Develop a Succession and Sustainability Plan

After more than a decade of leadership, the co-founders are seeking guidance on developing a thoughtful and sustainable organizational succession plan. This includes exploring options such as merging with another nonprofit and/or building a fundraising strategy to support hiring staff.

Since 2015, the national nonprofit Stop Sexual Assault in Schools (SSAIS) has been a leading voice in educating K-12 students, families, and schools about the right to an education free from sexual harassment. SSAIS is an all-volunteer organization with no paid staff, supported by a board of directors and advisory board.

We are requesting pro bono support to help develop a clear, actionable plan that outlines recommended next steps, potential organizational structures, key roles, and a realistic timeline. We also seek guidance on how to approach and engage in conversations with potential partners or funders.

The specific scope of work and deliverables will be defined collaboratively with skilled volunteers. This support will help ensure SSAIS can sustain and expand its impact for years to come.

This project will help ensure the organization can continue educating students, families, and schools about the right to an education free from sexual harassment by preserving institutional knowledge and enabling a smooth leadership transition.

We have formed a succession committee comprised of the co-founders and advisory board members. In several meetings it has brainstormed possible succession scenarios and prerequisite steps, and we have an initial version of a plan. We have produced a market analysis to better understand our organization’s place among other nonprofits working on prevention, legal advocacy, and community-based victim support. We also have a brief that identifies which elements of our existing work are most strongly supported by research and should be preserved, strengthened, or transferred in any transition. With this context the co-founders and advisory board committee will collaborate with volunteers to refine recommendations and produce an actionable plan SSAIS can pursue after the engagement.