Are today’s CEOs prepared for what
comes next?
As expectations rise and leadership transitions accelerate, foundation boards and executives are faced with a growing challenge to ensure that leaders are equipped to meet the demands of tomorrow – not the expectations of the past.
Our new research, The Future-Ready Foundation Leadership Index (FRLI) introduces a data-driven framework identifying the eight competencies most critical to leading foundations with impact in the years ahead.
Explore the report to gain a clearer view of what future-ready leadership requires and how your organization can assess current leaders, develop internal talent, and strengthen its leadership pipeline before the future demands it.
Strategies Designed for the Future of Philanthropy
Inside the research
you’ll discover:
Leadership competencies most critical for future foundation CEO success
The behaviors and leadership characteristics associated with sustained executive effectiveness
Emerging trends reshaping philanthropic leadership
Practical implications for
CEO succession planning and
executive development
Explore what’s shaping the next era of leadership in your sector!
Download White Paper
The Leadership Challenge Facing Philanthropy
The demands placed on foundation CEOs have changed significantly, while many leadership selection, assessment, and development practices remain anchored in a prior era.
Tenure, institutional familiarity, functional expertise, and past performance still matter, but they are no longer sufficient indicators of readiness for the complexity ahead.
At the same time, a wave of CEO transitions is revealing a critical leadership gap. Many organizations have not clearly
defined what future-ready leadership looks like or built the succession pipeline needed to sustain mission and impact.
33%
of foundation CEOs expect to transition within the next two years
22%
of these transitioning CEOs are planning to leave the nonprofit sector entirely
72%
of nonprofit organizations report that they are not adequately prepared for CEO succession
Explore the “Impact Eight” Competencies:
Anticipates shifts in societal needs, policies, community needs, and public expectations, and sets a clear direction that concentrates resources on the highest-value opportunities, ensuring the foundation remains relevant and positioned to deliver meaningful results over time.
Shapes outcomes beyond the organization by influencing community leaders, policymakers, and partners and by building coalitions that align resources, reduce fragmentation, and scale solutions to complex social challenges.
Delivers measurable progress on mission by establishing clear outcomes, tracking performance with discipline, and ensuring that capital and effort produce tangible results in an environment of increasing scrutiny and constrained resources.
Makes timely, well-calibrated decisions when information is incomplete and stakes are high, balancing mission ambition, reputational risk, and stakeholder expectations while sustaining forward progress.
Enables the board to make informed, forward-looking decisions by clarifying priorities, framing tradeoffs, and aligning governance with evolving strategic and societal demands.
Builds leadership capacity and shared ownership by aligning leaders and teams around clear priorities and expectations, enabling consistent execution and strengthening the organization’s ability to deliver results through others over time.
Builds and sustains trust with communities, partners, and donors by consistently acting with transparency, ethical discipline, and sound judgment, reinforcing the foundation’s credibility and license to operate.
Sustains performance, focus, and effectiveness over time despite ongoing ambiguity, stakeholder demands, and resource constraints, providing stability in sector-facing leadership burnout and high turnover.
Erica Grant
Principal and Lead Researcher, Foundation Research and Leadership Initiative
Erica is a seasoned organization transformation and executive talent advisor with deep experience helping nonprofit and mission-driven organizations strengthen leadership effectiveness, build resilient operating models, and accelerate organizational performance. She specializes in nonprofit leadership, organizational effectiveness, and workforce strategy, partnering with Boards and executive teams to translate research and strategic insights into practical solutions that strengthen leadership, build organizational capability, and drive lasting impact.
Let’s Continue the Conversation
Connect with our team to learn how research-driven leadership insights can strengthen CEO succession, executive assessment, and development to build future-ready leaders.
