My Work is My Passion, But...
Nonprofit Leaders Struggle with Burnout
Aside from the city's official capital status, Washington, D.C., has also been called the "nonprofit capital" of the United States. About half of the nearly 8,000 non-profits in the area are small organizations, with budgets of less than $5 million. Many of them deal with constant funding and staffing issues, and their success often depends on the person at the top.
Nonprofit Executive Directors are a passionate breed; however, even the most determined can burn out. A new study based on a survey of nearly 2,000 executive directors across the U.S. reports that three out of four nonprofit executive directors are likely to leave their jobs within the next five years.
DC's Meyer Foundation is trying to raise awareness of the burnout factor. This year the Foundation awarded five "Exponent Awards," along with $100,000 grants, to five Executive Directors of non-profits in the region.
This series profiles the winners of this year's awards.
The Exponent Awards -- The Sitar Center
Rhonda Buckley, Executive Director of the Patricia M. Sitar Center, has built a center that provides music and arts education to low-income children in DC's Adams Morgan neighborhood.
The Exponent Awards -- Bright Beginnings
Betty Jo Gaines, Executive Director of Bright Beginnings, rejuvenated DC's largest daycare center for DC's homeless.
Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center
Jayne Park, Executive Director of Asian Pacific Legal Resource Center, founded a legal hotline and advice center for the poorest and neediest members of one of the DC’s area’s fastest growing immigrant communities.
Homeless in Fairfax
Kerrie Wilson, Executive Director of Reston Interfaith, re-energized a core social service organization in Virginia’s famous planned community.
The Exponent Awards - Jubilee Housing
Jim Knight, Executive Director of Jubilee Housing, took a 33-year-old low-income housing organization to new heights.
