2016 Annual Report: Embrace the future to move forward

Atlanta nonprofits plan to sustain their futures. In 2014, only 30 percent of local nonprofits had succession plans in place. But in the past year, we helped more than 25 local organizations tackle this difficult but vital topic. “Succession planning is something that very easily can be set aside,” says Matt Underwood, executive director of Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School (ANCS). “It could be uncomfortable to talk about if you didn’t have this process.” The Foundation partnered with BoardSource, a national organization, to create an innovative six-month cohort, “Embrace the Future: Succession Planning for Nonprofit Organizations.” Participants received research-based instruction and individual guidance from an experienced adviser. “You really understand why it’s critical. The perceptions of why you do this changed,” says ANCS board member Lia Santos. The first cohort completed two different plans for succession, emergency and departure-based plans, and participants emerged with greater trust, teamwork and transparency, relationships with other nonprofits and less fear about the future.