How our work as strategic advisors creates courage and clarity
How are you? What is giving you courage and hope in these times?
One of the words we are hearing again and again over the past 18 months is unprecedented. Many of us have not previously seen anything like the destructiveness taking place at the federal level, including funding cuts, targeting of immigrants, and attacks on the nonprofit sector.
If you are feeling any or all of this, you are hardly alone.
A new study found that a record 46% (!!) of nonprofit CEOs are concerned about burnout in their role. Why? These leaders are feeling the pressure of insufficient or insecure funding, and reported that since January 2025, they’ve experienced:
increased demand for services (73%),
concerns about the well-being or safety of those the organization seeks to help (65%),
pressure to reframe how their work is being described (48%),
concerns about the staff or board’s well-being or safety (38%), and
legal challenges related to the people or issues affected by their work (37%).
Okay, that feels like a lot. (Because it is.) Deep breath!
How we, as strategic advisors, support leaders
Given all of this, much of which we’re hearing directly from the leaders we work with, we have been thinking about how to best support leaders now.
Here’s the thing: We don’t have a map of what exactly is going to emerge. No one does. And, our work has never been about telling you where you need to go.
We offer something else that our clients find increasingly valuable: We join leaders on the journey and help you—your staff and board team—uncover a clear direction forward.
ID: a pink person holds hands with an orange person and points the way towards a blue green landscape with a light green path
Supporting leaders to find the way
We are wayfinders, supporting leaders to zoom back, get real about where you are, consider the options, and take focused, aligned next steps.
What does this look like in practice?
Several current and past clients initially reached out seeking facilitation of a day-long board strategic planning retreat. The retreat energized board members and created board investment in the need for an organizational strategic plan. So we worked with leaders through facilitation of a strategic planning process for the staff and board team. We continue to support these organizations through succession planning or yearly implementation planning support.
We facilitate a board development retreat, including six months of coaching for the executive director to implement the work discussed at the board retreat as well as work through other challenges.
A key idea explored in Inclusive Strategic Planning for Nonprofits is that strategic planning is an ongoing process. As strategic advisors, we walk alongside leaders to bring the vision of a strategic plan to life through expected and unexpected changes and challenges.
Our three strengths: process, knowledge, and compassion
At The Ross Collective, we pride ourselves on being exceptional at three distinct things that make us good at our job:
We are process experts. We’re seasoned facilitators who have led hundreds of meetings and continually get feedback about our work in an effort to improve.
We have decades of knowledge about how nonprofits work, including lifecycle, finance, leadership, culture, and equity.
And we bring compassion to this work, understanding how hard it is for leaders right now.
We work with leaders to find many options that will support your work—including alignment from your team—while also having the compassion to uncover the obstacles and barriers to that work. Throughout the process, we serve as thought partners and guides.
Are you seeking a strategic advisor?
If this sounds like the kind of support you need as you engage in strategic planning, implementation planning, succession planning or other work in these times, reach out. You do not have to find your way on your own. We are in your corner - and walking alongside you on the path.