Nonprofit Executive Succession Planning and Emergency Preparedness
Leadership transitions are among the highest-risk events for nonprofit organizations. Both planned and emergency succession require advance preparation to maintain operations, donor confidence, and organizational momentum. This checklist ensures succession readiness at all times.
- Industry: Nonprofit
- Frequency: Annually
- Estimated Time: 2-3 hours
- Role: Board Chair / Executive Director
- Total Items: 28
Emergency Succession Protocol
Verify emergency succession plans are in place.
- Designated emergency successor for Executive Director identified?
- Emergency succession plan in writing and approved by board?
- Designated emergency successor understands their temporary role and authority?
- All board members know the emergency succession plan?
- Key contacts (funders, major donors, government contacts) documented for successor?
Knowledge Transfer and Documentation
Verify critical organizational knowledge is documented.
- Key donor, funder, and partner relationships documented beyond ED's personal knowledge?
- Core operational procedures documented in accessible format?
- Access credentials for key systems documented and board-accessible?
- Emergency financial access procedures for accounts and investments documented?
- Key contracts and grant agreements accessible to board and senior staff?
Planned Succession Preparation
Prepare for planned leadership transition.
- Board discussion of ED's approximate tenure horizon completed?
- General succession timeline established for planned transitions?
- Internal leadership pipeline assessed for potential successor development?
- Executive search process options understood (internal, national search)?
- Financial resources for leadership transition (search, overlap period) planned?
Board Leadership Succession
Assess board leadership succession readiness.
- Successor board chair or vice chair identified and prepared?
- Committee chair succession considered?
- Ongoing board recruitment addressing term limits and planned departures?
- New board member orientation ensures governance continuity during transitions?
Stakeholder Communication Planning
Plan stakeholder communication for transitions.
- Communication plan for notifying major donors of leadership transitions?
- Protocol for notifying grant funders of leadership changes per grant requirements?
- Staff communication plan for leadership transitions?
- Community announcement strategy for planned transitions?
Transition Support and Resources
Ensure transition support resources are available.
- Access to nonprofit leadership transition consultant identified?
- Leadership coaching or executive support available for new leader?
- Departing ED engagement expectations for transition period defined?
- Organizational stability plan for transition period in place?
- Complete succession plan reviewed and approved by board annually?
Related Nonprofit Checklists
- Nonprofit Tax-Exempt Status Protection Annual Review
- Nonprofit Board Committee Effectiveness Review
- Nonprofit Human Resources Compliance Annual Review
- Nonprofit Insurance Coverage Annual Review
- Nonprofit Volunteer Onboarding and Orientation Checklist
- Nonprofit Grant Tracking and Fund Accounting Ledger Review
- Nonprofit Donor Receipt and Acknowledgment Compliance Audit
- Nonprofit Annual Audit Readiness Review
Related Governance Compliance Checklists
- Nonprofit Board Meeting Preparation Checklist - FREE Download
- Nonprofit Bylaws Annual Review and Compliance Audit - FREE Download
- IRS Form 990 Annual Filing Preparation Checklist - FREE Download
- State Charitable Registration and Renewal Compliance Checklist - FREE Download
- Nonprofit Executive Director Annual Performance Review - FREE Download
- Nonprofit Annual Conflict of Interest Disclosure Process - FREE Download
- New Nonprofit Board Member Orientation Checklist - FREE Download
- Nonprofit Board Governance Self-Assessment - FREE Download
- Nonprofit Whistleblower Policy Compliance and Implementation Review - FREE Download
- Nonprofit Annual Reporting and Compliance Calendar Audit - FREE Download
Why Use This Nonprofit Executive Succession Planning and Emergency Preparedness?
This nonprofit executive succession planning and emergency preparedness helps nonprofit teams maintain compliance and operational excellence. Designed for board chair / executive director professionals, this checklist covers 28 critical inspection points across 6 sections. Recommended frequency: annually.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Nonprofit Executive Succession Planning and Emergency Preparedness cover?
This checklist covers 28 inspection items across 6 sections: Emergency Succession Protocol, Knowledge Transfer and Documentation, Planned Succession Preparation, Board Leadership Succession, Stakeholder Communication Planning, Transition Support and Resources. It is designed for nonprofit operations and compliance.
How often should this checklist be completed?
This checklist should be completed annually. Each completion takes approximately 2-3 hours.
Who should use this Nonprofit Executive Succession Planning and Emergency Preparedness?
This checklist is designed for Board Chair / Executive Director professionals in the nonprofit industry. It can be used for self-assessments, team audits, and regulatory compliance documentation.
Can I download this checklist as a PDF?
Yes, this checklist is available as a free PDF download. You can also use it digitally in the POPProbe mobile app for real-time data capture, photo documentation, and automatic reporting.