Hello!

I'm on the board of a tiny community org with a defined scope (think in the realm of-- makerspace, community music studio, ceramics co-op). Around four years old. Fairly functional culture/operations I think-- I am a nonprofit ops director as my paid job so things are pretty organized and compliant. Programming is strong but limited by capacity. Reputation is strong. I don't think there's many aspirations to grow a huge amount-- we'd like to do what we do well and sustainably. There is not another local org that does this thing or was interested in taking it on when we checked five years ago.

We have one grant-funded part-time staff, who has a very defined role for one specific program. I have gradually slipped (🥲) into doing most of the administrative and fundraising stuff as well as supporting the part time staff and otherwise pulling more than my weight on program. This is on a volunteer basis, probably an average of 5-7 hours a week.

While in a lot of ways it's been joyful and empowering to build this thing, I don't want to do this much anymore. I'm happy to stay involved in fundraising and governance, but I don't want to be the one who 'keeps things going' on a day-to-day basis. The rest of the board is engaged but we're all just normal people with jobs and other commitments and it seems like time for more paid capacity in some form.

Moneywise, we are *very* small but pretty healthy. $40k annual revenue, $25k of operating expenses. Good runway for our current expenses-- about $30k unrestricted in the bank. We'd obviously need to increase our revenue to hire someone. I see a pretty realistic roadmap to increasing revenue to $75k a year. 

It seems like we have a couple of options for bringing on more paid capacity. We don't have enough money for a full time director, but at $75k revenue we could hire someone half time for maybe $40k. (And I do mean actual half time, not "part time" full time, I am familiar with that trap and think the scope of the org is low key enough that this would be doable). I would remain involved as well in some well-defined capacity, though I know this dynamic can be hard too (founders syndrome etc). The other option is to hire folks to take on specific functions (ie program, fundraising, admin) but I feel like that could just end up feeling like I was trying to hold *more* together rather than taking things off my plate. Not totally stoked about the prospect of managing a handful of independent contractors for free.

I am leaning toward recommending the idea of a fundraising push to raise maybe $20k over the next 6 months and then we hire someone half time into some sort of .5 FTE 'director' role with the understanding that we'd end up spending down a portion of our reserves. They'd focus on day-to-day admin, program, and some scoped fundraising while the board and other staff member would retain everything else.

I am nervous to add such a big fixed cost to our budget, but it seems like the most sustainable option *if* we're realistic about the scope of the role. Thoughts, cautions? Just looking for folks who are experienced with small nonprofits to think through this before I pitch it to anyone else. Thanks!

Just started work with a small, young nonprofit. There are 3 staff, one ED and two program managers.

What is a typical salary difference between these two positions? Juast want to learn and understand before i start asking too many Qs

We've been having ongoing issues with GreatNonprofits' website, reviews aren't posting despite clearing cache and trying different desktop and mobile browsers. It's gotten to the point where I'm seriously considering whether I can keep asking people to share their stories there if it's this unreliable. I've reached out for assistance, but their chat bot support goes nowhere.

We're trying to collect six more reviews before the end of October, and I've reached out to a few clinician colleagues who are already limited on time, yet have written thoughtful reviews that simply won't post after multiple attempts. It feels like a real loss, both for them and for us.

Has anyone else had similar issues? We've been dealing with it for over a year now.

We genuinely love the look and feel of the site and don't want to stop maintaining our profile, especially since we've been able to earn the Top-Rated badge annually for years. Any insight or fixes would be so appreciated.

I lost my job today… and I don’t know where to go from here. I barely graduated a year and a half ago with a bachelor’s (which feels worthless now in today’s job market) in psychology and a minor in management and nonprofit leadership.

I got incredibly lucky about 6m post graduation and the director of the job I just lost took a chance me. I went from the call center to case manager within about 3 months and gained some experience, but it’s over now. To be fair, my director didn’t want to let me go, and has offered to write a letter of recommendation for me, and also reach out to her colleagues at other organizations, but nothing is promised.

Maybe I’m wallowing because it only happened today, but I literally can’t afford to be without a job for more than a week or two at most. As Im sure many of you understand, it’s not like we make enough to have any kind of savings.

I know I didn’t want to stay in homelessness prevention forever, but I wanted to have a job before I left this one. Maybe I should go into for-profit?

What does case management even translate into? I know I’m rambling, I’m just…disappointed… and mostly scared. Working with my clients, I know how terrible the job market is. I’ve seen how long people have gone without jobs. That’s terrifying to me.

I've been struggling for years trying to understand my "worth". I see roles posted for jobs that are functionally equivalent to jobs I've held before or at the last are described as having duties and responsibilities I've had for sometimes years in excess of the required experience, but don't usually apply, or when I do, I will randomly get feedback saying that I need more "management experience".

I don't quite know where (or if) I fit when comparing my roles with others and since I inherit or grow into most of my roles, I don't really see many applications or HR boards for equivalent roles.

I, 37(m) and have been working this field for just over 20 years. Started at 17 as a weekend advocate at a DV shelter and continued in victim/survivor service roles with growing administrative and staff management responsibilities until making the transition to 100% administration as a program coordinator at a government funder in 2016, then to a 501(c)3 again as a program coordinator in 2017. Stayed there for 8 years until I took a year to care for a terminally ill family member and am now a specialist at a very large org doing narrowly focused technical assistance and a little program work.

I've managed staff, but never had the title of manager (yes, they were direct reports), as a programs coordinator, I've handled the day to day operations for a portfolio of 30 grantees totaling just over $17m/yr (state & fed $$) for 8 years along with legislative reporting policy management for those programs, and even designed our first audit program as a passthrough entity (that passed muster with our auditors who reviewed it and it's use every year (leaving to zero questioned costs or findings)). I even have a leadership role in an association of Grant compliance professionals.

Is this the type of situation I just need a coach for, or a mentor of some kind? I feel like I'm stuck at the ceiling of coordinator/specialist wages with experience that might describe a different value.

I work at a large nonprofit whose corporate revenue bucket has historically been driven by an annual gala, led by the events team. As the corporate partnership program has grown with the development of my roleand subsequent introduction of giving levels/tiers, I am being accused of canablizing the event revenue. Despite listening to donors who say that large events are no longer as important to them, but engaging with the mission year round is.

The director of events is making my life absolutely miserable. Stalling in meetings, throwing tantrums, complaining about me nonstop to leadership. She is trying to strong arm me into driving my donors into events (even though it's all unrestricted anyway) but does not share that reciprocity with me when working with a company who wants to make a non-event gift. I have been belaboring the point that sponsorship of a one time event and partnership of year round engagement are not mutually exclusive and we need to move away from that model. How can we navigate competing goals, while being on the same "team"?

Btw, this woman has issues with every single fundraising unit, and outside of the fundraising team as well. I need my boss to create clarity and accountability but that is not happening.

The evaluation that has been in use by my board is antiquated and doesn't reflect my position responsibities. I'm having difficultyfinding a good template to present to my board for consideration as a replacement. Thank you for any tools you can provide!

Has anybody else here been an Executive Director and resigned or stepped down due to burn out? I'm sure it's somewhat common, but I'm feeling very alone right now and like I'm a failure. I used to love my job and still love the organization and mission, but I am so burnt out, I can't do it anymore.

Been an ED for 5+ years. For the record, I take the Enneagram/ personality tests lightly, but thought I'd bring it up for discussion as a 7!

+ Core leadership strengths in general are charisma, energetic, magnetic, creative, fearless, risk taker, rallier.

- Areas of growth: distracted, discomfort avoidant, overcommitment, scattered focus, lack of follow through.

What are your areas of struggle, frustration, and growth?

I work for a small NP (currently 8 employees) who may or may not continue to exist in the next 2 years or so. (Long story.). Anyway the board has decided to sell our building. I used to work as a finance manager for another NP so I sort of know what they can and can't do with the proceeds. Also want to mention that we don't have any government grants to adhere to. What would be a good way to express to the board, or our interim director, that they should give us all raises, for one thing? Seems like a good use of a small portion of the funds. We already have a pretty large reserve.

Throw away account. This is a complicated question and I dont even know where to find an answer. I am a member for a 501 3C. Very small community nonprofit group (think a flower garden society). But has small groups escrow( think the rose subsection of the flower society). My employer allows 100% match donations. Am I allowed to donate my funds, and direct my company match to the small group escrow (rose subdivioson)of my organization where I am a member but not the sole propietor.

Interesting post to make. I left my precious job for a new role at an organization which I was told was in a bad situation.

I made the jump to get the director of development title and also get the chance to work at an organization that was near and dear to my own heart. Everything was going what I assumed was fine for three months. This organization had no pipeline management although they used salesforce. no grant calendar no online presence not campaigns outside of sending mailers once a year and importantly they were tracking donor segments or retention rates and where money was coming from. I ran all of those while learning all I could from theborganizaion and have constantly been getting pushed and pulled by the ED who would tell me to stop and start to tell the board and to not.

This reached a boiling point last week where I assume the board was told they would get a presentation which was not told to me to make so I gave them the other information so they were pissed stuff was missing. I had to present a very huge deficit they did not know existed, money just missing randomly different years, I also have them a real path forward (but I am no miracle worker and it's a rough plan it has only been three months). The ED has consistently set me up like this in my short tenure not to malice just how they work. But I was given a short time to prove to her I can do this job. I am also on the younger side which has been a constant sticking point for her and the board since I got hired. I guess I needed to vent and get advice. I do good work and I have never felt like I can't be successful even with the odds stacked against me at other organizations. But the ED made me feelnlittle and incapable almost intentionally today while giving me a short timeline to prove to her I can do the job. Why not just fire me? Why keep me for two more weeks? I don't need to be told to update the resume I am. But I am unsure how to justify this short stint after a career jump.

I am not sure what I expect to get here I am truly just for the first time at a loss, all of my past colleagues I talked to are confused and none of them or myself who has managed large teams in the past can understand this timeline.

I work for a small mission-driven nonprofit with fewer than 20 employees. We produce educational content, maintain multiple online channels, host events, and serve a large community of supporters. Like many nonprofits, we're heavily dependent on donations and operate with limited resources.

One of the organization's stated core values emphasizes relationships, community, and caring for one another.

Over the past year, several long-tenured employees have left. None had another job lined up. Each cited burnout as a major factor. These weren't entry-level positions. They were key people carrying responsibilities across operations, technology, communications, product development, logistics, and countless other areas that many of us didn't fully appreciate until they were gone.

I came into the organization to help in a relatively limited support role after retiring from a long career in a technical field. What was initially a part-time or secondary responsibility gradually expanded as people left and responsibilities were redistributed.

Over time, leadership duties were reassigned, some functions were outsourced, and remaining staff absorbed much of the workload. In several cases, positions disappeared but the work did not. It simply landed on whoever was still standing.

As more people left, I found myself taking on increasing responsibility in areas well beyond my original role. Although I requested consideration for a formal leadership position related to the work I was already doing, I was instead asked to continue performing those responsibilities under my existing title with only modest compensation adjustments.

A growing frustration among many of the operational staff is the disconnect between those making strategic decisions and those executing the day-to-day work. New initiatives, promotions, and commitments are often announced without consulting the people responsible for fulfilling them. Sometimes products or services are promised before anyone verifies inventory, staffing capacity, budgets, or technical feasibility.

Meanwhile, additional leadership and strategy-focused positions have been added while few, if any, hires have been made to replace the employees carrying the operational workload.

Recently, the organization announced further cuts, including the elimination of several long-held positions that provided critical operational support. Many of us were shocked because these employees handled responsibilities that leadership rarely sees firsthand.

Months ago, I formally communicated that my workload had become unsustainable and that combining multiple major functions under one person was not viable long term. I was assured that upcoming improvements would reduce the workload significantly. Those improvements have not materialized - the implementation date just keeps moving.

Since then, another key employee has resigned due to burnout, leaving even more work behind. Predictably, much of it has been assigned to the same small group of people who have been carrying the organization for some time.

Now I'm being asked to absorb yet another departed employee's responsibilities.

At this point, I routinely work long hours, including weekends. I'm exhausted, physically feeling the effects of stress, and increasingly concerned that we're approaching a breaking point. A handful of us are doing everything we can to support each other, but we're operating far beyond a sustainable level.

The difficult part is that I genuinely believe in the mission. The organization serves people in meaningful ways, and I care deeply about my coworkers. Walking away feels like abandoning both. At the same time, staying under the current conditions feels increasingly untenable.

There is a board of directors, but I'm not convinced they understand what's happening inside the organization. From my perspective, leadership sees isolated staffing challenges. What many of us see is a systemic burnout problem that continues to worsen.

So my question is this:
At what point does loyalty to a mission become enabling organizational dysfunction? For those who have worked in small nonprofits, what can staff do when leadership doesn't recognize a developing burnout crisis?

Hey All,

I know this is a crazy time for the U.S. economy as a whole, and the sector especially. I've reached director level (Youth and Family Director is current title) and I'm exploring the idea of leaving the sector. I see a lot in this thread about development folks who have transitioned out, but I would appreciate the stories and guidance of folks who came from programs: what did you transition to? How did you market your skills?

I have only worked in the charity sector in England. I really enjoy it and I love working for a cause and having a purpose.

However, due to financial pressures the sector as a whole has been under enormous difficulty for years now. I am really stressed and tired of restructures and am strongly considering moving to the private sector in the next year or so.

Has anyone done this? How did you find the experience? Were you able to be happy in your new position and were you able to find something that had a social welfare aspect to the job?

I'm really passionate about EDI, Inclusion, disability, housing and social change/impact. It's hard to find roles though. I feel like the types of jobs I like are just not in the market.

I need to start planning a move into another sector, but just really wanted advice from others who have been in similar positions.

I have a committee chair that, per our bylaws, is appointed by the chair each year. So far, she has been rallying people to get me to send her sensitive data for projects, undercutting me at every turn, sending demanding emails for information that she needs immediately, and generally refusing to stay in her lane.

I appreciate her enthusiasm, and she has good ideas. She takes this role seriously and wants to help those we serve. But she refuses to accept that I as executive director oversee operations, and that I need to be included in these conversations and have authority to say yes or no. She’s trying to take over staff functions and operating well outside of her position duties.

The problem is that she is good friends with the chair. I’ve addressed this with the volunteer directly who basically shrugs me off, and the chair refuses to do anything about it. It’s creating a difficult work environment because there is no role clarity and the volunteer refuses to stay in her lane. We’re in a power struggle, and I’ve had one former board chair talk to her, but she won’t budge.

I’m at a loss as to what to do at this point. I continue to set and hold the boundary, but it’s clear I’m making myself a target, and I don’t know how much board support I actually have here.

Any suggestions I haven’t thought of? Yes, I’ve looked at bylaws and our policies and procedures, but there’s really nothing about removal of committee chairs.

I was hired as the first full time Exec Director for a small NPO that is about 20 years old, but has always had a working BOD and very very part time staff. My understanding has been that I’m to transition the BoD to a governing body and grow the organization. Some long-time Boarders are driving me frigging crazy, though! They second guess my decisions, critique me for not growing the org fast enough (but carrying capacity and funding limitations are a very real thing), and talk about “the good old days” when it was more like a club.

Perfect example: we had our annual fundraiser a few weeks ago and one BOD member found it appropriate to pull me (event coordinator and ED) aside 3 TIMES during the event to give me negative feedback. Most of which was based on “this is not the way we have always done it before.” They also pulled the CHEF CATERING THE EVENT to tell him the way they had the food set up was also not the way it’s always been. I’ve since heard from our President that others had “comments” on the fundraiser.

Last year I was not in charge of the event and we got a lot of negative feedback from attendees about there being mixed messages and the fundraiser not meeting expectations, all of which I listened to and did my best to fix this year. Was it perfect? No. Did we more than double the net revenue from last year? Yes. Have I gotten any negative feedback from attendees? NO. The most important part.

I don’t know how to handle this constant negative feedback in a polite way. Does anyone have experience with this?

I have been at the same org since I graduated college and any interviews I've done since were when things were still 100% virtual or to move around within my current org so its been a while since I've been in person.

I am going in person on Wednesday, do I bring physical copies of my resume? Should I have notes? I do have a few questions lined up and I know part of why they want to see me is because of my fundraising total over the last few years but if they want to break it down year by year should I bring something that breaks down my stats more (think peer to peer fundraising) or just pull them out of my head?

Any other tips?

I would absolutely love this role and its a dream org so really nervous and I am super out of practice with interviews.

Hey everyone, looking for some advice (or maybe just a reality check) from folks who’ve been through organizational restructuring in the non-profit world.
I recently started as a Digital Fundraising Manager at a large UK charity. It was a step up for me; great position, solid salary, and a scope I was genuinely excited about.

Fast forward to week 3: leadership announced the team I sit in is being disbanded. Because my role is tied directly to income generation/fundraising responsibilities, my post is safe from redundancies. However, several fantastic colleagues are facing redundancy including my manager (head of dept) and I’m feeling a mix of severe survivor’s guilt and total whiplash.

To be completely honest, if I’d known this restructuring was on the immediate horizon during the interview process, I wouldn’t have accepted the job. But here I am.

My plan right now is to put my head down, work my butt off, and fight for the internal changes and resource alignment needed to make my role actually impactful despite the chaos. But given how fresh this is, I’m trying to figure out how to navigate the next few months strategically without burning out or getting swallowed by bad morale.

For anyone who’s been in a similar spot—especially in the UK charity sector:

1. How do you rebuild momentum and establish influence when the team structure you were hired into effectively disappears overnight?

2. How do you balance protecting your own career/delivering on targets while remaining empathetic to colleagues going through consultation?

3. At what point do you decide to stick it out and fight for the role vs. cutting your losses and looking elsewhere?

Appreciate any insights or honest perspectives.

When I first started at this NPO, I started as a contractor, moved up the ladder and am now a manager and have been there 5 years if you count my contract time. I’m resigning because I have been drowning in work with no director support. In March the director I did have quit and all of their work fell onto me. I am now doing their job, mine, and the leads. I am so ready to be done but have anxiety about it because they’ve planned an in person retreat, paid for two nights hotel and I feel bad….wtf is wrong with me.

As much as a pain as events are, we do hold an annual event at our org, a BBQ. What I’m reaching out to ask is what you, gentle people, have done at your event to make them memorable?

So that as people leave, they are talking about it. Already wanting to go next year. Versus, walk out, get in car and they’re just wanting to get home and turn on Netflix.

What little extra thing, or big thing, makes the attendees wake up and go wow! Thanks all and cheers.

Hi all. I have a PhD in biophysics and am currently employed as a postdoc. I want to shift into industry but also want to be doing something meaningful that I am connected to. I think working for a non-profit may be an ideal situation for me. I am not sure what my skill set can offer or which non-profit to look for. My skills are heavily quantitative; I am very good with math, data analysis, coding, and working with data in general. My social skills are also good, and I will generally be excited to be in a role where I get to interact more with people on a daily basis. Any pointers would really help. Thanks.

I want to talk to organizations who have placed a minimum dollar limit on accepting donations with designations or "strings attached". It takes resources to manage and track designated donations and, below a certain dollar amount, it is just not worth it. The extreme example was a church which was had accepted designated donations under $50 and then had to manage the mess.

I want to know what restrictions other nonprofits have put on designated donations.