Grassroots nonprofits with dynamic founders can struggle to ensure their missions live on beyond the leader.
That’s something the Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program began mulling over a few years back, before it had even hit the 10-year mark.
The tutoring, athletics, mentorship, socio-emotional skill building, college- and career-readiness and other supports it provides to students in its program have helped 100 percent of the program’s 277 participants graduate from high school since 2007.
How could DBG ensure the approach founder Khali Sweeney had put in place through personal connections with youth carry on beyond current leadership?
The answer was under the group’s nose the whole time.
DBG is developing kids it serves as future leaders of the nonprofit.
The kids in the program have been part of building the culture, said Executive Director Jessica Hauser.