A Real Look at Nonprofit Leadership Burnout

April 15, 2025

Nonprofit leaders, let’s get one thing straight: If you’re overwhelmed, it probably doesn’t mean you’re failing; it probably means you’re experiencing nonprofit leadership burnout.

Because when you’re running a nonprofit, “overwhelmed” is often the baseline. And burnout is the part no one talks about until it’s too late.

The Real Problem Isn’t You

I talk to executive directors all the time who feel like they’re barely keeping it together. They’re fundraising for their own salaries, managing internal staff drama, navigating board dynamics, and trying to squeeze in a strategic planning session between answering 157 emails and fixing the copier jam. Again.

Been. There.

And the worst part? Many of them think it’s their fault.

So let me be clear: This isn’t about your ability to lead. It’s about the impossible expectations that come with the role — and the total lack of support so many leaders experience when they get there. That’s where burnout quietly creeps in.

The Weight You’re Carrying

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone:

You’re doing the work of five people with a budget that barely covers two.
Your board wants more fundraising but offers little support.
Donors want constant updates.
Your staff needs professional development…and so do you.
Everyone expects you to keep smiling while keeping it all afloat.

This is exactly how nonprofit leadership burnout shows up. Not in a dramatic collapse — but in the slow erosion of your time, energy, and confidence.

What If It Didn’t Have to Be This Way?

Here’s the good news: you don’t have to keep white-knuckling your way through leadership.

Executive coaching isn’t about “fixing” you. It’s about giving you space to think clearly, plan strategically, and lead sustainably — and with someone who actually understands the nonprofit world, because they’ve lived it.

At mkw+co, I work with nonprofit leaders who are doing all the things and need a thought partner who gets it. Whether it’s board dynamics, fundraising strategy, or just carving out time to breathe and think again, we walk through it together.

And that’s how you prevent nonprofit leadership burnout before it pushes you (and your mission) off course.