Strategies to Onboard, Support, & Retain Your New Executive Director

This event is offered by our partner in another state. Please double-check times and time zones prior to registering.

Successful Executive Director onboarding requires intentional planning and strong Board/ED collaboration. Transitions are challenging, especially for BIPOC or non-traditional leaders entering majority White organizations. Many nonprofits invest heavily in hiring but overlook onboarding and retention—despite research showing most EDs decide within three years whether to stay, often describing their transitions as “rocky.”

This session with Becky Schueller will cover early-stage onboarding goals (30, 60, 90 days), 6-month, and 1-year benchmarks to support new EDs. We’ll also explore key contract elements—compensation, PTO, evaluations, and grievance policy alignment—to ensure both Board and ED are set up for a successful transition.

Learning Objectives

1. Develop a structured process for Board/ED communication about first year goals
2. Create a plan for executive transition onboarding, support and retention
3. Understand the importance of a board/ED discussion to structure a contract that identifies stay incentives as well as conditions in the event of “no fault” and “fault” exits