Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice

Advisor

Gina Peyton

Committee Member

Gloria Kieley

Committee Member

Kimberly Durham

Keywords

Nonprofits, Not-For-Profit, Non-profit, Best Practices, Grassroots, Lived Experiences, Managerialism, Leadership

Abstract

As the inception of nonprofit organizations are continually on the rise, best practices regarding the organization’s leadership, overall operations, and mission and vision alignment are seldom discussed, especially in the context of organizations in the United States. The purpose of this study was to obtain the lived experiences of nonprofit leaders to identify challenges and best practices of leading a nonprofit organization.

This researcher used a generic qualitative approach to explore the lived experiences, knowledge, and interactions of nonprofit leaders via semi-structured researcher-designed interview questions. The target population included 10-12 nonprofit leaders who have operated a nonprofit organization that had been in existence for at least 1 year and whose organizations were financially sustainable. The methodology involved conducting a thematic analysis of the participant’s recorded responses, revealing patterns and major themes across research questions. Results revealed six patterns, three for each research question and two overarching themes. These themes included actionable behaviors that lend themselves to the perspectives of nonprofit leaders such that they rely on them for the sustainability of their organizations, and that nonprofit organizational leaders must avoid mission drift, build meaningful relationships that facilitate more informed decision making, and ensure organizational longevity through analyzing community impact. Based on the findings of this research, it was recommended that leaders of nonprofits be experienced and well-versed in multiple business practices to increase their organization’s impact across the community. It was also recommended that they familiarize themselves with other leaders’ perspectives and operational standards to guide them in their decision-making abilities as they pursue their mission and the sustainability of their respective organizations.

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