Leadership

Name: Leadership Services
Brand: Orr Group

Empowering Nonprofit Leadership to Drive Results

Strong nonprofit leadership is essential to every organization’s success — yet executive turnover is at an all-time high. In the face of these challenges, Orr Group helps you maintain stability, strengthen your team, and build the capacity to thrive.

Our nonprofit leadership development services provide hands-on, customized support for executives, boards, and staff. Whether you need interim development leadership, board assessment and training, or individualized nonprofit coaching, we integrate seamlessly with your team to deliver practical solutions. We ensure continuity through leadership transitions and equip you with the tools and training to scale sustainably.

Our Leadership Services

Interim Leadership

Orr Group provides interim nonprofit leadership to ensure your organization has the strategic direction and partnership needed to succeed. Our senior leaders step into executive-level or gift officer roles, managing development teams and operations while maintaining stability and focus.

We embed with your team, delivering tailored strategies and hands-on leadership that keep fundraising efforts moving forward. When it is time to hire your next permanent leader, we support a smooth transition by helping recruit and onboard the right person.

Individual Giving (Annual, Major Gifts, Principal Gifts, Planned Giving)
Corporate and Foundation Giving
Pipeline Development and Moves Management
Transition Support and Onboarding

Training and Coaching

Strong leaders are built through intentional nonprofit leadership development, not just natural ability. Orr Group’s nonprofit leadership training and nonprofit coaching strengthen the skills of executives, staff, and board members, aligning them around a shared approach to leadership and fundraising.

We provide executive and strategic counsel along with customized training and coaching experiences that deliver practical tools and actionable strategies. This support helps leaders gain confidence, make stronger decisions, and guide your organization toward lasting success.

Leadership Workshops
Executive 1:1 Coaching
Strategic Counsel
Customized Training Programs

Board Assessment, Training, and Transformation

Your board members are vital ambassadors for your mission, and equipping them with the right skills strengthens both their decision making and their long term engagement.

Orr Group’s nonprofit leadership training for boards combines assessment, education, and strategic counsel to ensure members are prepared to lead, govern, and champion your organization. Our work often includes managing a board pipeline, revising bylaws, establishing committees, and supporting special projects that elevate board performance. The result is a stronger, more engaged board that works in true partnership with your staff.

Board Assessment
Governance Training
Committee Design and Optimization
Board Engagement Strategies

Board Recruitment

A strong board starts with the right people. Orr Group partners with nonprofit leadership to design and manage a thoughtful recruitment process that builds a diverse, skilled, and engaged board.

Our work includes identifying and cultivating prospective members, managing the board candidate pipeline, and facilitating onboarding. We collaborate closely with your executive team to ensure every new board member strengthens governance, expands networks, and advances your mission.

Prospect Identification
Pipeline Management
Candidate Cultivation
Onboarding Support

Watch video: "The Power of Effective Leadership"

Nonprofit Leadership Success Stories

Girl Scouts of USA (GSUSA)

GSUSA has an over 100-year history of excellence serving millions of community members—so when the team’s Chief Development Officer went on maternity leave, Orr Group stepped in to help operations continue with minimal interruption.

Throughout our partnership, we directed a 25-person staff to take on a goal 44% larger than the last campaign. Also, we trained board members and executive leaders and refined the case for support to make the campaign more compelling to potential donors.

The impact speaks for itself: GSUSA raised 54% more than the previous year, outperforming its already ambitious goal. Plus, GSUSA built critical capacity to support nonprofit leadership growth going forward so they can handle transition periods more effectively.

Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB)

GDB, the largest guide dog school in the U.S. and Canada, was determined to achieve its greatest goal yet—increasing total fundraising revenue by 400% over 10 years. To reach this impressive benchmark, GDB partnered with Orr Group.

Our approach involved making process changes to maintain relationships with over 100,000 annual supporters, training the fundraising team to supercharge growth, and connecting fundraising and marketing functions.

To expedite results, Orr Group took over as Interim Chief Philanthropy Officer. Through our partnership, GDB achieved a 153% year-over-year revenue increase, with contributed revenue rising 35% from FY20 to FY21 and an additional 33% from FY21 to FY22.

“Orr Group has literally been fantastic. In the time we've worked together, Orr Group has really transitioned our fundraising program from something that was probably C plus, B minus, to an A plus program now. It's been so exciting to see the change in how we're asking for gifts.”

Christine Benninger, CEO and President, Guide Dogs for the Blind

Nonprofit Leadership Consulting FAQs

What do nonprofit leadership consultants do?

Nonprofit leadership consultants strengthen organizational capacity by supporting the people, structures, and systems that drive mission, revenue, and long-term stability. Rather than focusing on individual roles alone, leadership consulting addresses how leaders are recruited, developed, supported, and aligned to move the organization forward.

Orr Group’s leadership services span the full executive lifecycle:

Interim leadership: Stepping into executive or senior development roles, such as Interim Executive Director or Interim Chief Development Officer, to provide continuity, stabilize teams, and maintain fundraising momentum during periods of transition.
Leadership development and coaching: Partnering with boards, executives, and senior staff to strengthen governance, leadership effectiveness, and alignment around fundraising, management, and accountability.
Organizational leadership support: Helping nonprofits clarify roles, decision-making structures, and leadership systems that enable teams to perform effectively during growth or change.

Why is it beneficial to work with a nonprofit leadership consultant?

Leadership gaps and turnover are among the biggest risks to a nonprofit’s stability. A leadership consultant brings immediate expertise, objectivity, and continuity, helping organizations navigate change without losing momentum or focus.

Beyond filling interim roles, leadership consulting helps organizations build stronger leadership practices, improve board–staff collaboration, and increase internal capacity. With the right support, nonprofits can strengthen leadership effectiveness, protect revenue performance, and position themselves for sustainable long-term growth.

What sets Orr Group apart from other leadership consultants?

Orr Group operates as an embedded partner. We integrate directly into your organization, sharing responsibility for outcomes, whether we are serving in interim leadership roles or coaching leaders through periods of change.

Our approach combines deep nonprofit expertise with a business-minded perspective, ensuring leadership decisions are directly tied to organizational health, revenue performance, and mission impact. We don’t just advise on leadership—we work alongside you to implement the structures, culture, and practices that help leaders succeed.

How can we get started with Orr Group?

We’re excited to hear from you! Just fill out this form, and one of our experts will reach out to discuss your leadership goals.