You Are Not Alone in This
Leading a nonprofit is hard, especially right now. The work never slows down, and it can feel lonely. Inside the Lab, you’ll find clear answers fast, tools that save you real time, and thousands of active members who understand exactly what you’re facing.
I have been active for only a week in the village here and on the website, and while it might sound cheesy, I just want to share, I don’t feel alone anymore and the overwhelmed feeling is somewhat under control.
I’m a founder. I have a board of 3 ppl. My goal is to move to ED and find a great board chair. I feel confident to go forward and know the relationship I should have w the future board chair. It’s been incredibly helpful.
We have tripled our budget since I started the lab and went from less than 3 months reserves to a year of reserves! YOU and the village have been a HUGE part of that success!
Who the Lab Is For
The Lab is built for board and staff leaders of small and midsized nonprofits.
Executive Directors
You wear every hat and the buck stops with you. You want practical guidance, a stronger board, and a life outside of work.
Founders
Your passion built this. Now you want a clear path from startup mode to a sustainable organization.
Board Leaders
You care deeply and want to help, but the role is unclear. This is the rare place where board and staff learn together.
Senior Staff
You’re building skills in fundraising, programs, or operations, and growing into the leader your organization needs.
More Than Training. A Support System.
You don’t need more information. You need clear direction, tools that save you time, and people in your corner. Here’s what that looks like in the Lab.
A Community That Gets It
More than 5,000 active members who understand your work. Ask a question and someone who has been there will answer.
Experts From the Field
Trainings led by pros who have raised the money, built the boards, and led the teams themselves.
Ready-to-Use Resources
Templates, checklists, and tools you can put to use the same day. Stop reinventing the wheel and do what works from the beginning.
Trusted Answers, Fast
Ask in the Village and get answers from leaders who have been there, and from the Lab team too. One search finds resources and conversations.
What You’ll Work On
Everything inside the Lab is organized around eight areas of your leadership and your organization.
Lead With Confidence
Make the hard calls with a clear head and a steady process for deciding.
Manage People & Teams
Hire well, delegate for real, and bring out the best in your staff and volunteers.
Build a Board That Works
Engaged board members who understand their roles and pull their weight.
Fundraise for the Long Haul
Build steady support from a diverse mix of funders, donors, and grants.
Plan With Purpose
Set smart goals and simple plans your team will actually use.
Take Care of Yourself
Lead in a way you can sustain, with your own care on the calendar.
Shape a Healthy Culture
Build a workplace people are proud of, where staff and board work hand in hand.
Strengthen Your Operations
Get comfortable with budgets, systems, and the numbers behind your mission.
See Inside the Lab
Don’t take our word for it. Here’s what you’ll actually see when you log in.
Your first week
A friendly onboarding helps you pick your biggest challenge and get your first quick win.
A typical month
Fresh trainings, ready-to-use templates, and workshops all year long.
Built for real life
Step away when life gets busy, and pick right back up when you’re ready.
Like what you see? Your people are already here.
Join the LabHelp That Fits Your Week
Whether you have 10 minutes or a whole season, there is a clear next step waiting for you. And life gets busy, so step away for a few weeks and pick right back up. The Lab works on your schedule, not the other way around.
Quick Wins
Fast, practical guidance you can act on today.
Expert Seminars
Focused deep dives on one real challenge.
Guided Learning
Go deeper on boards, budgets, fundraising, and leadership.
Workshops
Immersive learning with your peers.
Feeling stuck or not sure where to start? As a member, you can schedule a 1:1 with the Lab team. We’ll help you find what you need in the Lab to move forward.
Burnout Is Not a Badge of Honor
You don’t have to work around the clock to make an impact. We’re not martyrs or saviors here. We’re helpers who build capacity, and we’ll help you lead in a way you can actually sustain.
The People You’ll Meet
Real people are at the heart of the Lab. Leadership is messy, and nobody here pretends otherwise. You’ll belong to something here, not just pay for something. And you get to choose how you show up. Jump into conversations or quietly learn from them.
Members Like You
Leaders of nonprofits like yours, across more than 40 causes. Post a question on a tough day and someone who has been there will chime in with sound advice and real encouragement.
The Lab Team
Glennda, Katie, Jasmin, and Amy are in the community every day, cheering your wins and helping you find exactly what you need. And yes, you’ll still find our founder Joan in the conversations too. You are never just a login to us.
The Experts
Guidance from people who have raised the money, built the boards, and led the teams themselves. This is real-world experience, not theory.
Members Say It Best
I was looking for mentorship and to learn from other leaders. I, myself, did not ‘grow up’ in the nonprofit arena. One of the best results I’ve gotten is I’ve gone from a board of four members to a board of twelve, fully engaged. Our work has gone off the charts!
The Nonprofit Leadership Lab is a supportive, collaborative, affirmative and resourceful space that will assist in your personal and organizational development. There is a plethora of resources and a community of people ready and willing to offer guidance and advice as you face challenges, celebrate with you on your wins, and inspire you to do the work of fulfilling the mission of your organization.
LEAD with Horses would not be where it is today without the Leadership Lab, and I would not have survived without this community! Thanks for keeping me going during the tough days and celebrating the great ones!
I came across the Nonprofit Leadership Lab and jumped at the opportunity. Smartest thing I ever did. Read through the resources, listened to the Q&A live sessions, asked questions, learned how to build a board, how to fundraise. I actually serve on seven nonprofit boards. Oh, it’s a whole new ballgame and I’m so grateful for what I discovered in the Leadership Lab.
We’re moving from a ‘friends’ board to interviewing new ‘real’ board members. It’s been so helpful getting insights and wisdom from the NLL Board related materials. This top 20 list helped me nail some fantastic interview questions. I feel like I will now have a solid understanding of the person and their intentions after my interview.
There’s so much wisdom right there at your fingertips. You can post a question and within minutes other Lab members chime in with their knowledge. I know I have avoided some major mistakes being a first time Executive Director because I am part of this Lab. I feel like I have a personal mentor right by my side, teaching me the tricks of the trade. The classes in the Lab have been a game changer.
Led by People Who Have Done the Work
Glennda Testone
Chief Executive OfficerGlennda led New York City’s LGBT Center as Executive Director before joining the Lab. She believes leadership is about sharing power and lifting others, and she brings that to our community every day.
Joan Garry
FounderJoan is one of the most recognized voices in nonprofit leadership. A former Executive Director herself, she built the Lab on a simple belief: leaders of small nonprofits deserve real, affordable support.
How the Lab Began
Joan Garry started the Lab in 2017 because she knew how hard and how lonely this work can be. Today Glennda Testone leads the Lab with a caring team and dozens of experts who have done this work themselves. Joan’s founding belief still guides us. You should not have to figure this out alone.
Four Values, Every Day
We are working toward a world that is more just, more empathetic, and more equitable. We do that by helping nonprofit leaders like you build your power, individually and collectively.
Courage
We lean into what is hard and try to make it better, even when it is uncomfortable.
Community
Together is better, and together is necessary. Belonging across differences.
Authenticity
We are imperfect and human, and we treat every person with dignity and respect.
Sustainability
We’re not martyrs or saviors. We’re helpers who build capacity for ourselves and others.
Ready to Stop Figuring This Out Alone?
Join 5,000+ compassionate changemakers building their power together. Get the answers, the community, and the steady support you need to lead an organization that thrives.
Join the LabSome members pay out of pocket, and others use their organization’s budget.