What makes a great nonprofit leader?

We talked with AmPhil CEO Chris Kuetemeyer about what helps a mission succeed and what strong nonprofit leaders have in common.

After working with hundreds of organizations ranging from a few hundred thousand dollars in revenue to organizations raising tens of millions, Chris has identified four leadership lessons that stand out time and time again.

These lessons that he shares are clear and practical, so that any nonprofit leaders can start using them right away.

Lesson 1: Build Trust Through Character and Competence

The very first lesson in good nonprofit leadership is trust and follow-through.

It's who you are and what you deliver. 

This means that leaders must do what they say they’ll do, deliver on promises, and report honestly on how donor funds are used. 

"Trust… be a person of integrity that people can count on, and also the kind of person who delivers results. If you say you’ll do something with donor funds, follow through."

And, as Chris points out, reliability matters at every level:

Clients and communities: Even when services are free, people want consistency. They want reliable services. They want what they signed up for.

Staff: Broken promises erode team morale and can increase turnover. Leaders who fail to follow through risk losing their team’s trust:

Donors: Transparency and accurate reporting build long-term confidence with supporters. Demonstrating that funds were used as intended reassures them that you are a trustworthy person.

Trust is the foundation that builds success in nonprofit leadership from fundraising to strategic development planning. 

Lesson 2: Lead with Transparency That Inspires Action

The second lesson in nonprofit leadership is transparency, which also inspires action.

For example, a nonprofit board can’t support what it doesn’t understand. Transparency begins with clear reporting, as boards have a legal responsibility to know what’s happening with the organization’s finances.

Leaders must make sure that all board members understand exactly what they are being asked to support, as explained in The CEO’s Guide to Board Fundraising Alignment.

And, as difficult as this can be, transparency isn’t just sharing the good news. There is often bad news, and it's important to be straight with your team and your board. Not everything is rosy. 

“If all you ever say is ‘things are great,’ you’ll lose trust when they’re not.
But you can’t bring transparency in a ‘the roof is falling’ way. You have to be a 
strategic and bold encourager.”

A lot of nonprofits also wish their boards were more active in fundraising, but many leaders do not clearly explain that expectation upfront. See How to Engage Board Members from Day One for strategies.

Fundraising is uncomfortable for most people; even highly successful board members often haven’t learned how to ask their friends for money.

That’s why leaders should create clear, easy “on-ramps” for board involvement instead of assuming that experience equals comfort.

When CEOs lead with transparency and hope, boards can align, engage, and help turn strategy into real results for the organization.

Lesson 3: Treat Time as Your Most Valuable Resource

An alarming number of nonprofit leaders don't realize how valuable their time is.

Chris points out that leaders often spend 10% or less of their time on fundraising, even though it’s a big part of their role. Really good nonprofit leaders treat fundraising like sales and marketing in a business, investing 30% or more of their time to build relationships and results.

“Time is your most valuable asset. If you’re not spending at least 30% of it on fundraising, you’re not investing in your mission. Do important things before they become urgent."

Time mismanagement shows up in a few ways:

• Underinvesting in fundraising
• Adding new activities without considering how much time they take
• Waiting until fundraising becomes urgent.

It's key to remember that urgent does not mean important.

Staff needs and urgent notes will always come to you, but important things like investing in your donor relationships will not.

Take care of important things before they become urgent. 

It can also be helpful for leaders to think about time as a cost, just like money. Every new program, event, or initiative requires time, and it’s easy to underestimate how much it will stretch a team.

By careful planning and good time management, leaders can focus on what matters most and avoid being constantly pulled in too many directions.

Lesson 4: Meet People Where They Are

This brings us to our final leadership lesson: meeting people where they are. This is an extremely important habit to build as a nonprofit leader since leaders work with many different people.

Donors, board members, and staff all come to the table with different experiences, comfort levels, and expectations. It's important for nonprofit leaders to recognize that not every person operates at the same level or with the same knowledge. Effective nonprofit leaders recognize those differences and adjust how they lead.

Some people need clear steps. Others need encouragement. Some are ready to take action, and others need time to learn. Leading everyone the same way doesn’t work. Leadership is more effective when it starts with where people are right now.

This kind of leadership helps people grow. It builds confidence, reduces burnout, and creates better results over time.

Leadership Turns Strategy Into Results

You don't need to do everything perfectly as a nonprofit leader, but these lessons will set you on the right track to being a better leader for your organization. Trust, transparency, time management, and meeting people where they are. These habits will help you rise to the top.

When leaders lean into these four disciplines consistently, “that’s where leaders see the biggest difference.” Relationships improve, teams grow stronger, and your mission moves forward. 

Learn how AmPhil partners with nonprofit leaders to turn sound strategy into concrete results.