Executive Director Training

Running a nonprofit organization is an amazing opportunity. But being an Executive Director can also be scary, lonely, stressful, and incredibly hard. As a sector, we haven’t done enough to prepare our nonprofit leaders for success. For most Executive Directors, there is no manual, no training, and your bosses (the board) are rarely equipped to help!

You need someone in your corner. Well, help is here!

Mind the Gap’s Executive Director Boot Camp training is designed by a successful five-time nonprofit Executive Director exclusively for Executive Directors like you.

Whether you’re a first-time Executive Director or taking on new leadership challenges, our training is designed to help you:

• Master the 10 key areas of nonprofit management, including what matters and what doesn’t — so you can save your sanity.

• Save time and frustration with access to a wealth of world-class tools, checklists, sample policies, templates, contracts, and more.

• Learn to protect your career and your salary — while still making a difference in the world.

• Build your confidence and resilience, and feel less alone as a nonprofit Executive Director.

• Walk away with a step-by-step roadmap for running any nonprofit.

• And much, much more…

FREE WEBINAR Training: Executive Director MasterClass
3 Expert Strategies to Slay Your Doubts, Boost Your Confidence and Career

Ready to take your leadership to the next level?

Learn how to crush imposter syndrome and isolation with a mindset makeover. Use our proven strategies to find and build a network of nonprofit leaders who will have your back. You’ll also get expert tips to advance your career while avoiding rookie mistakes.

Tell Your Story, Build Your Brand, Magnify Your Impact

Reach Millions Through Earned Media with These Essential Tips.

Being able to tell your organization’s story with quick soundbites or smart visuals can be the difference between “speaking to the choir” or having a national audience. The skills you develop talking to reporters will also transform your fundraising and your confidence.

With our nonprofit media skills training you’ll learn to:

• Practice and develop an effective message

• Build a press kit

• Write news releases, news advisories, and Op-Eds

• Work confidently with print and broadcast reporters

• Build and maintain a media contact list

• Get free media coverage for your organization

• Handle tough questions and plan media events

How to Implement a 4-Day Workweek

More Balance - Less Burnout

Burnout is endemic in the nonprofit sector. We’re all working long hours for little pay. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

As nonprofit Executive Directors, you can have the same workload and pay, with fewer hours... and I'll show you how.

This training will help you:

• Save money by shutting down the office one day a week

• Build goodwill and loyalty because you value worker's rest and work-life balance 

• Learn creative ways to get more work into fewer hours without the burnout

• Retain your best people and attract more and better applicants than you've ever had

• Maintain high productivity, even with fewer work hours

• Do even more than this ^

Nonprofit leadership doesn’t have to burn you out and pay a poverty wage. 

Many of us believe we shouldn’t make a good salary or anything close to what the private sector makes as a nonprofit leader… but it’s all about priorities!

In this training, I’ll show you 25+ ways that you can increase your pay, protect your career, and reduce your stress - so you can:

• Identify immediate things you can do to protect your reputation, job, and career 

• Take control of your day, schedule, workload, and job description

• Use the organization's budget to lead with people-first values

• Shift your mindset about what it means to work "nonprofit"

• Stand in your power and confidence about the value you deliver and what compensation should come with 

• See that an employment contract helps everyone in the organization 

• And so much more! 

Demand respect from your board and protect your career, reputation, and family!

In this training, I am pulling back the curtain on worker protections and working to change the sector in favor of nonprofit workers! Learn what elite nonprofit leaders already know in this packed power training!

• Stop worrying that rogue board members can end your career (or even take your job). Become FIREPROOF with protections private sector executives have had for years.

• Take charge of your career and confidence, learn to lean in, and LOVE your career as a nonprofit leader.

• It’s time we demand better for nonprofit leaders so we can thrive in jobs that make the world better instead of pulling our hair out and stressing to make ends meet.

Executive Director Tool Kit

7 Great Tools for Executive Directors

This handy starter kit features key resources that have proven helpful time and again. Click below to see what’s inside.

Infographic: 10 Top Responsibilities of a Nonprofit Executive Director

Nonprofit Executive Directors have a lot of responsibilities. This infographic is a snapshot of the major areas. For more details on each area, contact us or consider taking our Executive Director Boot Camp online course.

How to Start a Nonprofit

Need to know the steps in creating a 501(c)(3) organization?

I’ve spent more than 27 years building and leading nonprofits and political campaigns. I've helped grow local, national, established and startup organizations, whether they are charitable or political.