Planning for succession isn’t easy; it can bring up personal, organizational, and operational issues that may be barriers to good planning. This virtual program series is intended to offer guidance and support for nonprofit leaders.

FOR ALL NONPROFIT LEADERS

INTRODUCTORY LEVEL WORKSHOP
Organizational Succession Planning Virtual Workshop – Thursday, September 5, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. 
This is a virtual informational workshop for organizational succession planning designed for executive directors, board members, and senior leaders seeking a comprehensive approach to succession within a nonprofit’s board and staff. Presented by Jill Pfitzenmayer, Vice President of Capacity Building, at the Rhode Island Foundation. Click here to register. 

If you are interested in participating beyond the basic introductory level workshop described above, please contact Jill Pfitzenmayer, Vice President of Capacity Building, at jpfitzenmayer@rifoundation.org or 401-427-4006. 

It is recommended that participants attend the September 5 Organizational Succession Planning Virtual Workshop as a pre-requisite for participation in this program.

FOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS 

IN-DEPTH LEVEL PROGRAM
This level of engagement is available to executive directors seeking support around their own succession.  Executive directors may apply to be part of a cohort of 10-12 participants who will self-assess their personal, as well as organizational, readiness for succession. Participants in this program will be partnered with another ED who will serve as a peer coach/sounding board to help navigate the designated action steps. We will offer both in-person and virtual meetings at this level. 

In-person introductory meeting - Friday, October 4, 12:00-1:00 p.m.
This meeting over lunch provides an overview of assessment and planning tools, as well as guidelines, for peer coaching. During this meeting, EDs will be assigned a planning partner who will help unpack any personal or organizational barriers to succession planning. The goal for the peer coaching sessions is to develop and finalize an emergency and longer-term succession plan for each organization. Each peer coaching pair will set their own meeting schedule and will be encouraged to complete their peer coaching work within a three-month time frame.

Discussion topics will include: 

• Self-assessment and reflection tools, serving to identify and address personal concerns that may interfere with succession planning.
• TSNE Organization Sustainability Checklist, intended to orient the ED to areas of need within the organization that can be integrated into both an emergency and a longer-term succession plan.
• Steps to developing emergency and longer-term succession plans; to be created by each ED by the conclusion of the program. 

Peer coaching meeting - To be independently scheduled by each partner group
One-to-one peer coaching meeting to discuss the self-assessment and reflection tool. Peer coaching meetings are scheduled by each partner group and may be virtual or in-person.

Virtual group check-in meeting - Wednesday, October 30, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Virtual group check-in meeting with all coaching partner groups to share questions, challenges, and problem solve.

Peer coaching meeting - To be independently scheduled by each partner group
One-to-one peer coaching meeting to discuss the TSNE Organizational Sustainability Checklist. Peer coaching meetings are scheduled by each partner group and may be virtual or in-person.

Virtual group check-in meeting - Thursday, November 21, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Virtual group check-in meeting with all coaching partner groups to share questions, challenges, and problem solve. 

Peer coaching meeting - To be independently scheduled by each partner group
One-to-one peer coaching meeting to discuss draft plans for emergency and longer-term succession plans. Peer coaching meetings are scheduled by each ED partner group and may be virtual or in-person.

Final group meeting - mid December; TBD by the group
The succession planning process is complete when each participant has developed an emergency and longer-term plan for themselves and for their organization. The final group meeting will allow for all participants to share their plans, and to celebrate the completion of the process.

FOR NONPROFIT BOARD MEMBERS

A team of board leaders may elect to meet with Rhode Island Foundation staff to assess their current board recruitment and leadership development strategies. It is recommended that participants attend the Organizational Succession Planning workshop referenced above as a pre-requisite for this level of engagement.

Succession planning tools for boards may include: 

• Review of bylaws and current board recruitment strategies to ensure that they represent best practices
• Completion of board skills grid to assess current board member skills/attributes
• Board orientation toolkit to ensure that new board members are trained and welcomed onto the board
• Development of a board recruitment plan to attract new board members
• Individualized coaching to help strengthen those plans and/or create board leadership development plans