You just spent four months searching for your next executive director.

You found the perfect candidate. Their resume was impeccable. The interviews went great. Your board loved them. You made an offer you thought was competitive.

And they said no.

Understanding why nonprofit candidates decline offers is critical to your organization’s success. After placing 650+ nonprofit leaders over 16 years, we can tell you that the reasons organizations think candidates turn down offers are almost never the actual reasons.

And that gap? It’s costing you the leadership talent you desperately need.

Most nonprofit boards believe candidates turn down offers because:

• The salary wasn’t high enough
• They got a better offer elsewhere
• They weren’t truly committed to the mission
• They wanted to stay in the for-profit sector

But here’s what candidates actually tell us (when they’re being honest):

Survey data from 2024 shows that only 23% of declined nonprofit offers are primarily about compensation.

Let that sink in.

Three-quarters of the time, it’s something else entirely.

We’re going to share something that might sting a little.

When a top candidate goes through your interview process, they’re not just evaluating the job description. They’re conducting a full organizational health assessment.

And they’re often seeing red flags that you’ve become too close to notice.

Red Flag #1: Board Dysfunction Is Impossible to Hide

Here’s a scenario we see constantly:

A candidate has a final interview with your board. The board chair dominates the conversation. Two board members check their phones repeatedly. Someone asks a question that reveals they haven’t read the candidate’s materials. Another board member contradicts what the search committee already told the candidate about priorities.

What you see: A standard board interview.

What the candidate sees: “This board doesn’t function well together, doesn’t agree on strategic direction, and I’m going to be caught in the middle of that dysfunction.”

The data backs this up: In a 2024 study of nonprofit executive turnover, 41% cited “board-related issues” as a primary reason for leaving within the first two years.

Top candidates know this. They’re looking for it. And they’re walking away.

Red Flag #2: The Compensation Transparency Gap

Notice we said only 23% of declined offers are primarily about money.

That doesn’t mean compensation isn’t a factor. It means it’s usually a symptom of a bigger problem: lack of transparency and market awareness.

Here’s what happens:

You post a job with “competitive salary” and no range. Candidates apply anyway because they’re mission-driven. They invest hours in your process. They get to the offer stage. Then you present a number that’s 20-30% below market rate—and you genuinely believe it’s competitive because it’s higher than your last ED made five years ago.

The candidate doesn’t just decline because of the money. They decline because:

• You wasted their time by not being upfront
• It signals you’re not aware of current market realities
• It suggests future conversations about resources will be equally difficult

Recent data shows that job postings with salary ranges receive 30% more qualified applications and have 25% faster time-to-hire.

But here’s the kicker: the range doesn’t have to be astronomical. It just has to be honest and defensible.

Red Flag #3: “Mission-Alignment” Theater

Every nonprofit says they want candidates who are “passionate about the mission.”

But here’s what top candidates are actually evaluating: Can I make a meaningful impact here, or am I walking into an organization that talks about mission but operates in ways that undermine it?

They’re asking themselves:

• Does this organization have the resources to actually do the work?
• Is the board willing to make hard decisions to advance the mission?
• Are there systemic barriers that will prevent me from being effective?
• Is “mission” being used to justify dysfunction or underinvestment?

We recently watched a phenomenal candidate turn down an offer from an organization. The reason? During the interview process, she discovered the organization had been underfunding staff professional development while the board debated building a new headquarters.

The disconnect between stated mission and actual priorities was too big to ignore.

Want to know what’s really going on when candidates decline your offers?

Pay attention to these three conversations:

Conversation #1: How You Talk About Your Last Leader

When candidates ask about why the position is open and you:

• Speak negatively about the previous ED
• Are vague about “philosophical differences” with the board
• Can’t articulate what success looks like for the next leader differently than the last

What they hear: “I’m going to be set up to fail the same way.”

Conversation #2: How Your Board Handles Disagreement

If a candidate sees board members:

• Avoid tough questions
• Defer everything to the board chair
• Talk over each other or show visible tension
• Present a unified front that feels scripted and inauthentic

What they’re thinking: “This board hasn’t done the hard work of alignment, and I’ll be the one managing that dysfunction.”

Conversation #3: How You Respond to Questions About Resources

When a candidate asks about budget, staffing, or resources and you:

• Get defensive
• Say “we do more with less” like it’s a badge of honor
• Can’t articulate a realistic plan for organizational sustainability
• Suggest the candidate should just “trust the process”

What they conclude: “This organization doesn’t have the infrastructure to support success, and they’re not being honest about it.”

Here’s what research and our 16 years of placements tell us about what makes candidates say yes:

1. Organizational Stability (cited by 67% of accepting candidates as a top factor)

• Board functioning and governance
• Financial health and sustainability
• Staff retention and morale
• Clear strategic direction

2. Transparent Communication (cited by 61%)

• Honest about challenges and opportunities
• Clear about compensation and benefits
• Realistic about what success requires
• Open about organizational culture

3. Genuine Support for Executive Leadership (cited by 58%)

• Board understands its governance role vs. management
• Resources aligned with expectations
• Investment in leader development and support
• Track record of reasonable tenure for previous leaders

4. Mission Impact Potential (cited by 54%)

• Clear theory of change
• Measurable outcomes
• Willingness to adapt and innovate
• Resources that match ambition

Notice what’s not in the top four? “Highest possible salary.”

Compensation matters. But it matters in context. A candidate will often accept less money for an organization that scores high on stability, transparency, and support. They’ll rarely accept more money for an organization that’s dysfunctional, dishonest, or unsupportive—no matter how inspiring the mission.

If you’re in the middle of a search or planning one, here’s what to do:

Step 1: Do an Honest Board Health Check

Before you post the job, ask:

• Would I want to work for this board?
• Are we clear on our governance role vs. management responsibilities?
• Have we resolved past conflicts or just buried them?
• Do we have the self-awareness to see our own dysfunction?

Consider bringing in an outside facilitator for a board assessment. The $5,000 you spend on this will save you $150,000 in a failed search and quick turnover.

Step 2: Research Actual Compensation Data

Stop guessing. Invest in:

• Salary surveys specific to your sector and region
• Conversations with peer organizations about current ranges
• Compensation consultants if the role is senior enough

Then post a realistic range in your job description. Yes, really. The transparency will save everyone time and attract candidates who can actually say yes.

Step 3: Prepare for Radical Honesty

Script out how you’ll talk about:

• Why the position is open (truthfully)
• Your organization’s challenges (not just opportunities)
• Board dynamics and decision-making culture
• Resource constraints and how you’re addressing them

Candidates aren’t looking for perfection. They’re looking for self-awareness and honesty.

Step 4: Let Candidates See the Real Organization

Build in opportunities for candidates to:

• Talk to staff members without leadership present
• Review board minutes and strategic plans
• Meet board members in smaller, less formal settings
• Ask hard questions and get real answers

The organizations that do this attract better candidates because top talent wants to make informed decisions, not discover problems after they’ve already said yes.

Here’s the shift that changes everything:

Stop asking: “How do we get candidates to accept our offers?”

Start asking: “What do we need to change so that the right candidates want to accept our offers?”

That second question is harder. It requires organizational honesty, board development, and sometimes uncomfortable conversations about resources and readiness.

But it’s also the question that leads to transformational leadership placements that actually stick.

After 650+ placements, we can tell you this with certainty:

When great candidates turn down your offers, they’re usually doing you both a favor. Because they’ve seen something that would have made them unsuccessful or unhappy—and they’re being honest about it.

The question is: Are you willing to see it too?

The nonprofits that will attract and retain transformational leaders over the next decade aren’t just the ones offering the highest salaries. They’re the ones brave enough to do the internal work that makes them genuinely attractive places to lead.

Your mission deserves that level of organizational health.

And top candidates are waiting to see if you’re ready to build it.

The Batten Group’s commitment to finding mission-driven leaders is not just a recruitment strategy—it’s a dedication to the long-term success of nonprofit organizations and their missions. The true art of executive search lies in identifying authentic passion, aligning it with the right expertise, and matching it to the unique purpose of each organization. By doing so, The Batten Group helps nonprofits thrive and drive meaningful, lasting change.

In the nonprofit world, values-driven leadership isn’t a luxury—it’s essential. And The Batten Group is at the forefront of making that essential leadership a reality.

We are a premier national executive search and consultancy firm with more than 75 years of collective experience in nonprofit, philanthropy, and executive recruitment. We specialize in placing transformational leaders in nonprofit, healthcare, higher education, and mission-based organizations across the country.

As experts in recruiting and talent acquisition, our mission is to connect exceptional individuals with purpose-driven organizations—helping our partners achieve their boldest strategic goals.

We believe the most impactful teams are built by welcoming varied perspectives, lived experiences, and leadership styles. That belief is at the core of every search we conduct. By fostering environments where people feel seen, supported, and empowered, we help build stronger, more resilient leadership for the future.

We’d love to learn more about your organization’s goals and how we can support your search for the next transformational leader. Visit thebattengroup.com to learn more, or click here to explore our proven hiring methodology.

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