grow beyond this situation.
Recommended resource: How to Survive Nonprofit Founder's Syndrome
Additional Recommended Practices
90-Day Plan: Develop a structured plan for the first 90 days with clear milestones and expectations
Staff Meetings: Schedule one-on-one meetings with all direct reports in the first two weeks
Key Stakeholder Mapping: Create a comprehensive map of all key stakeholders beyond donors (community partners, government officials, peer organizations)
Systems Review: Schedule reviews of financial systems, HR policies, Gift Acceptance Policies, and operational procedures
Communication Strategy: Develop both internal and external communication strategies for the transition period
Legacy Documentation: Work with the Founder to document institutional knowledge, including unwritten practices and historical context
Contributed by Bonnie Hilory, Nonprofit Accelerator Principal/Founder.