The community development field is changing! Over the next three years, two-thirds of nonprofit organizations expect to undergo a leadership transition as long-term staff members begin to retire and a new generation must take over control. With this change in leadership will also come changes in workforce demographics—such as greater diversity in the age, race and gender of staff—as well as changes in the community’s service needs. While these shifts represent a tremendous opportunity for collaboration and innovation, they may also catch many organizations off-guard.

The first step in addressing these coming leadership changes is to educate current and future leaders in the community development field about what they can do to prepare their organization. On August 15, 2007, industry partners, current executive directors, and potential leaders convened in Washington, DC for a full-day symposium on succession planning. The event provided information and guidance from experts in the field and served as a forum for key individuals to share thoughts and work together to find solutions.

Refer to the tabs above to view and download various resources about organizational succession and leadership development.