How to Use This Template

This template is designed to make proactive decisions before a possible emergency transition occurs. Customize this template to fit the unique, individual needs and structure of your organization.

If you suddenly find yourself an interim Board Officer, we suggest you start with the Emergency Backup Plan. We’ve identified the most basic information that you’ll need to communicate, find policies, and keep delivering your mission. This plan isn’t meant to be exhaustive or complete. Some of the categories may not apply to your organization and/or some categories specific to your organization may be missing. Please modify as needed.

Throughout the Emergency Succession Planning template, your decision points are highlighted with a gray outline unless directions are stated in the description. In some cases, example information has been provided to help you brainstorm.

Your Board of Directors should approve the succession plan.

Appendix

The appendix documents can either be used as a template for you to customize and complete, or you can complete the documents as is.

We also recommend completing or attaching:

Asset Inventory

Succession Plan Policy

Annual Calendar of Key Events and Milestones

Purpose

This Emergency Succession Plan ensures continuity in the leadership and management of the organization’s core functions in operations, internal and external communications, fund development, finance, and volunteer engagement during an unplanned absence or departure of Board Officer(s). It provides the board and committee chairs with a shared understanding and knowledge of roles and responsibilities.

The board of directors recognizes that this is a plan for contingencies due to a board officer’s sudden departure – temporary or permanent. If the organization is faced with the unlikely event of an untimely vacancy, the organization has in place the following Emergency Succession Plan to facilitate the transition to both interim and longer-term leadership. It is designed to promote confidence for the community (board, donors, volunteers, partner agencies, broader community, etc.) and the neighborhood that the organization remains stable and strong during a transition with a leadership and management structure to support its mission.

This plan is designed for the short term to steady the organization, and when appropriate to serve as a bridge to the board’s longer-term succession policies. While some of the policy decisions relating to succession are relevant for short-term absences, this plan is created to stand alone based on the immediacy of the need for clear direction under these circumstances.

Definitions

This document is applicable to the following situations in which a board officer cannot fulfill his/her responsibilities:

A short-term, temporary, unplanned absence

A long-term, temporary, unplanned absence

A sudden permanent departure

An unplanned absence is one that arises unexpectedly in which it is anticipated that a board officer will return to their position once the events precipitating the absence are resolved.

A short-term absence is defined as [Fill in] Example: three months or less .

A long-term absence is expected to last [Fill in] Example: more than three months. A permanent change is one in which it is firmly determined that the Board Officer will not be returning to the position.

This Emergency Succession Plan names specific people and roles for temporary succession only. Succession policies, defined separately, outline the process and make advance decisions about how board transition will be handled when seeking a permanent new board officer.

Procedures and Conditions

In the event of an unplanned absence of a board officer, the board member who is first aware of the situation should immediately inform the board president (or another member of the executive committee if the board president is not available or the individual absent) of an immediate or impending absence. This plan is to be activated as soon as the absence occurs.

As soon as it is feasible, the board president should convene the [Fill in] Example: executive committee , preferably online or by phone, to review the procedures prescribed in this plan. Any actions resulting from this discussion should be communicated to the full board so that each member of the board of directors is fully informed and engaged.

In the event that the board president is unable to fulfill their duties, the position of acting board president will be filled by the [Fill in] Example: position ttle/board member . Should the standing appointee to the position be unable to serve, the back-up appointee for the position of acting board president will be the [Fill in] position title/board member .

Short Term Staffing for Key Functions

In the short term, when sharing leadership responsibilities in the organization, delineating functions can make roles clear. Use the sample information below to customize the tables to your needs.

If you can designate a single acting board president, then disregard the two tables below.

Review the board officer’s job description and key functions and, if applicable, list his/her duties and responsibilities to the list below. Other helpful documents are the Annual Event/Milestones Calendar and Action Plan(s).

You may also check with the subcommittee chairs to understand any key functions that the board officer was fulfilling for their work.

Function of Board Officer’s Role	Individual(s) Assigned
List of functions. (Example: Overall financial, check signing & budgeting)	Full Name

There may be functions of the board officer’s role that can be put on pause until the new officer is elected, or a later date. List all the functions that are not critical for operations, mission fulfillment, programs, etc.

Functions to Pause	Pause Expiration Date
List paused functions. (Example: Updating business welcome packets.)	12/12/25

Acting shared leaders will meet by [Fill in] Example: phone/online 2x weekly at a minimum to coordinate. Any news deemed significant will be shared with the [Fill in] Example: executive committee/board chair/full board via [Fill in] Example: email/board portal/virtual meeting/in-person meeting .

Authority of the Action Board Officer

The person appointed as acting board officer shall have the authority for decision-making and independent action. However, the following actions require [Fill in] Example: executive committee/board approval. Imput a list of actions that require approvals in the example below.

List of Actions Requiring Approvals:
[Fill in] Example: Change organization’s vision, mission or values.

Board Oversight of the Acting Board Officer

The executive committee shall be responsible for monitoring and supporting the work of the acting board officer.

[Fill in] Example: The board president and/or their designee will be responsible for [Fill in] Example: weekly meetings with the acting board officer focusing on support, ensuring that they have the resources required to perform their temporary duties, and receive assistance from other board members as needed.

Leadership Communications Plan

Immediately upon transferring the responsibilities to the acting board officer, [Fill in actions to take] Example: the board chair or designee will notify remaining board members, volunteers, committee chairs, and neighbors of the delegation of authority .

As soon as possible after the acting board officer has begun covering the unplanned absence, board members and the acting board officer shall communicate the temporary leadership structure to key internal and external supporters as delineated below.

We will seek to keep messages consistent across all stakeholder groups and protect personal health information as appropriate.

[Fill in] Full Name will act as the primary spokesperson for the organization.

Communication Plan

Adjust priorities to meet your organization. Use the sample information below to fill in information and customize the table to your needs.

Phase	Entity (Example: funder, donor, partner)	Contact Method	Person(s) Responsible	Location of the contact information
1	Board
Board President	Verbal	Board President	Current roster maintained by secretary/ committee chairs.
Governance/Executive Committee	Verbal	Board President
2	List of other board members.	Verbal	Governance/ Executive Committee
Committee Chairs	Verbal	Board President
List of other committee members.	Verbal	Committee Chair
3	Donors
List of donors who have given more than $100,000 in the last year.	Verbal	Board President/ Treasurer	Current roster maintained by the treasurer/ secretary.
List of donors who have given more than $50,000 in the last two years.	Verbal	Board President/ Treasurer
List of donors who have given $1,000 or more in the last year (email only).	Email	Board President/ Treasurer
Key Partners
List of CEO’s and Agencies where there is a current and formal contract for services or partnerships.	Email	Board President	Point of contact for that organization.
City of Tulsa Neighborhood Academy contact.	Email	Executive Committee	Point of contact for that organization.
List of private foundation grantors. Foundations with 2+ years relationship.	Email	Executive Committee	Point of contact for that organization.
List of Clients.	Email	Executive Committee	Point of contact for that organization.
List of Volunteers.	Email	Committee Chair	Point of contact for that organization.
List of other community contacts.	Will vary.	Will vary.	Point of contact for that organization.
List of media contacts.	Press releases, website updates	Spokesperson	Current roster maintained by Secretary.

Completion of Emergency Succession Period

The decision about when the absent board officer returns after a short-term absence should be determined by the [Fill in] Example: executive committee . They will decide upon a mutually agreed upon schedule and start date. Written release by a medical practitioner may be required.

If the board officer is unable to return after a short-term absence, the board should invoke the Succession Policies for that position and hold elections as soon as possible.

Checklist for Emergency Succession Plan

Succession plan approval. This succession plan will be approved by the full board of directors. This plan should be reviewed annually by the [Fill in] Example: executive committee .

Attachments: (These attachments will constitute your Appendix B.)

Board Officer & Committee Chair Descriptions

Board Roster

Succession Policy

Action Plan(s)

Annual Calendar of Events & Milestones

Asset Inventory

Important Organizational Information: You should also include your association’s governing documents with this document. These should be added to Appendix B.

Communication: The board president should share this plan with those in line for the acting board officer position and document their willingness to serve if needed. Additionally, all board members and committee chairs defined in Appendix A should similarly know their roles and indicate their willingness to serve.

Copies: Copies of this Emergency Succession Plan and attachments should be maintained by the board secretary and stored with the board minutes and records. Additionally, copies should be stored in cloud storage such as Dropbox or Google Drive. Any password files should be stored with additional security and limited access.

Approval and Signatures

Date Submitted for Review: Date

Emergency Plan Approved by:

Signed:	Date:

[Fill in] Full Name , Board President

Signed:	Date:

[Fill in] Full Name , Board Secretary

Appendix A: Succession Designees for Leadership

In this section, identify the management positions that may need to be filled during an emergency situation. Include his/her limitations (For example: Not authorized to enter into contracts, but able to manage current contracts). Use the sample information below to fill in information and customize the table to your needs.

Position to be Filled	Person Filling Position	Limitations
Position Title (Example: Board Treasurer)	Full Name	Check signing to be designated to Chair of Finance Committee.
Position Title (Example: Board Treasurer)	Full Name	Check signing to be designated to Chair of Finance Committee.
Position Title (Example: Board Treasurer)	Full Name	Check signing to be designated to Chair of Finance Committee.

Cross-Training Plan

In this section, identify the positions/members fulfilling temporary duties and who may need additional cross-training. Use the sample information below to fill in information and customize the table to your needs.

Cross-Training Area	Trainee	Trainer	Plan/Timeline for Training
Example: Uses of QuikBook Software	Full Name	Full Name or Position Title	1-2 Weeks
Example: Event Logistics	Full Name	Full Name or Position Title	8 Day - 2 Weeks
Example: Uses of QuikBook Software	Full Name	Full Name or Position Title	1-2 Weeks

Cross-Trained Staff, Board Members, and Volunteers

In this section, identify the positions who have already completed cross-training. Use the sample information below to fill in information and customize the table to your needs.

Cross-Training Area	Trained Individual	Date of Crossed-Trained Completion	Limitations
Example: Uses of QuikBook Software	Full Name	Date of Completion	Example: Renewing software requires approval.
Example: Grant Management and reporting	Full Name	Date of Completion	None
Example: Uses of QuikBook Software	Full Name	Date of Completion	Example: Renewing software requires approval.