At Social Venture Partners Boulder County, we believe that strong nonprofits are built by strong leaders. We also recognize that leading a mission-driven organization requires tremendous energy, resilience, and commitment.
That’s why we’re proud to support our CEO, Josh Silberstein, as he embarks on a six-week sabbatical this summer.
While sabbaticals are common in some sectors, they remain relatively rare in the nonprofit world. Yet nonprofit leaders often navigate complex challenges, manage limited resources, respond to community needs, and carry significant responsibility for their organizations’ success. Creating opportunities for rest, reflection, and renewal is not a luxury—it’s an investment in long-term organizational health.
Practicing What We Promote
As an organization that works alongside nonprofits to strengthen leadership and organizational effectiveness, we believe it is important to model the practices we encourage others to consider.
Supporting employee well-being is a core part of building a healthy workplace culture. By offering sabbaticals, we are making a tangible investment in our people and reinforcing our commitment to sustainable leadership.
During Josh’s sabbatical, SVP Boulder County’s programs, nonprofit consulting projects, and community partnerships will continue uninterrupted. Our staff, board, and Partners are well-positioned to ensure that our work continues moving forward while Josh takes this well-deserved time away.
Encouraging the Nonprofit Sector to Explore Sabbaticals
We hope more nonprofits will consider how sabbaticals might fit into their leadership development and retention strategies. While every organization is different, even small organizations can create policies and plans that support leadership renewal and organizational sustainability.
If your nonprofit is interested in exploring a sabbatical policy, we would be happy to share our experience and provide examples of the policy we have implemented.
Strong nonprofits make for a strong community—and supporting the people who lead those nonprofits is one important way we can help ensure they thrive for years to come.
We wish Josh a restorative and inspiring sabbatical and look forward to welcoming him back later this summer.
