How Beth Wonson & Company Serves Nonprofits
High-functioning nonprofits play a critical role in both holding the fabric of society together and improving the lives of our citizens.
As a company, we believe it’s critically important to value nonprofits and the people who work in them for the integral role they play in solving society's toughest challenges. Without nonprofits, the most vulnerable among us would fall through the cracks, perpetuating cycles of poverty, trauma, addiction, abandonment, and violence in our communities.
Since 1999, Beth Wonson has led, served on boards of, worked in, and consulted with nonprofits nationwide. This extensive experience gives her unique insight into where even the strongest and healthiest nonprofits need to strengthen and focus internally to fulfill their missions.
Beth's dedication to the nonprofit sector is evident through her involvement with Social Venture Philanthropy of Sacramento and Impact 100 of Sacramento. Through these organizations and other channels, Beth ardently advocates for funding to build capacity, strengthen leadership, and ensure sustainability within nonprofits.
GET THE HANDBOOK
Transform the Board/Executive Director Relationship: From Burden to Strategic Partner
A Relationship and Communication Guide for Nonprofit Executive Directors and Board Leadership
I created this booklet for Executive Directors, Nonprofit Leaders and Board Chairs and Directors.
It doesn't matter if you are a current or aspiring Executive Director or a Board Chair, this booklet is filled with strategies and tips to make that work easier on you and those who you serve.
I'm here to help you lead in a courageous and empowering way so your Board can partner effectively in innovation, problem solving, and accountability, all while in service of this mission of the organization.
This booklet is for all the Executive Directors who are working tirelessly to keep your organization on track and sustainable despite the distraction of preparing for meaningful and engaging Board meetings.
This is also for the Board Members who want to do the best job possible for the nonprofit you serve but find Board meetings are more a social gathering than a dedicated time to dive in and support the organization and your ED.
I believe that together we can work smarter, no matter what the world throws at us, to make a difference.
— Beth Wonson
-
A Message from Beth Wonson 1
I Created This Booklet for Nonprofit Leaders and Board Chairs 2
Introduction: You Don't Have to Navigate This Alone 3
The old playbooks aren't working anymore. 3
I get it. That’s why I am sharing my tools and expertise. 3
Reflection Questions 4
Chapter 1: Understanding the Three Growth Phases 5
Phase 1: Start-Up/Launch 5
Phase 2: Growth/Oversight 5
Phase 3: Maturity/Institutional 6
One Nonprofit's Growth Story: Safe Harbor Women's Center 7
Start-Up/Launch Phase: "Kitchen Table to Crisis Line" 7
Growth/Oversight Phase: "Professionalizing with Purpose" 8
Lessons from Safe Harbor's Journey 8
Reflection Questions 10
Chapter 2: Where is Your Organization At? 11
Diagnosing Your Board 11
Be Aware of the Energy You Bring to The Room 12
Self-Assessment: Determine Where Your Board Engagement is Today 13
A Board Success Story 14
Reflection Questions 15
Chapter 3: Facilitating the Transition 16
Finding Your Ally: The Board Chair/Executive Director Partnership 16
Reflection Questions 18
Chapter 4: Building the Board Chair/Executive Director Relationship 19
Building Your Relationship with the Board Chair 20
Starting The Three-Step Transition Process 20
Timeline for Board Transformation 21
Reflection Questions 22
Chapter 5: Using Curiosity for Board Development 23
The Power of Board Coaching 23
Curious Questions and Board Coaching 23
Curious questions with nonprofit Boards: 24
Foundational Norms of Authentic Curiosity with Board Members 25
When to Insert a Great Question During Board Interactions 26
Sample Curious Questions for Nonprofit Board Coaching 27
The Power of Curiosity in Nonprofit Board Governance 29
Building Board Capacity Through Curious Coaching 31
Term Limits Are Your Friend 31
Shifting Focus from Fundraising to Fund Development 32
A Reality Check On Fundraising 35
Reflection Questions 35
Chapter 6: Your Strategic Plan as a Board Engagement Tool 36
Your Strategic Plan is Your Ultimate Tool for: 36
Steps to Take Right Now 36
Reflection Questions 37
Chapter 7: Tools for Structuring and Sustaining Boards that Raise Money 38
Key Questions to Bring Focus to Fund Development and Sustainability 38
Shifting to Fund Development 39
Main Components of a Fund Development Plan 39
Factors that Lead to Fund Development Success 45
Key Differences Between Fund Development and Fundraising 46
Impact on Relationships and Sustainability 46
Integrating Both Fundraising and Fund Development 47
How Focus on Fund Development Shifts Your Boards Focus, Energy and Commitment: 48
Bottom Line 48
Reflection Questions 48
Chapter 8: Your 90-Day Getting Started Checklist 49
Week 0: Prepare Yourself 49
Month 1: Assessment and Preparation 50
Month 2: Building Relationships and Clarity 50
Month 3: Implementation and Momentum 51
This process will ultimately lighten your load. 51
My approach is hands-on, and uniquely effective. 52
Anticipated Outcomes 52
Reflection Questions 53
Wrap Up 53
The real question is how much longer can you carry this alone? 53
Your mission deserves a Board that's truly engaged in moving it forward. 53
Print Length: 53 pages
Published: Sep. 17, 2025
Author: Beth Wonson
Price includes tax. A download link will be emailed to you upon purchase.
“As we are gearing up for an anticipated leadership transition and navigating the ongoing changes in funding streams, Beth Wonson and her Navigating Challenging Dialogue® workshop has been instrumental in supporting our leadership to learn skills for positive, healthy communication - even under stress. Beth has also supported us to think strategically around how we support our Court Appointed Special Advocates and the youth we serve in the dependency and juvenile justice systems. I highly recommend Beth for her knowledge, experience, and ability to guide us through the challenges ahead.”
Some of Our Nonprofit Clients
BWC Products & Services for Nonprofits
Many nonprofits are so focused on securing funding and delivering services that they often overlook their most valuable asset—their employees. At the same time, organizations and staff face an increasing number of conversations where communication is messy, emotionally charged, or leads to unhealthy conflict. Without skillful practice, breakdowns in communication can result in a loss of trust, collaborations falling apart, progress stalling, and group dynamics feeling toxic.
All of Our Work is Founded on Navigating Challenging Dialogue®
Navigating Challenging Dialogue® is a toolkit for building trust by developing self-awareness, emotional self-regulation, empathy, and curiosity. These skills are necessary for teams to be effective in communication, leadership, and for incorporating coaching skills into the work environment. When we work with your team, we not only address a specific pain point, but also simultaneously empower staff, build trust, and strengthen teams.
Our Navigating Challenging Dialogue programs are designed to support nonprofits to better focus on their goals and impact by:
Creating a common language and system for resolving conflict.
Teaching leaders, staff, volunteers, and board members how to have effective conversations, even when it feels risky, with a focus on the good of the whole.
Helping staff identify and move through cross-team concerns.
Increasing accountability and trust.
Building leadership and people management skills that are often lacking: being effective in communication, feedback, conflict resolution, coaching in the workplace, and strategy skills.
Navigating Challenging Dialogue® Workshops
Navigating Challenging Dialogue® Essentials: Our flagship leadership and communication workshop for all levels of staff. Using their own real-life challenges, your team will come together to practice the proven tools for effective, fact-based dialogue, even when communication feels risky. This course transforms how you engage with others and handle conflicts, and you leave able to effectively apply the process to your situations. As a result, your team develops a shared language and set of norms for using NCD in the workplace.
Mastering Feedback: Our trust-building workshop that teaches the step-by-step NCD feedback process. Through hands-on practice, you’ll be able to effectively apply the feedback process to the conversations you're facing as a colleague, manager, and leader. Your team develops a shared understanding for how to use feedback in the workplace.
Coaching in the Workplace: Our 2-day workshop for leaders and managers. This is especially important for teams that face retention and performance challenges. Your team will practice the authentic coaching skills required to close the gap between a staffer’s potential and performance, all while fostering their growth and development. Even people with a natural propensity to be a good coach need training to build that talent into a valuable skill. Your team will leave with a shared toolset and language for coaching in your workplace.
Tackling Difficult Conversations with Confidence: This is a self-paced, online workshop based on the official handbook of Navigating Challenging Dialogue®. Similar to our NCD Essentials workshop, attendees will use their own real-life challenges to practice the proven tools for effective, fact-based dialogue, even when communication feels risky. Throughout the course, we provide personalized feedback and guidance on the student activities and scenarios (there’s no auto-grading). There are two options:
Independent Study is great for onboarding new staff and introducing NCD without having to hold a full NCD Essentials workshop.
The Coaching Bundle is great for managers and leaders, and includes two live coaching sessions to go deeper on addressing and solving their specific leadership challenges.
Navigating Challenging Dialogue® Services
Strategic Dialogue: Nonprofits are held back when they can’t or won’t dedicate time and energy to critically look at nagging problems that seem unsolvable, drain energy and time, and create frustration and drama. Strategic Dialogue is a focused facilitation session where Beth brings her nonprofit expertise to the table to help you identify a path forward in spite of seemingly nagging challenges.
Strategic Planning: Beth’s approach to strategic planning is efficient, budget friendly, engaging, and, most importantly, based on having effective dialogue. As a result of this method, the resulting plans are meaningful, achievable, and aligned with your organization’s mission.
Fund Development Messaging: Do you struggle to get everyone in the organization (including your board) comfortable with fund development? Beth works with leaders and communication teams to develop a compelling pitch that can be shared with others in your organization to increase their confidence and capacity for being part of funding your mission and connecting with donors and foundations.
Coaching is an Investment in the Success of Your Mission
It's hard to trust someone with your secrets, your messiness, and to admit the challenges you just can't seem to solve on your own, especially when you’re in a leadership position. Beth has encountered nearly every business and leadership challenge imaginable. She has a proven track record of helping leaders and organizations find solid pathways out of seemingly unique, messy situations.
Executive Coaching: This is a critical tool for existing directors and leaders. Beth’s clients are talented and motivated, but also often exhausted by the unique challenges of managing humans (staff, boards, vendors). They’re often tired of wringing their hands trying to sort out big challenges alone, and need someone to work with them with 100% confidentiality. Together, you and Beth will develop strategies and focus areas to navigate obstacles and challenges.
Leadership Development Coaching: This is a leadership skill development program for those on your team who have leadership potential and exceptional skills that got them promoted in the first place. And they recognize they need to expand their leadership toolkit to take their team and organization to the next level. Beth provides the guidance and feedback proven to help emerging leaders achieve their goals.
Communication and Performance Coaching: Beth offers both skill building coaching and performance improvement coaching for employees who are too valuable to terminate but are struggling in their current position. Beth provides exercises, guidance, and feedback proven to help staff close performance gaps and level-up their skills.
What Clients Have to Say
“It blew my mind how complicated we make things and how simple it really can be when we just strip everything away and get down to the facts. EVERYONE needs this. Every manager, leader, parent, teacher, coach, counselor, etc... basically, anyone who communicates with others needs to take [Navigating Challenging Dialogue].
”
“I am a better leader because of your workshops and tools and am so excited to be able to learn even more! If you or your organization needs someone to help you navigate through an un-clear time or needs tools to grow Beth is your answer.”
“Kudos to you for providing a place where we could explore difficult issues as a group and come out of the experience successfully and with a workable solution.”
Let’s Talk Today
I know firsthand that leading can be isolating and difficult. Our work together is 100% confidential so you can freely discuss the weight you’re carrying.