We Must Prioritize Nonprofit Leaders’ Rest and Healing, and Here Are Some Cool Funders Doing That

Our sector is complicated. On one hand, this work is fulfilling and meaningful and it is a privilege to be able to do it. On the other hand, it can be soul-crushingly stressful. It consumes us, demanding more and more, constantly taking. It takes our sleep. It takes our health. It ruins our natural good looks, leaving us many of us with sunken eyes and a general haunted visage accompanied by a pervasive scent of ink toner and despair. And this was before the pandemic; the past three years have been even worse.

Which is why it’s so important that there are funders who are paying attention, who understand that taking care of individual leaders is vital to our sector. There are tons of research now proving how beneficial sabbaticals are. Here’s a report from TSNE that shows that sabbaticals increase leadership skills among both leaders taking them as well as those who step up during their colleagues’ absence; governance is improved; leaders come back with fresh ideas and energy for their work; and funders benefit from the knowledge and connections gained.

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