Free kit · Leadership and transition
Succession and Transition Plan Kit: free succession plan template in Word and PDF
Get your board ready for the day your executive director leaves, planned or not. The kit holds an emergency plan for a sudden absence, a yearly review of who could step into each critical role, a five-phase transition plan that runs to the new leader's first 90 days, a handover checklist and the announcements.
Word and PDF · 16 pages · For board chairs and executive directors
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What is inside
- Emergency succession plan. Who steps in during a sudden absence, what they may sign and decide, and the steps for the first 48 hours.
- Leadership bench review. A yearly look at the roles you cannot run without, who could cover each, and a five-line bench scorecard.
- Executive director transition plan. Five phases with an owner, a backup and a date for every step, including the founder's role after leaving.
- Handover checklist. Documents, logins, relationships and how things really work, ending in a one-page memo for the next leader.
- Transition announcements. Who hears the news and in what order, the answers to agree first, and drafts for staff, funders and the public.
How to use it
- Now: the executive director drafts the emergency plan (Form A) in an afternoon, and the board approves it.
- Each year: the executive director and senior staff review the bench (Form B), and the board checks every name in Form A.
- When a departure is known: a transition committee of three to five board members runs the five phases (Form C).
- Before the last day: the departing executive director, or the interim, works through the handover checklist (Form D).
- One to two weeks after the private planning: the board chair tells everyone in the agreed order (Form E).
Questions
Is the kit free?
Yes. Enter your name, email and organization once, and every kit in the library opens on this browser.
Can I edit it?
Yes. The Word file is fully editable: add your own roles, names and dates, set the authority limits and rewrite the announcements in your board's voice.
Does it work in Google Docs?
Yes. Upload the Word file to Google Drive and open it with Google Docs; the tables and ruled lines carry over.
Can I share it inside my organization?
Yes. Copy it, adapt it and share it with your board and staff.
Read the guide
- Succession Planning While Thriving: Why the Best EDs Plan Their Exit
- Executive Director Transition Plan Template for Nonprofit Boards
- From Founder to Executive Director: The Transition Guide for Nonprofit Leaders
- When Leadership Changes: How Transition Coaching Transforms Nonprofit Succession Into Sustainable Success
- How to Assess Your Nonprofit's Leadership Pipeline: A Practical Framework
- Interim Executive Director: A Nonprofit Guide for Boards and Interims
- Announcing a New Executive Director: Templates for Staff, Funders and the Public
More kits for boards
Executive Director Hiring KitJob description, interview questions with a scoring sheet, reference checks, offer letter and employment agreement
Executive Director Evaluation KitForms, a calendar and a development plan for one annual review
First 90 Days Workbook for New Executive DirectorsListening tour, stakeholder map, first board chair meeting and a 30/60/90 day plan
With a leadership transition, the plan is rarely where it goes wrong. The people are. A coach helps a founder let go, and helps a new executive director earn the trust of a board and staff still attached to the last one.
Six sessions of executive coaching: $300, $400 or $600, set by your organization's yearly operating expenses.
