The Ultimate Nonprofit Executive Director Toolkit
Download my personal collection of 6 proven worksheets, guides, tools, and templates to elevate your career as a nonprofit leader!
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Get Access to All These Free Resources...
"Get in Your Lane" Infographic on Division of Labor
The 10 Top Areas of Responsibility for an Executive Director
Executive Director Success
Journal
Sample Executive Director /
Board Chair Meeting Agenda
Fundraising Wall Chart
Sample Executive Director
Board Report Template
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A few notes about some of the items in the toolkit…
The Executive Director / Board Chair Meeting Template
For executive directors to succeed, you need to build rapport and trust with your board. This means having regular check-ins with your chair so there are few surprises when board meetings come around. Use this template and edit it for your own needs.
The Board Report Template
Nonprofit board meetings are a critical time for organizational alignment, transparency, and reporting. Most nonprofits choose to receive a report from the executive director at board meetings. This super simple slide deck gives an executive director a sample format to use for these reports.
Nonprofit boards are made up of volunteers. They do not work at the organization and therefore when they do come together, it is customary for the executive director to give a quick highlight of what has happened since the board last met. My nonprofit executive director report template helps you think through the high-level information on which the board may want updates. These include financial updates, fundraising updates, program updates, staffing updates, and more.
The Other Tools
Included in this toolkit is my popular and powerfully effective infographic on the Top 10 Key Areas of Responsibility of a Nonprofit Executive Director. This crib sheet tells you what the job is and what the job isn’t! The “Get in Your Lane” infographic has been incredibly helpful to countless nonprofits that have used it to establish a clear division of labor between the board and the Executive Director.
One of my favorite tools for Executive Directors is the Success Journal. We must keep a log of the amazing work being accomplished because no one else will. When it comes time for the ED’s annual review, they’ll have these successes in their back pocket to remind the board of all work and the successes.
Finally, as the top fundraiser in the organization, the executive director must keep their eye on the prize (enough revenue to hit budget and pay for your staff, programs, and other costs). I have provided you with a fundraising wall chart that I have blown up, laminated and posted on my wall to use every year.
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“The first time I met Sean I was so inspired by his quick thinking and bold ideas that I immediately knew I wanted to work together on a strategy to bring a new type of advocacy model to our organization. Sean helped get my ideas out of my head and into a solid concept paper, and added many terrific ideas of his own that I would never have come up with. Working with Sean has opened my eyes to a whole new set of opportunities for our organization. He understands how to align strategic priorities with funder values and gave me the confidence to pursue a new set of foundation relationships"
Leigh Phillips, Executive Director, EAR
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"I’m an organizational leader with too much programming in my workload. I’ve been searching for training on the executive director role and never found useful info until I came across Sean’s article and toolkit on what an ED does. His simple yet comprehensive toolkit has clarified the role I should aspire to and build for my organization. I’m excited to get more training from Sean! "
Leah W. Wiley, Lead Organizer, Capital Area Justice Ministry, Inc.
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Sean's depth and breadth of knowledge and understanding of nonprofits coupled with his ability to communicate concepts clearly made for a dynamic and information filled hour. I really loved Sean's perspective on empowering the executive director and building collaboration with the board. In my experience, this eliminates the vast majority of strife and inefficiency within a non-profit. Well worth my time and I look forward to more.
BA, ED, Head Coach and Organizer - Moving Forward Wellness Coaching
Sean M. Kosofsky, MPA
Hi, I’m Sean, the "Nonprofit Fixer!"
I’m a coach, consultant, trainer, and strategic advisor. For the past 30+ years, I’ve helped causes, campaigns, and candidates raise millions of dollars and transformed nonprofit organizations and leaders. I’ve served in a wide variety of roles in nonprofits, including policy, communications, development, grassroots organizing, direct service, board leadership, and five stints as an executive director. I’ve worked on a wide range of issues including LGBTQ equality, reproductive justice, voting access, bullying prevention, climate change, and more.
You can see my work covered in media outlets internationally and I’ve received numerous awards and recognitions from the sector, the City of Detroit and the State of Michigan. I collaborate with leading nonprofit names like AFP, Candid, United Way, Idealware, Bloomerang, TechSoup, Wild Apricot, Funding for Good, Pamela Grow, and more. I own Mind the Gap Consulting, which offers coaching and consulting services for executive directors, boards, and fundraisers, as well as a suite of online training courses. I am a proud Detroit native but live with my husband and dog in New York City.
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