Nonprofit Boot Camp - Introduction
- Tom Iselin
- May 17, 2023
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 11, 2025
Nonprofit Boot Camp - Introduction
Today, I’m kicking off a brand-new, blog series called First Things Nonprofit Boot Camp - Introduction: A Leadership Guide to Building a Gold Standard Nonprofit.
This is Boot Camp, not spa camp.If you make it through this Boot Camp, you’ll walk away with practical tools and principles you can apply immediately to:
improve operations
raise significant money
build a stronger board
differentiate your nonprofit
and accelerate your mission
FORMAT OF THIS SERIES of Blogs
Strategic
Educational
Practical
MY GOALS FOR YOU
My goals are to:
teach you the fundamental principles of building a high-performance, “STANDOUT” nonprofit
help you avoid the pitfalls that trap most nonprofits
encourage you to do what’s right—not what’s convenient or easy
provide practical tools you can apply immediately
equip you to craft the strongest board retreat or strategic planning process possible
The material in this Boot Camp will help you do all of that—and more.
TODAY’S LEARNING OBJECTIVES
The nonprofit environment
The foundation of a gold standard nonprofit
Thinking differently
The First Things First framework
THE NONPROFIT ENVIRONMENT
You want to make a difference.The nonprofit world isn’t about Wall Street or State Street—it’s about side streets and back alleys.
You work with:
staff putting in long hours for moderate wages
board members offering time, money, skills, and influence
volunteers who serve with heart and grit
You have noble intentions.You have a worthy mission.
But here’s the reality:
The nonprofit world today is fierce.
1.5 million nonprofits
80% operate under $500k
94% operate under $2M
The top 400 nonprofits receive 20% of all giving
Almost 60% of the remaining giving goes to massive institutions (universities, hospitals, religious orgs, cultural giants)
That doesn’t leave much for nonprofits like yours . . .And that’s just the beginning.
THE BIG OBSTACLES NONPROFITS FACE
There are three major obstacles you must navigate:
Obstacle 1: Recurring Challenges
Competitive environment
Limited time, money, skills, and resources
Obstacle 2: Common Mistakes
Ignoring problems
Focusing on the wrong priorities
Bringing on the wrong people
Growing too quickly
Lacking essential operational structures
Obstacle 3: Resource Drains
Ineffective staff and volunteers
Disengaged board members
Undoing past mistakes
Resistance to change
Waiting too long to adopt vital systems
And on top of all that, strong emotional forces get in the way:
Vision → can lead to confusion
Mistakes → discouragement
Pressure → defeat
Hanging on → hopelessness
You’re not alone.Most nonprofits follow a predictable path: explosive energy in the early years, but as they grow, they become unstable—an upside-down pyramid—because they never built the operational foundation they needed.
THE RESULT OF A WEAK FOUNDATION
Expensive mistakes
Operational migraines
Organizational instability
Stress overload
Stunted growth
THE SOLUTION: BUILD A STABLE FOUNDATION
To build a high-performance, gold standard nonprofit, you must create a foundation built on:
Governing principles
Operational structures
Best practices
Internal and external capacity
Key essential cornerstones
When you do this—when you build a solid foundation around your programming to support and sustain your programming—you create a nonprofit with:
Business rhythm
Engaged and aligned people
Adequate and predictable funding
Exceptional programming
Capacity for long-term sustainability and growth
Isn’t that what every nonprofit wants?
Here’s the secret:
Most essential cornerstones are overlooked, undervalued, or unintuitive.
Cornerstones like:
Quality people
Authentic passion
Unified culture
One-on-one fundraising
These—and a dozen others—will be the focus of this Boot Camp.
THE FIRST THINGS FIRST FRAMEWORK
Next week, we’ll dive into the first and most critical cornerstone: Quality People.
The nonprofit world is fundamentally a human endeavor.You only have staff, board, and volunteers to run your organization.
So the question becomes:
How do you attract and retain the highest-quality people possible?Tune in next week to find out.
CALL TO ACTION
First Things First Boot Camp will cover dozens of tactics to help sharpen your nonprofit sword.Subscribe to my channel and tune in weekly—I’ll release at least one episode each week.
If you enjoy this episode, like it and share it. I want to help as many nonprofits as possible do what they do better.And don’t forget to reach out at TomIselin@gmail.com with questions or topics you'd like addressed in future episodes.
SUMMARY
Throughout Boot Camp, I want to teach you not only the structures you need to build a high-performance, gold standard nonprofit—I want to help you think differently.
Focus on what matters long-term: people, culture, board–executive relations, sustainable funding
Adopt a high-performance mindset grounded in efficiency, accountability, and impact
Stand out through strong branding, donor stewardship, and outreach
And above all, commit to doing what works and what’s right—not what’s convenient or easy
Tom Iselin
“America’s Best Board Retreat and Strategic Planning Facilitator”
Additional Resources:
Articles
Tom's Books, Podcasts, and YouTube Channel
About the Author
Tom Iselin is recognized as one of America’s leading authorities on high-performance nonprofits. He has built nine sector-leading nonprofits and two software companies, written six books, sits on multiple boards, and has been rated one of America’s Best Board Retreat and Strategic Planning Facilitators. His work on nonprofit strategy, board leadership, and culture has been featured on CNN, Nightline, and in Newsweek.
Tom is the president of First Things First, a firm specializing in board retreats, strategic planning services, fundraising strategy, and executive coaching for nonprofit CEOs.
Board Retreats & Strategic Planning
If you’re looking for a board retreat facilitator or strategic planning facilitator who has been in the trenches and understands real-world nonprofit challenges, Tom can help your board gain clarity, build alignment, and create an actionable plan that improves performance and impact. His sessions propel organizations to the next level of performance and impact . . . and they're fun!
Board Retreats and Strategic Planning Services:
858.888.2278
