FUNDERS
Build Stronger Leaders.
Strengthen the Whole Sector.
Support new Executive Directors to lead with confidence and set their organizations up for long-term success.
The ED Academy is a 12-month program designed specifically for new Executive Directors of small to mid-sized organizations. Designed to be “a mile wide and an inch deep”, it offers practical training, coaching, mentorship, and real-time tools that help new leaders step confidently into their roles and build lasting systems that strengthen their organizations.
This is more than leadership training. The ED Academy strengthens both the leader and their organization. EDs leave with the systems, blueprints, and confidence to lead high-functioning organizations.
For funders and regional partners who care about community impact, ED Academy is a simple way to ensure the organizations you support are equipped to do the work — now and into the future.
Why Supporting EDs Matters
Nonprofits are solving society’s toughest problems. Yet we know:
The role of the Executive Director is enormous. They are expected to do it all: finance, HR, strategy, fundraising, governance, and more, often without training, too few resources, and too little time.
Burnout is common, and turnover is high. The demands of the role outpace the support available, leading to frequent leadership changes.
Organizational instability follows: high turnover creates chaos and lost momentum. Without stable leadership and solid systems, nonprofits struggle to stay on mission.
Leadership turnover is inevitable — but organizational chaos doesn’t have to be.
If you're investing in the not-for-profit sector:
ED Academy is a proven way to strengthen leadership and stabilize organizations across your region, with minimal lift for your team and maximum impact for the sector.
This program helps ensure:
➡️ The work you fund gets done
➡️ Communities are served
➡️ Leaders are supported and appropriately trained
➡️ Public and philanthropic dollars are well spent
➡️ Compliance isn’t an afterthought
Investing in Executive Directors is investing in impact. When EDs are supported, organizations are stronger, more resilient, and better equipped to deliver on the missions you care about most.
“Having our Executive Director join the ED Academy is the best thing that has happened to our organization since we were formed."
— Board Member
More Than Leadership Development
The ED Academy doesn’t just build leadership—it builds organizational infrastructure.
Graduates leave the program with:
Confidence and systems to lead strong, stable organizations.
Organizational blueprints that outlast any one leader––including an Annual Operating Plan, Annual Budget, Board Calendar, and ED Manual (or what we call Peace of Mind Planning).
A trusted network of peers who get it––reminding these leaders they’re not alone in the work.
A personal burnout-prevention plan and stronger boundaries—extending their tenures, improving quality of life, and strengthening how they lead others.
100+ tools and templates to run their nonprofits better—so leaders aren’t stuck wondering where to start or what they might need.
Strategic clarity—gained by stepping outside the daily grind and immediate demands to think strategically, plan ahead, and organize for the future.
A stronger organization, with the capacity to sustain impact well into the future.
“Participants are grateful to have a place for support and resources. Boards tell us how helpful it’s been to their organizations and funders, and the government sees it as essential.”
— Andrea MacDonald
VP, Community Impact Strategy, United Way Maritimes
What Makes ED Academy Different?
Unlike post-secondary non-profit leadership programs, ED Academy is purpose-built specifically for current Executive Directors of small to mid-sized nonprofits. Its mission is to strengthen the non-profit sector by strengthening leaders and their organizations.
Built specifically for the sector—not borrowed from the business world.
Focuses on both the leader and the organization by building internal systems and plans that strengthen the organization, whether the ED stays or moves on.
Designed specifically for new EDs—not students, managers, or aspiring EDs. This is for current, active EDs.
Immediate, practical support—responding to what EDs need right now. Whether it’s audit season or a call for funding proposals, we deliver the training and tools when they matter most.
Partner-delivered—we handle the heavy lifting, you provide support and reach.
Trauma-informed, equity-grounded, and community-focused.
“The ED Academy has been a great help to me as a new leader in the sector. I love the group conversations, the tools and resources, and the opportunity to meet with the facilitator on a regular basis. I feel really supported."
— ED Academy Participant
Built for Busy Leaders
New Executive Directors are expected to lead the big picture and manage the day-to-day — strategy, staff, fundraising, governance, and more. They are generalists by necessity. But many step into the role with a lingering fear:
“What if I don’t even know what I don’t know?”
That fear is valid. In small and mid-sized organizations, a gap in knowledge can have serious consequences—not just for operations, but for the communities those organizations serve.
The ED Academy was built as a practical antidote to that uncertainty. Designed to be “a mile wide and an inch deep,” the program gives new EDs a clear sense of the breadth of their role, the foundational knowledge they need, and the confidence to lead well.
To explore the program in more detail, including core topic areas, delivery format, cohort structure, and what participants can expect, visit our Program Overview page.
Who We Are—and Who We Partner With
We are SRL Solutions, a consulting and training company that empowers nonprofit leaders with practical skills, strategies, resources, and tailored support to thrive in a complex sector and create sustainable impact.
Founder and creator Sara Roach-Lewis is a seasoned organizational strategist with over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. Having served on boards and in multiple staff roles, including as an Executive Director, Sara understands firsthand the challenges leaders face. She created the ED Academy to provide the kind of practical, tailored support she wants every ED to have from day one. Learn more about SRL Solutions <here>.
We partner with anchor organizations that care deeply about the not-for-profit sector in their region, including:
United Way chapters and foundations
Government departments and sector funders
Regional conveners and philanthropic collaborators
If you’re responsible for strengthening the sector where you live and work, ED Academy is a ready-to-go, high-impact way to do just that.
Let’s Strengthen
the Sector Together!
Big missions need strong foundations. Let’s make sure nonprofits have the leadership and infrastructure they need to do the work they need to do.
📥 download info sheet