3 Hats Every Nonprofit Leader Wears

Read time: 4-5 Minutes

When I started a nonprofit, I quickly learned that running an organization meant wearing a lot of hats.

One day, I was out in the community sharing our mission. Next, I was knee-deep in spreadsheets trying to make sure the budget balanced. On top of that, I was figuring out how to post on social media so people could know we existed. I even made our first website (it was terrible).

Sound familiar? You’re not alone.

The truth is, nonprofit leaders are expected to wear at least three big hats:

• Mission Champion
• Manager
• Marketer

While each one is important, it’s unrealistic to expect you to wear them all perfectly, all the time. In this week’s Changemaker Mondays ☀️ ☕ 🌍, we’re breaking down the 3 hats every nonprofit leader wears and how you can lean into your strengths and delegate the rest – so you can operate more effectively.

The 3 hats every nonprofit leader wears

So, what are these hats? Let’s break them down:

1. Mission Champion

This is the role a lot of social impact founders feel most comfortable in. You’re the voice of your cause, inspiring others with the “why” behind your work. Mission champions rally people, share stories, and keep the purpose front and center.

This might be you if…

• You feel most energized sharing your organization’s story or speaking to groups.
• You’re motivated by seeing people inspired to join or give because of your passion.
• You naturally connect everything back to your “why” and the bigger purpose.
• You’d rather be out in the community than behind a desk crunching numbers.

2. Manager

This hat is all about operations. It ensures that programs run smoothly and that resources are being managed effectively. It might not feel glamorous, but it’s what keeps your organization steady and sustainable.

Here are some signs you lean into the Manager role:

• You thrive on organization, systems, and making sure things run on schedule.
• You feel satisfaction when programs are delivered smoothly and efficiently.
• You’re quick to notice gaps in processes or resource allocation and want to fix them.
• You often find yourself thinking in terms of budgets, policies, or checklists.

3. Marketer

In today’s world, even nonprofits need visibility. Wearing the marketer's hat means building awareness, crafting messages that connect, and ensuring your community knows how to get involved.

Does this sound like you?

• You enjoy finding creative ways to get the word out, whether through social media, design, or messaging.
• You often ask, “How can more people know about this?” when working on projects.
• You like experimenting with tools, platforms, or campaigns to raise awareness.
• You think about how to shape the story so it resonates with different audiences.

Here’s the thing:

you will find yourself leaning more naturally toward one of these hats. That’s normal! The key is to notice your strengths and then be intentional about how you approach the others.

Delegation and playing to your strengths

Let’s be honest; no one can wear all three hats well at the same time. Trying to do it all is the fastest way to burnout. (Speaking from personal experience, here.)

The key is to figure out which hat feels like the most natural fit for you. Then you can find ways to get help with the other hats.

For example, maybe you’re a Mission Champion. You love speaking at events and sharing stories, but spreadsheets make your eyes glaze over. That’s your cue to bring in a board member, volunteer, or staff (if your budget allows) who thrives on organization to help with the Manager role.

Several years ago, I promoted one of my employees to an Operations & HR role. She was definitely the “Manager” type, complementing my “Mission Champion” role well. Once we were both able to lean into what we felt best doing, we both thrived.

When you play to your strengths and share the responsibilities, you’ll not only be more effective, you’ll also have the energy to keep leading for the long haul.

Try it this week 🚀

Take a few moments to reflect: Which one of the three hats feels most natural to you?

If any of these hats feel heavy right now, my upcoming Zero to $100K Toolkit can give you a clear roadmap. You can click here to be automatically added to the waitlist to get the alert when it goes live.

Hit reply ✉️

I’m curious: Are you a Mission Champion, Manager, or Marketer? I’d love to hear your take! I read every message!

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