Running, managing, and leading a nonprofit requires versatility—and no single person does it alone. Executive Directors often wear many hats, and it takes multiple leaders working together to successfully run and sustain a nonprofit organization.
In addition to building and managing impactful programs that move the needle, executive directors are often called upon to:
- Manage complex finances, including donations and grant funds
- Support and partner with a board of directors that looks to leadership for guidance while also helping to shape the organization’s vision and mission (including recruiting and onboarding board members)
- Recruit, supervise, and support volunteers and staff while navigating employment laws and compliance requirements
- Fundraise and write grants to sustain the organization’s work
- Continually evolve in understanding equity, inclusion, and social justice—and translate those values into practice
You shouldn’t have to navigate this complexity alone. Our ED Leadership Academy exists to support nonprofit leaders at every level. Whether you are an Executive Director, CEO, Co-Director, mid-level manager, or executive assistant supporting your ED, this program equips you with essential skills and shared leadership practices to lead with confidence and clarity.
Participants build a strong foundation in organizational leadership, gain practical tools for real-world implementation, and explore strategies for integrating both required and emerging practices into daily work. This Academy also prioritizes self-care and burnout prevention—for you and your team—so leadership remains sustainable, not exhausting.
Our ED Leadership Academy is intentionally cohort-based, creating a peer learning and support network. You’ll connect with others navigating similar challenges, with dedicated time to learn together, problem-solve, and share collective wisdom.
Online Course Description
Our modernized ED Leadership Academy is an online cohort of no more than 20 participants who have been in their current leadership role for fewer than 5–7 years. This intentional and consistent gathering of leaders with similar tenure is designed to:
- Build a clear understanding of the complexity of nonprofit leadership roles and the full range of skills required for success
- Strengthen relationships and peer networks across the nonprofit community
- Foster collaborative problem-solving and shared learning
The course includes additional tools, assessments, and matrices designed to support both nonprofit leaders and their boards. Each cohort’s learning journey is shaped by what participants bring into the space, ensuring the Leadership Academy remains responsive, relevant, and rooted in equity—supporting leaders where they are, while strengthening the organizations and communities they serve.
Topics may include:
- Key leadership responsibilities across roles and functions
- Building and navigating effective board–leader relationships
- Having hard and necessary conversations with clarity and care
- Your role in human resources and people management
- Trust-building and values-driven leadership
- Financial oversight, budgeting, and fiscal responsibility
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies in practice
- Understanding and engaging your audience and community
- Nonprofit technology and systems that support your work
- Succession planning and leadership continuity
- Self-care, resilience, and crisis management
Want to join, but think you're not eligible? If you're an ED with +5 years of experience and or another role and just want to talk this through, let us know here and we'll contact you or we can update you of a future cohort event if you prefer.
Schedule of Virtual Sessions:
The Academy will meet live and online for eight sessions, on Thursdays approximately every other week which includes an intro and wrap up session for Fall 2026
We meet in the Eastern Time Zone.
*How This Works:
Assignments (pre-work/home-work before each date starting with session 2) will be required to be completed online (on your own schedule) prior to each session after the intro. These learning sessions are approximately 45 minutes to an hour of materials for review, that may consist of short informational videos, blogs, articles, and resources review. We will then meet on Zoom for a facilitated learning session.
*Dates may be rescheduled (pushed-out) if the minimum required number of participants is not reached before session 1.
Session 1: Sept. 17, 2026 - 10 AM until 12:30 PM (Intro)
Session 2: Oct. 1, 2026 - 10 AM until 12:30 PM
Session 3: Oct. 15, 2026 - 10 AM until 12:30 PM
Session 4: Oct 29, 2026 - 10 AM until 12:30 PM
Session 5: Nov 12, 2026 - 10 AM until 12:30 PM
Session 6: Dec. 3, 2026 - 10 AM until 12:30 PM
Session 7: Dec. 17, 2026 - 10 AM until 12:30 PM
Session 8: January 7, 2027 (Wrap-up) - 10 AM until 12:30 PM
This Academy is appropriate and relevant for new Executive Directors, EDs stepping into a new role, managing directors who have been in their current position for fewer than 7 years, those who support the ED, those who want to better understand and support their Executive Directors and organization, and those who will succeed the ED.
Member Cost: $999
Non-member Cost: *$1299
*Includes a required Membership so you'll have inclusive full access to all our tools, policies, and resources.
Payment in full is required 2-weeks prior to session one to secure your place in the academy cohort.
*A minimum of 8 participants required for each academy and dates are subject to change.
*This is a "safe-space" and recordings are for the participants in this cohort only or for internal professional development, succession planning, and training of any new Nonprofit Network staff.
We have a system in place for people who may "miss a session" and those options for session makeup can be found on our Academy Expectations webpage
If cost of this event is a barrier for your organization, please email Tracey about sponsorship availability and she will contact you, Tracey@nonprofnetwork.org
Please Note: Nonprofit Network may record, video or photograph public events. Recordings, videos and photos are used solely for the promotional purposes of Nonprofit Network. Nonprofit Network will regard as confidential all non-public information obtained during the course of its professional assignments. Information given in a public setting has no expectation of confidentiality.
