Emerging from COVID-19: 5 Priority Considerations for Nonprofit Executives

There is no question the past year has been challenging, even devastating, for our country’s nonprofit organizations and the many people and communities they serve. The needs have never been greater, and the abilities of many nonprofits to respond have been compromised. Some have simply not survived while others, after being severely tested, are emerging as stronger, more focused organizations with greater capacity to achieve critical mission goals and objectives. Despite these once in a century (hopefully) challenges, one truism remains clear – our country’s nonprofit organizations are fiercely resilient and will continue to quietly and effectively go about the business of serving their constituents, communities and causes.

The distribution of highly effective vaccines and greater awareness of and compliance with important precautions (e.g., wearing masks, social distancing, etc.) provide much needed hope that perhaps this long, dark COVID winter is nearing an end. While continued diligence and compliance with safety guidelines will be vital, we are starting to see the beginning of the end of this pandemic that has resulted in much loss of life, pain, and suffering.

As nonprofit organizations look toward the almost over-used cliché “new normal”, they must do so carefully and strategically. Over the course of the past year, many, if not all, nonprofits have altered their operations to varying degrees. The capacity to return to pre-COVID levels of operations will be challenging.

Here are a handful of perspectives nonprofit executives should keep in mind as they guide their organizations out of the darkness of the pandemic and into the future:

1. Continue to secure the safety of constituents, volunteers, and employees.

We can all agree that the past year has taught us that illness and the requisite actions to prevent illness can strike quickly and with significant impact on an organization’s ability to accomplish its core mission. Preserving and protecting the safety of employees at all levels of an organization while at the same time protecting the people you serve have been – and will continue to be – the top priority. Organizations will be challenged to strike the delicate balance of when and how to relax restrictions while at the same time keeping clients and employees safe. The process of emerging from tight COVID controls to more organizational openness and freedom will require a clear focus on facts, vigilance, corporate discipline, and clear communication.

2. Reassess and revise strategic plans.

Strategic plans that are currently sitting on boardroom shelves are most likely slightly out of focus, in need of significant retooling, or requiring a complete redo. Now is the time to begin the process of planning strategically in order to ultimately revise the strategic plan for your organization. Initiating open and frank conversations with Board leaders, community members, key employees, donors and funding sources now will provide vital information that can accurately inform the strategic planning process. Lastly, don’t forget to reassess your organization’s culture – what has changed and what remains the same?

3. Reaffirm key relationships – and explore new ones.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every facet of our society – no individual or organization has been spared. As for nonprofit organizations, each will be going through the same challenging process of emerging from the pandemic and trying to set a sustainable course for the future. As a result, this is an ideal time to have “think aloud” conversations with long-standing partners to clarify and align strategic relationships during the post-COVID period. It may also be the right time to have bold, out-of-the-box conversations that would simply not have been possible before the pandemic. Having that “what-if” conversation with a fellow nonprofit leader may lead to new and exciting opportunities for both organizations and the constituents they serve. The opportunity to reinvent will never be greater…

4. Communicate, communicate, communicate.

In a recent Forbes magazine article (May, 2020) 15 nonprofit executives shared key insights to navigating through a crisis. William Sisson, Executive Director of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development shared the importance of effective communication during uncertain times and offered the following:

• Remain calm in all communications.
• Stay committed to your purposes.
• Communicate confidence in decision-making.
• Most importantly, remain compassionate during these trying times.

As organizations strive to provide timely and effective communication to their varied audiences, do not forget the vitally important role of listening. Take the time and make the effort to carefully listen to the thoughts, fears and aspirations of the people that comprise your organization.

5. Focus on talent retention and acquisition.

Persevering through the past year has required herculean efforts from individuals in every segment of nonprofit organizations. Front-line care givers and essential workers have stepped up and delivered beyond all expectations, and clearly their efforts should be recognized and rewarded. At the same time, we should also recognize the stress and burden carried by those in leadership roles within an organization.

As your organization emerges from the past 12 months that have been dominated and defined by COVID-19, take the time to check in with key leaders to assess their current ability and future capacity to transition to the next phase. The past year may have revealed the need for new leadership roles within your organization, or perhaps you anticipate senior-level staffing changes within your organizations. If so, we are here to help.

The Moran Company specializes in finding outstanding leaders for nonprofits throughout the nation, and we, too, are seeing signs of organizations emerging from the pandemic. COVID-19 caused many executives to rethink their retirements or career moves in 2020, and while some transitions were delayed or deferred, they certainly were not canceled. We are already seeing a growing number of nonprofits prepare for leadership changes in 2021.

Many uncertainties remain, but there is no question that identifying and retaining top leadership staff is essential to any organization’s success. Simply contact us for a free 30-minute consultation if we can be of assistance when it comes to hiring your next executive director, vice president, chief financial officer, director of development and more. Our team of senior search consultants have actually served as nonprofit CEOs and senior-level fundraisers for decades prior to becoming recruiters, and now our mission is to find the right leaders who can positively impact yours.

by Jon Rosell, Ph.D.
Senior Search Consultant, The Moran Company
“We Find Great Nonprofit Executives”

© 2021  The Moran Company, “We find great nonprofit executives.” We specialize in searches for nonprofit executive directors, directors of development/fundraising staff, and other top nonprofit leadership. www.morancompany.com