For Boards, Search Committees and Hiring Managers, Insights, Nonprofit

The Offer Is Signed. Now Comes the Part that Many Organizations Skip.

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MOLLY BRENNAN, Global Managing Partner and Practice Leader,
Nonprofit and Social Impact

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Boards and committees invest months and significant resources into hiring a CEO. But there is vital work that is required after you get the “yes” to safeguard the new hire and ensure that the next leader is around for the long-term: onboarding.

A strong foundation at the CEO’s onset decreases the risk of a premature exit, lessens the possibility of a difficult first year on the job, and increases the likelihood of the strategic momentum that is afforded by a leadership change. The first six to 12 months set patterns that are hard to reverse: who the CEO trusts, how staff and board respond to them, whether donors stay through the change, and how clear the leader is about what’s expected of them. When done well, onboarding takes all of what is often left unsaid and brings it to light, creating a clear path to success and laying the groundwork for a long-term, successful tenure.

Below are five keys to a successful onboarding process. These steps all take extra time and commitment from board members and other senior leaders, but it is time well spent.

1. Build relationships deliberately

Invest in the chair-CEO partnership. Set a standing weekly or biweekly check-in for the first six months and talk explicitly about how you will work together: what should be brought to the board, how decisions are made, and how you will handle disagreement. Partnerships thrive when assumptions are said out loud.

Give every board member time with the CEO. Schedule one-on-ones in the first 60 days. Board members should come prepared to share why they serve, where they see opportunities, what they worry about, and what they intend to contribute. The CEO walks away from this with a map of the board’s expertise, networks, and perspectives.

Open your networks. Build a list of the community leaders, peers, partners, and funders the CEO should meet in year one, and assign each introduction to the board member best positioned to make it. A warm introduction from you carries weight that a newcomer’s cold email does not.

Give the CEO time and space to connect with the team. Encourage a listening period, site visits, time with frontline staff, and conversations with the communities you serve, but let the new CEO determine how best to build relationships with the team. At the first board meeting, ask for observations and questions, not a finished plan, to send the signal that this learning period is valuable, iterative, and collaborative.

Close the back channels. Staff with long-standing board relationships may keep using them in place of going to the new leader. Redirect those conversations, kindly and clearly. Few things undermine a new leader faster than staff learning they can go around them.

2. Get fundraising moving early

Donors pay close attention to transitions. A leadership change is a natural moment for them to quietly reconsider their support and, when handled well, it is s a natural moment to deepen their commitment.

Map and hand off key relationships. With the CEO and development lead, identify your top 25 to 50 donors and funders and note who holds each relationship now. If the outgoing CEO is available, ask for personal introductions before they go. Otherwise, the board and staff members closest to each donor should step in to facilitate a relationship transfer.

Show up and listen. A board member standing alongside the CEO at donor meetings signals continuity. Small gatherings in board members’ homes often build deeper connections than a large welcome event. Keep early meetings focused on learning what donors care about and establishing relationships that lead to future commitments.

Lead by example on giving. Board giving, ideally at full participation, should be settled before your CEO sits across from a major donor.

Define development success realistically. Gift cycles are long. Collaborate on clear goals and outcomes for their first year, which should include a focus on relationships and retention and may be less about new dollars in the door.

3. Focus on the person behind the title

Support the personal aspects of transitioning into a new role. Whether it is a relocation, a new commute, or other adjustment, a new role impacts the individual behind the job and their life outside of work. Check in to see they have what they need and make it clear their well-being is important inside of and outside of, work. If your CEO has relocated, consider whether it’s appropriate to get to know their family, what community introductions and resources make sense or your advice on the best weekend breakfast in town. A new CEO thrives when their family settles in successfully, and there is much a board can do to help.

4. Establish regular check-ins and goals with structure

Schedule check-ins at 90 days and six months to ask what is working and what isn’t. Do they need administrative support to help with scheduling? Are they having trouble connecting with a specific staff or board member? Is there a donor at risk? Ask specific questions and brainstorm solutions together.

Set clear, measurable goals together. Goals that are handed down need buy-in. But goals that are co-created and set up for early, medium, and long-term achievements create a series of wins that the new leader and the whole team can build on. Establish and document clear goals for 30, 60, and 90 days, which will likely be primarily focused on learning, listening, and relationship building. Then collaborate on goals for the rest of their first year, and monitor progress during your regular check-ins.

5. Commit for the long haul

Selecting the right CEO is just half of the equation. How you support them during the first year in the role is the second half, and it’s critical for long-term success. Board members who commit real time and attention to this key phase protect the organization’s investment and see it pay off in measurable impact.

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OCTOBER 20, 2026

Molly Brennan, Global Managing Partner and Practice Lead, Nonprofit and Social Impact Practice