Adam Fazio
Vice President
You just lost your leader. Time to commence a search, right? Maybe not.
When faced with the departure of a leader, many boards’ immediate response is to begin a search. Understandably, they worry about how the organization will continue to serve its mission. However, they may not be ready for a search. Doing so prematurely may not have the positive effect you might expect.
After the departure of a long-tenured executive or founder, it’s common to encounter unresolved challenges or areas that need attention before a new leader can step in and be a visionary leader. Cultural “level setting” may be necessary, especially if the previous leader had a strong personal influence on the organization’s identity. The organization may need time to strengthen internal operations, establish clear policies and procedures, or stabilize and bolster board governance.
Rushing into a permanent hire can create disruption and reduce the chances of the next leader being successful (and sticking around!). Instead, engage an interim leader to provide the breathing room you need to address foundational needs and to ensure the organization is truly ready for its next chapter.
How the Lima Community Foundation used Interim Leadership
In early 2023, the Lima Community Foundation found itself in such a situation. After the passing of its Founder and President, John MacDonell, and the retirement of a long-tenured, part-time Executive Director, the Foundation’s Board of Directors knew they needed to build capacity to prepare for their next chapter. This is how they did it.
Assess
The Lima Community Foundation required a thorough review of its operations, technology, and governance systems. They partnered with Benefactor Group to assess their effectiveness and develop recommendations for long-term growth and stability.
Benefactor Group focused on the following recommendations that would have the greatest near-term transformation.
- Engage the board and expand its membership
- Clarify the Foundation’s identity
- Align on a shared vision for community impact
- Chart a path for growth
Act
This process included reaffirming the Foundation’s mission and vision, establishing core board committees, and answering the essential question: What kind of community foundation do we want to be? A clear, actionable strategic plan was designed to guide future decisions, fundraising efforts, and service to the community.
The recommendations touched on four core areas: Culture, People, Technology, and Process, and led to the following results.
- A reinforced culture of philanthropy, transparency, and inquiry
- Staffing levels and roles aligned to the Foundation’s size and goals
- Implemented efficient and scalable technologies
- Strengthened internal processes, including updated policies and consistent communication practices
The Foundation built capacity, reinforced governance, and deepened its impact.
The Role of an Interim Leader
Before launching the search for a permanent Executive Director, the Foundation partnered with Benefactor Group to place an interim leader who could guide the organization through this critical period of transition. The interim leader was charged with implementing the agreed upon changes aimed at modernizing operations and strengthening the Foundation’s long-term capacity. This included transitioning to an online fund management system, implementing new fund policies, and developing a comprehensive investment policy. These initiatives required focus, coordination, and deep stakeholder engagement. Stabilization is key to addressing significant operational changes and to the successful onboarding and retention of a permanent Executive Director.
The demands of learning the organization’s culture, building relationships, and establishing leadership credibility are considerable on their own. Adding in the complexity of strategic change and internal restructuring could have overwhelmed even the most capable new hire.
An interim leader can move this work forward, ensuring the essential changes are made efficiently and effectively to create a stable, well-organized environment for the permanent Executive Director to step into.
Increasing stakeholder communication and engagement was important to establishing transparency and confidence in the Lima Community Foundation’s vision for growth. Hosting the Foundation’s first annual meeting since the passing of its founder, John MacDonell, and engaging an outsourced accounting partner to improve internal controls were further steps that not only honored the past but prepared the organization for a stronger, more sustainable future.
Results
In fall 2023, the board of the Lima Community Foundation was ready to embark on a search for a permanent Executive Director. Given the Foundation’s complex operational needs, small staff, and community-driven mission, the Executive Director role required a leader with a sophisticated understanding of financial management, donor stewardship, and organizational operations, who also possessed deep relationships in the region. Benefactor Group is proud to have supported the search that led to the selection of Robin Frazier as the organization’s permanent Executive Director.
Robin brought a wealth of experience in the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, with extensive volunteer leadership experience as a board member and acting Executive Director of community-impact organizations in the Greater Cincinnati and Lima regions. Accustomed to working in organizations in transition through her interim leadership work, Robin was prepared to take the reins and lead the Foundation into its next chapter.
“Having an interim leader gave the Foundation time to stabilize and make important changes. When I stepped in, the groundwork was already laid, which made it easier to focus on moving forward and building on that progress.”
Robin hit the ground running and, soon after starting her role, in partnership with the Foundation’s Board of Directors, the City of Lima, and a dedicated committee of volunteers, embarked on an ambitious project that would increase funds under management at the Foundation to support the health and well-being of Lima residents. This project, the Lima Community Aquatic Park Fund, sought to endow a fund, held at the Lima Community Foundation, to support the ongoing operating costs of a new public pool in the City of Lima.
A year later, the Lima Community Aquatic Park Fund is nearing its campaign goal and construction is well underway. Expected to open in early summer 2025, the complex will provide a valuable resource for recreation and physical activity for Lima residents and offer opportunities for integration into Lima City Schools physical education and athletics programs.
The Lima Community Foundation’s successful transition is a powerful example of how thoughtful planning and strategic interim leadership can lay the groundwork for lasting impact.
By addressing operational needs head-on and creating space for the permanent Executive Director to step into a stable, forward-looking organization, the Foundation is now better positioned to grow its reach and deepen its impact in the community.
This success story highlights the value of investing in the right leadership at the right time. If your organization is preparing for or met with an unplanned leadership transition and wants to ensure a strong foundation for future growth, we invite you to connect with us to explore how interim solutions can help you move forward with confidence.
About Lima Community Foundation
Since 1965, the Lima Community Foundation has committed to making the Lima/Allen County region a better place by connecting people who care with causes that matter. As an umbrella organization for dozens of nonprofits, the Foundation effectively facilitates the use of philanthropic resources to best meet the needs of its community.
