“Put me in, Coach”: A pilot evaluation of executive coaching in the nonprofit sector

The use of executive coaching within the nonprofit sector has received increased attention over the past decade as a mechanism to build capacity and address issues of burnout and turnover among executives. This article presents the results of an evaluation of a pilot six‐month executive coaching program that was implemented in 2005 in an urban metropolitan area. The evaluation collected data through surveys and semistructured interviews with nine executive directors and five coaches who participated in the pilot and analyzed the data to assess the effectiveness of the delivery and usefulness of the experience. The coaching experience was rated as very helpful and supportive of the development of executive directors as nonprofit leaders.