How Our Team Uses Agile and Scrum - and How Your Nonprofit Can Too
Our team at DH Leonard Consulting & Grant Writing Services doesn’t believe in just helping nonprofits secure funding; we believe in helping nonprofits work better. That belief is why our team has embraced Agile methodology and the Scrum framework as the foundation of how we operate every day.
Led by Diane H. Leonard, GPC, RST, a credentialed Registered Scrum Trainer and Grant Professional Certified, our team has experienced firsthand how Agile principles help mission-driven organizations do more with less, move more quickly without burning out, and deliver greater impact for the communities they serve.
Whether you’re curious about how Agile works in a nonprofit setting or on a grant team, or you’re ready to implement Scrum on your own team, you’re in the right place. Read on to learn how we work, and access free tools, webinars, and resources to help you get started.
What are Agile and Scrum - and Why Do They Matter for Nonprofits?
To understand why and how the Agile methodology and Scrum framework work together to help you deliver greater impact, you first need to understand what each one entails.
What Is Agile?
Agile is a way of working built around flexibility, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Originally developed for software teams, Diane has adapted the methodology, continuing to show how Agile has proven remarkably effective in environments where priorities shift, teams are lean, and the stakes are high, especially in nonprofits.
At its core, Agile asks teams to:
- Communicate frequently and transparently
- Reflect regularly on what’s working and what isn’t
- Deliver value to the people you serve — consistently and incrementally
For nonprofits, this approach means less chaos, less burnout, and more mission impact.
What Is Scrum?
Scrum is the most widely used Agile framework, and it’s what our team practices here at DH Leonard Consulting. Scrum gives your team a clear, repeatable structure made up of three roles, five events, and three artifacts.
Three Roles:
- Product Owner: prioritizes the work that matters most
- Scrum Master: supports the team and removes obstacles
- Developers / Team Members: doing the work during each Sprint
Five Events:
- Sprint Planning
- Daily Scrum (brief daily check-in)
- Sprint Review
- Sprint Retrospective
- The Sprint itself (typically 1–4 weeks)
Three Artifacts:
- Product Backlog (the prioritized to-do list)
- Sprint Backlog (work committed to for the current Sprint)
- Increment (the value delivered at the end of each Sprint)
Interested in seeing how our team breaks down a grant into increments that fit into the Sprint? Click here
These concepts aren’t just for tech companies. They work beautifully for grant teams, program staff, and nonprofit leadership, and we have the proof.
How Our Teams Use Agile and Scrum
Our team adopted Agile and Scrum practices because we faced the same challenges many nonprofits and Grant Professionals do: shifting deadlines, competing priorities, remote collaboration, and the constant pressure to deliver high-quality work without burning out our team.
Here’s how Agile and Scrum show up in our day-to-day work:
Sprints Keep Our Work Organized and Predictable
Rather than working from an endless, overwhelming to-do list, our team organizes work into structured Sprints: short, time-boxed periods (typically one – two weeks for most teams) with clearly defined goals. At the start of each Sprint, we commit to the work we’ll accomplish. At the end, we review what we delivered and plan the next cycle. Our teams work in one-week sprints: the Grant Strategy Team is Wednesday to Tuesday, and the Marketing and Training Team is Monday to Friday.
This rhythm creates accountability, reduces last-minute scrambles, and helps every team member know exactly what they’re working on and why.
Daily Scrums Keep Us Connected and Unblocked
Each of our teams holds a brief Daily Scrum, a short check-in (15 minutes OR LESS) focused on three questions: What did I accomplish yesterday? What am I working on today? Is anything blocking my progress?
These quick touchpoints replace lengthy status meetings, surface problems early, and keep the whole team aligned, especially important for a distributed team serving clients across the country.
The Grant Strategy Team meets every day at 10:30 a.m. ET, and the Marketing and Training Team meets at 10:00 a.m. ET.
Retrospectives Help Us Continuously Improve
At the end of every Sprint, each team holds a Retrospective, a structured conversation about what went well, what could be improved, and what we’ll commit to changing in the next Sprint. This practice of regular reflection is one of the most powerful tools in the Scrum framework, and it’s one reason our team is always improving.
The Grant Strategy Team has Retrospectives on Tuesdays, and the Marketing and Training Team has theirs on Fridays.
Agile Values Drive Our Culture
Beyond the framework itself, our team is guided by the original core values of Agile, which we have adapted and internalized for our work in the grants and nonprofit worlds. We prioritize the concepts on the left of each value statement, while still valuing the concepts on the right:
Individuals and interactions OVER processes and tools
Working product OVER comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration OVER contract negotiation
Responding to change OVER following a plan
These values aren’t just words on a wall; they shape how we communicate with clients, support each other, and approach the complex, high-stakes work of grant writing and nonprofit consulting. We make our high-level decisions within the context of these values, resulting in commitment, focus, openness, respect, and courage.
Agile in Nonprofits, Created by DH Leonard Consulting
In 2018, DH Leonard Consulting launched Agile in Nonprofits—a platform dedicated entirely to helping nonprofit organizations adopt Agile and Scrum. Led by Diane H. Leonard, GPC, RST, Agile in Nonprofits has trained and coached organizations nationwide through their Agile transformation.
The mission is simple: help nonprofits create twice the impact in half the time at a sustainable pace.
If your organization is ready to work smarter, reduce team burnout, and amplify your mission impact, Agile in Nonprofits was built for you.
Free Agile and Scrum Resources for Your Nonprofit Team
You don’t need a big budget to start your Agile journey. The Agile in Nonprofits team has created 12 free, downloadable resources designed specifically for nonprofit organizations—not tech companies. Every guide, checklist, and template is written in plain language with real nonprofit examples.
Free Downloads Include:
- Getting Started with Scrum Checklist — A step-by-step guide for launching your first Agile practice
- Glossary of Scrum Guide — Plain-language definitions of key Agile and Scrum terms, written for nonprofits
- Scrum Role Chart — A visual map of who fills each Scrum role on your team
- Agile Values Facilitation Guide — How to lead meaningful team conversations about Agile values
- Retrospective Guide — Templates and facilitation tips for running productive Sprint Retrospectives
- Team Working Agreement — Creating clear, shared expectations for how your team collaborates
- Lean Canvas Action Guide — A method to clarify your strategy on one page, with real nonprofit examples
- Scrum Event Checklist — A reference guide to all five Scrum events, so that your team always shows up prepared
- Backlog Guide — Step-by-step instructions for building and managing a product backlog
- Sustainable Pace Guide — Data-driven tools to protect your team from burnout
- Toyota Kata Guide — A structured framework for building a culture of continuous improvement
- Building Buy-In for Agile in Your Nonprofit — Practical strategies for championing Agile with your leadership and staff
Agile and Scrum Webinars and Training for Nonprofits
Learning Agile is even better with a coach. Diane H. Leonard, GPC, RST, teaches and trains nonprofit professionals on Agile and Scrum through a variety of free and low-cost learning opportunities. Here’s how you can learn alongside our team:
Free and Accessible Learning Options:
We offer many types of learning sure to match your schedule and your needs for exploring more about Agile and Scrum. You can benefit from numerous on-demand trainings and webinars, a multi-day immersion, a podcast, and an online summit.
Free Webinars and Trainings The Agile in Nonprofits team regularly offers free and introductory webinars designed specifically for nonprofit professionals. From Agile Basics to Scrum Basics for Nonprofits, these sessions ease you into learning without a big financial commitment.
View the Training Calendar at AgileinNonprofits.com
Agile Basics for Nonprofits New to Agile? This introductory training is your starting point. Learn the core concepts of Agile methodology in a nonprofit context, with real-world examples your team will immediately recognize.
We have a bite-sized free version of this session here
Scrum Basics for Nonprofits Ready to go deeper? This course introduces the complete Scrum framework—roles, events, and artifacts—through a nonprofit lens. Perfect for team leaders, program staff, and anyone who wants to bring Scrum to their organization.
We have a bite-sized free version of the session here
30-Day Agile Journey for Nonprofits Prefer a self-paced path? The 30-Day Agile Journey takes you from Agile beginner to Agile practitioner, one day at a time. It’s designed for busy nonprofit professionals who want to learn without adding a big, new commitment to your plate.
Start the 30-Day Agile Journey
Agile Driven Impact Podcast Learn on the go with the Agile Driven Impact podcast, hosted by the Agile in Nonprofits team. Episodes explore how nonprofits around the country are using Agile principles to achieve greater mission impact—and what you can apply to your own work right now.
#LearnGrants Online Summit Each year, DH Leonard Consulting hosts the #LearnGrants Online Summit—a free, virtual event where nonprofit professionals can learn from grant experts and Agile practitioners alike. Past sessions have covered Scrum for grant teams, communication strategies, and how to use Retrospectives to strengthen your whole organization.
Ready to Bring Agile to Your Work?
Whether you’re a nonprofit executive, a grant professional, or a program manager, Agile and Scrum offer a proven path to doing more meaningful work without the burnout.
The DH Leonard Consulting team is here to help at every step, from free resources and introductory webinars to hands-on coaching and credential-based training.
Here’s how to take your next step:
Download Free Agile Resources — 12 free guides, checklists, and templates designed for nonprofit teams
Explore Upcoming Trainings — Find free and low-cost webinars, courses, and coaching options
Visit Agile in Nonprofits — Your home base for everything Agile in the nonprofit sector
Contact Our Team — Ready to talk? We’d love to connect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Agile really for nonprofits, or is it just for tech companies?
Agile was originally developed for software teams, but its core principles—collaboration, flexibility, transparency, and continuous improvement—apply powerfully to any team doing complex, mission-driven work. Nonprofits around the country are using Scrum to manage grant projects, run programs, coordinate teams, and reduce staff burnout.
Do we need technical experience to use Scrum?
Not at all. Scrum is a people-first framework, not a technology tool. If your team can hold a meeting, manage a to-do list, and communicate regularly, you have everything you need to start. Our free resources and beginner trainings are specifically designed to make Agile accessible to nonprofit professionals with no prior technical background. The Agile in Nonprofits team compiled all the Agile and Scrum terms into a glossary to show how they translate into nonprofit speak.
How does Agile help with grant writing specifically?
Grant writing is a complex, deadline-driven, team-dependent process—making it a great fit for Scrum. Teams that apply Scrum to grant work report improved communication between writers and program staff, fewer last-minute crises, clearer ownership of proposal sections, and a more sustainable workload across the grant cycle. View how our team breaks down the grant application process to make it more sustainable.
What is a Registered Scrum Trainer (RST)?
A Registered Scrum Trainer (RST) is a credential awarded by Scrum Inc. to professionals who have demonstrated advanced mastery of Scrum principles and a proven ability to teach and coach others. Diane H. Leonard, GPC, RST, is one of a select number of professionals worldwide to hold this credential, and the first to apply it specifically in the nonprofit sector.
How can I start learning Agile for free?
Start with our free resources at AgileinNonprofits.com/agile-resources, including the Getting Started with Scrum Checklist, Glossary of Scrum, and Sustainable Pace Guide. Then explore the free and introductory webinars at AgileinNonprofits.com/agile-trainings. No budget required to begin.
DH Leonard Consulting & Grant Writing Services has spent 20 years helping nonprofits take the stress out of grants. Now, through Agile in Nonprofits, we’re helping those same organizations take the stress out of how they work—so that they can focus on what matters most: their mission and the communities they serve.
Agile in Nonprofits is a product of DH Leonard Consulting & Grant Writing Services, LLC, founded in 2018 and led by Registered Scrum Trainer Diane H. Leonard, GPC, RST.
