Navigating Leadership In Times of Crisis
Nonprofit Townhall - Event Recap
On Tuesday, May 20, 2025, the Purpose Possible Mid Atlantic team and DC Collaborative held a Nonprofit Town Hall titled “Navigating Leadership In Times of Crisis” at the DC Action office in Logan Circle, DC. The event included a networking breakfast and panel discussion with nonprofit leaders eager to share their perspectives on how to navigate fiscal uncertainty, burnout, program sustainability, and communications.
Our panel moderator, Alorie Clark, along with panelists Kim Perry, Rebecca Lemos-Otero, and Brianne Dornbush, generously shared timely insights on the state of their organizations and the broader nonprofit sector in the DC area. Their engaging discussion highlighted the District's challenges, particularly how ongoing uncertainty around Congressional oversight continues to hinder nonprofits' critical work.
As we discussed the tough decisions ahead, both panelists and audience members expressed hesitance about initiating challenging conversations with their teams, leadership, and boards. Despite the road ahead, attendees were encouraged to continue to be innovative and creative – look beyond the nonprofit sector to explore models from other industries to help their organizations transition to more sustainable operational approaches.
While there were several “aha” moments, there were a few key takeaways that are relevant for organizations of any size:
Nonprofit leaders are resilient, innovative, and fiscally responsible. Nonprofit leaders often foster creativity and complex problem-solving in times of turbulence. You have all the tools you need to navigate challenging times.
Rethinking traditional approaches to leadership and problem-solving is okay—and sometimes necessary—to sustain your mission.
Your organizational structure should support your ability to meet the needs of your community, not hinder it. If the organizational structure you have right now no longer serves your work's mission, it is your responsibility to redefine it within a structure that better fits the moment.
Scenario planning is extremely important, not only for the health of your organization but also to guide decision-making, internal and external communications, and, ultimately, strategic planning for the foreseeable future. Having two or three scenario budgets, including the very best and very worst case scenarios, can help leaders make values-aligned and intentional decisions.
Deep listening and transparent sharing with organizational stakeholders, including staff and board members, will be critical to overcoming any tough moments.
The health and well-being of the Executive Director and leadership are paramount to building a culture of rest and restoration. Leadership and staff should be encouraged to take vacations and other time off to tend to themselves and their families.
Thank you to DC Collaborative for co-hosting this event and DC Action for providing a beautiful location for us to convene. We look forward to hosting additional events to continue supporting the sector in the coming year.
