What does it actually take for a nonprofit to go from good to great?
That question was at the heart of a year-long partnership between the Nonprofit Leadership Center and the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg. The Foundation selected 20 nonprofit organizations serving South St. Petersburg to receive grant funding to improve health outcomes by building their capacity. Because building capacity requires more than money, the Nonprofit Leadership Center conducted an organizational assessment for each nonprofit to identify its strengths and opportunities for growth.
Using TCC Group’s Core Capacity Assessment Tool (CCAT), we worked with each organization as a certified CCAT facilitator to assess its ability to deliver its mission now and in the future. The CCAT is an online, survey-based assessment tool that consists of 146 questions and takes leaders and board members about 30 to 45 minutes to complete. It analyzes strengths and challenges in nearly 40 categories and provides recommendations to increase organizational effectiveness and long-term success.
After working alongside 20 local nonprofits and conducting a CCAT for each, six common themes emerged.
Keeping Leaders Is a Top Concern
Across our assessments, every nonprofit was deeply mission-driven and community-centered, doing remarkable work with lean teams and limited infrastructure.
Several organizations rely heavily on just a few leaders to fuel their mission. Though this signals a high level of trust and commitment, reliance on one or two individuals alone is also a vulnerability at the leadership level. Passion and purpose carry organizations far, but leadership sustainability consistently surfaced as a pressing concern.
The latest data from Florida Nonprofit Alliance echoes this trend. During 2025, 11% of organizations experienced a CEO/executive director change, and more than 25% expect leadership transitions within the next few years.
What to do: To equip leaders to confidently lead in an ever-changing sector, we offer two opportunities to invest in their success. Our Certificate in Leadership provides new managers with the essential management and leadership skills they need, while our Certificate in Nonprofit Management at The University of Tampa is a graduate program for aspiring C-suite leaders.
Nonprofits Are Hungry to Use Data Better
Leaders shared a strong desire to use data more effectively. Nonprofits work hard to collect data, and they want it to guide important decision-making and communicate impact to their donors and communities. But the challenge to do so often lies in capacity.
Many organizations simply don’t have the systems, tools, or staff to collect and use data well. The good news is that meaningful progress in this area can start small, with simple upgrades in data governance.
What to do: Watch our free webinar, Better Data, Better Decisions: How to Get Your Nonprofit Organized, for simple, actionable steps to organize your nonprofit’s data to make better decisions.
Systems Are Indispensable
Another pattern that emerged from our capacity assessments was that technology, financial systems, and people practices are essential enablers of long-term impact. These can be treated as administrative afterthoughts — things you’ll get to once the “real work” gets done — but our cohort’s experience tells a different story.
When nonprofits build strong foundations in these essential areas, programs run more smoothly, staff feel more supported, and leaders can focus their energy on areas that need it most. When these foundations are weak or overlooked, everything else gets more difficult.
What to do: Audit one system this quarter. Whether it’s your onboarding process, financial reporting, or technology stack, identify one improvement you can make in the next 30 days.
Board Engagement is Critical
Board engagement, particularly regarding clarity of roles and financial oversight, surfaced as another critical lever for organizational health. Boards that understand their job and embrace it well are powerful partners. When board members are unclear on their roles and expectations, or are disengaged from their responsibilities, they can unintentionally hold an organization back.
What to do: If you’re looking to strengthen your board’s confidence and clarity, the Nonprofit Leadership Center’s Certificate in Board Governance is a great place to start.
Peer Learning is Powerful
Perhaps the most powerful takeaway across all 20 nonprofits was the role of learning alongside peers. And, it’s the one that surprised leaders the most.
Leaders consistently praised the value of learning from other organizations facing similar challenges. There’s something freeing about hearing another leader say, “We’re working through that, too.” Struggles that feel personal start to seem normal. The weight lifts. What felt like a sign of failure starts to look like a shared condition of the work.
Beyond the emotional relief, peer learning surfaces practical solutions that have already been tested and builds relationships rooted in trust and shared goals. When nonprofits don’t view each other as competition, everyone achieves more.
What to do: Seek out structured peer learning opportunities in your community. The Nonprofit Leadership Center’s peer roundtables connect professionals in similar roles in facilitated, ongoing peer groups designed for exactly this kind of exchange. We have groups for CFOs, HR leaders, fundraising leaders, CEOs/executive directors and middle management. See our event calendar for upcoming roundtables.
Capacity Building Is an Ongoing Investment
If there’s one thing this cohort reaffirmed, it’s that capacity building is not a one-time intervention. It’s a constant investment in people, systems, and relationships. That investment pays dividends not just to your individual organization, but also strengthens the nonprofit ecosystem as a whole.
Every leader who grows in knowledge, confidence, and skill creates a ripple effect. Stronger teams and healthier boards lead to more sustainable programs and ultimately deeper impact in the communities we all serve.
Curious Where Your Organization Stands?
The Nonprofit Leadership Center is proud to be a certified CCAT facilitator. Whether you’re navigating a leadership transition, planning for future growth, or just ready to invest in what’s next, the CCAT can help you start the right conversations with your team and board.
Learn more about the CCAT and contact us to explore implementing the process at your organization.
