Greg Harrell-Edge

Organizational ombuds exist to give less powerful staff and stakeholders at an organization a neutral place to raise concerns long before they become crises.

When I first stepped into the Executive Director role, “keeping up with innovation” meant downloading a couple of glossy trend reports each year. They were interesting — but by the time I finished reading, the sector had already moved on.

The latest 2025 Social Impact Staff Retention (SISR) study revealed a staggering reality: seven out of ten nonprofit professionals are actively considering a new role. That’s not just turnover — it’s an exodus waiting to happen. Most conversations about staff retention jump straight to compensation. And while pay will always matter, research shows that the top three reasons people want to leave — and the top three reasons they want to stay — don’t cost a dime.