The Nonprofit Lifecycles Institute was founded in 2015 based on the seminal work of Susan Kenny Stevens, PhD’s Nonprofit Lifecycles: Stage-based Wisdom for Nonprofit Capacity, first published in 2002. Nonprofit Lifecycles is a paradigm-shifting, stage-based approach, providing guidance and structure for nonprofits to realize their missions with clarity and sustainability.

The Lifecycles approach to building capacity is the basis for an illustrious list of foundations across the U.S. and Canada, including national funders such as the Ford Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Warhol Foundation; as well as many place-based funders who adopted lifecycles as a key component of their work: Gifford Foundation (Syracuse, NY), Dekko Foundation (IN), GR Dodge Foundation (Morristown, NJ), Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust (Phoenix, AZ), Rose Community Foundation (Denver, CO), Vancouver Cultural Services (British Columbia).

The Institute continues to grow and evolve the concepts introduced in the book through it mission to cultivate an ecosystem of healthy, dynamic, and collaborative nonprofit organizations, funders, and consultants. While we are founded on the principles of the book – Nonprofit Lifecycles: Stage-based Wisdom for Nonprofit Capacity, we are excited to extend that framework to present day opportunities and challenges. You will find this modern day twist in the on-demand courses, videos, and other resources throughout the Institute.

Want to learn more about how the Lifecycles framework evolved into the Institute? Visit our History of NLI page.

As a trusted advisor to nonprofit organizations and foundations for over thirty years and as author Nonprofit Lifecycles: Stage-based Wisdom for Nonprofit Capacity, Susan founded the Nonprofit Lifecycles Institute in 2015. In 2019, Susan named Jennifer H. Bonnett the President and CEO of the Nonprofit Lifecycles Institute.

Stevens’ work is used in nonprofit management schools including: American University, Baypath University, Drexel University, George Mason University, Lasalle University, Metro State University, Saint Mary’s University and University of Missouri KC.

As founder of The Stevens Group, Nonprofit Lifecycle Institute and Principal-in-Charge of Larson Allen’s Nonprofit and Government Division throughout her career, Susan led thousands of organizations on the path to success.