Sample Succession Plan

Leadership Transitions

TCA Tool-kit 62

Sample Succession Plan

Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers

organization's success. Therefore, insuring that the functions of the executive director are well-

understood and even shared among senior staff and volunteer leaders is important for safeguarding

the organization against unplanned and unexpected change. This kind of risk management is

equally helpful in facilitating a smooth leadership transition when it is predictable and planned.

This document outlines a leadership development and emergency succession plan for the

Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers. This plan reflects ABAG's Executive Succession Policy

and its commitment to sustaining a healthy functioning organization. The purpose of this plan is to

insure that the organization's leadership has adequate information and a strategy to effectively

manage ABAG in the event the executive director is unable to fulfill her duties.

• It is the responsibility of the Executive Director to inform the Board of Directors of a

planned temporary or short-term absence, and to plan accordingly.

• It is the responsibility of the Strategic Initiatives Director to immediately inform the Board

Chair of an unplanned temporary or short-term absence.

• As soon as feasible, following notification of an unplanned temporary or short-term

absence, the Board President shall convene an Executive Committee meeting to affirm the

procedures prescribed in this plan, or to modify them if needed.

Among the duties listed in the position description, the following are considered to be the key

functions of the Executive Director and have a corresponding temporary staffing strategy (see

Section #3 for further guidance about temporary staffing).