A New Guide on Founder’s Syndrome

Effective nonprofits often need to adapt to new conditions and may expand operations to provide additional services. What if the founder of the organization sees things differently from board members or key leaders at the nonprofit? The new BoardSource guide, Moving Beyond Founder’s Syndrome to Nonprofit Success, explores strategies that founders and board members can use to address these types of issues. Eight case studies are included to help you cope with different scenarios. Here are some highlights from the volume:

-Suggests tips for board members and founders during the initial phases of a nonprofit’s life cycle when the founder is indistinguishable from the organization’s work.

-Recommends what can be done when a founder avoids growth opportunities, or seeks to expand at any cost.

-Explores the difficulties that may arise for a new chief executive when the founder remains as a staff member.

-Discusses succession planning and provides advice for dealing with a founder’s sudden resignation.


Moving Beyond Founder’s Syndrome to Nonprofit Success was written by Addie Nelson Backlund, executive director at the American-Italian Cancer Foundation, and Thomas A. McLaughlin, a senior manager of Grant Thorton LLP and a contributing editor for the NonProfit Times.