Most nonprofits don’t struggle because they lack heart.  They struggle because unclear roles lead to staff burnout and hinder community Impact, making staff feel uncertain and undervalued.  Clarity isn’t bureaucracy.  It’s compassion—because confusion is costly to outcomes.

To make this real (not theoretical), let’s use Optimum Health Institute of San Diego (OHI San Diego) as a living example.  OHI is a healing ministry of the Free Sacred Trinity Church and describes itself as a non-medical, holistic healing program focused on body, mind, and spirit.  OHI states it began in 1976, welcomes people of “all spiritual traditions,” and operates a San Diego-area campus in Lemon Grove with guest rooms and program facilities. 

Quote: Nonprofits don’t scale on goodwill—they scale on clear functions and mission alignment, highlighting the need for role clarity to achieve growth.

Below are the eleven roles that mature nonprofits must define to improve role clarity and organizational effectiveness, as demonstrated by OHI San Diego, so that leaders feel more capable and in control of their organization’s success.

A map of the roles

·        Board of Directors

·        Visionary → Protects long-term mission relevance

·        Innovator → Builds and improves the program model

·        Leader → Aligns people, culture, and execution rhythms

·        Nonprofit Entrepreneur (Builder) → Ensures viability: governance, funding engine, risk control

·        Facilitator → Makes group processes produce decisions and progress

·        Instructor → Trains consistent, safe, repeatable performance

·        Teacher → Develops understanding, judgment, and mission fluency

·        Manager

·        Employee

·        Volunteers

Quote: Mission is why OHI exists.  Roles are how they deliver.  Clearly defining and communicating each role helps everyone feel confident and proud, reducing confusion and boosting effectiveness.

1)    Board of Directors –

Optimum Health is guided by a distinguished Board of Directors whose expertise spans healthcare, wellness innovation, and organizational leadership.  Together, they provide vision and governance that ensure Optimum Health remains committed to advancing holistic well-being and delivering exceptional care to the communities we serve.

2) Visionary — Protects the mission’s future

Function: Sets direction and keeps the mission relevant as the world changes.

OHI’s “visionary” function is expressed through mission, values, and a defined worldview:

It frames wellness as an integrated body-mind-spirit journey and positions the organization as a “change agent for humankind.” The visionary role is the one that answers the question: What does “healing” mean in this context?  Who are we for?  What principles do we stand by?  Clarifying these helps leaders feel assured about their purpose and direction. 

What this looks like in practice at OHI San Diego:

• Defining the mission as holistic and non-medical (setting boundaries and expectations). 
• Maintaining a clear “Body–Mind–Spirit” emphasis as the organizational anchor. 

Quote: A nonprofit visionary prevents the mission from becoming a museum of yesterday’s solutions.

3) Innovator — Builds a program model that people can follow

Function: Converts vision into a usable, repeatable program design.

OHI’s program is explicitly structured as a 21-day program delivered over three one-week segments, including a stated progression from understanding the body-mind-spirit connection to learning tools for healthier choices to “taking the program home.” This clear, packaged behavior change model helps staff and volunteers feel competent and confident in delivering consistent Impact. 

OHI’s program-design innovation examples (as described by OHI):

• A modular format: guests can complete the 21 days consecutively or across multiple visits and can start on designated weeks.             
• Operational “rules of the program” that support the model (e.g., meals designed for cleansing; policies limiting outside distractions). 
• A defined nutrition approach emphasizing raw, certified-organic foods and detox practices as part of the program’s stated methodology. 

Quote: In nonprofits, innovation isn’t just novelty—it’s a deliverable model that works on Monday, not just at the retreat, inspiring confidence in sustainable Impact.

4) Leader — Aligns people and culture to deliver the experience

Function: Mobilizes staff and community members to execute consistently without burnout.

Nonprofits are mission-heavy environments.  Leadership is about converting moral energy into steady execution rhythms.  OHI explicitly emphasizes community as a key factor in the program’s uniqueness, with staff, missionaries, and guests creating a “safe and sacred” environment.  OHI San Diego’s site also lists an Executive Director and multiple staff roles that support guests. 

Leadership at OHI (as the organization describes it) looks like:

• Creating a structured environment designed to reduce distractions so participants can focus. 
• Establishing norms that preserve culture (e.g., behavioral expectations and program participation expectations). 

Quote: Leadership is what makes a mission feel safe, consistent, and real—every week, for every new person.

5) Nonprofit Entrepreneur (Builder) Ensures viability and governance

Function: Builds the organizational “vehicle” that carries the mission: governance, legal structure, risk boundaries, and sustainability.

Even without equity “owners,” every nonprofit requires the entrepreneurial builder function: someone must make the model viable and durable.  OHI describes itself as a mission of the Free Sacred Trinity Church, including governance context and History, and notes its religious organization status and tax-exempt framing.  The “builder” role is the person/function responsible for ensuring the institution can continue operating—policies, boundaries, infrastructure, and stewardship. 

At OHI, the builder function shows up in:

• The organizational relationship to FSTC and the church’s stated mission to create healing programs and commission missions like OHI.
• The explicit framing and disclaimers about what OHI is and is not (helping manage expectations and risk). 

Quote: A nonprofit entrepreneur builds the runway—so the mission can keep taking off.

6) Facilitator — Turns group dynamics into forward motion

Function: Makes group processes productive—especially when emotions and transformation are involved.

OHI San Diego literally lists “Facilitator” roles among staff.  More importantly, the program is conducted in a group setting, with small-group meetings and healing sessions described as part of participation.  In nonprofits, facilitation is the difference between a meaningful gathering and a slow drift into confusion. 

Facilitation at OHI (as described) includes:

• Holding structured sessions where participation is considered key to success. 
• Preserving psychological/spiritual safety by preventing disruptive behavior and maintaining shared norms. 

Quote: Facilitation is how OHI keeps a mission-centered community from turning into mission-centered noise.

7) Instructors — Departs Knowledge, Trains consistent behavior, and safe practices in 40 separate educational classes.

Function: Ensures people can perform specific tasks correctly and consistently.

Instruction is not “nice to have” in mission-driven work—it’s how OHI protects people and standardizes results.  OHI’s FAQ states that it teaches guests to use enemas and implants as part of its colon-cleansing approach and notes that the organization provides materials and offers contracted optional services for an additional fee.  OHI also describes specific daily movement classes (e.g., morning lymphatic exercise, afternoon stretch) designed to support the program. 

Instruction at OHI looks like:

• Step-by-step training tied to a defined protocol. 
• Skill support that reduces variance across participants (everyone learns the same basics). 

Quote: Instructors protect the mission by making performance repeatable.

8) Teachers — Develops understanding, judgment, and “take it home” capability

Function: Helps people understand the “why,” build judgment, and apply learning beyond the program.

Teachers create transfer.  OHI states that its classes are designed to help participants integrate tools into daily life and foster transformation, and that the program culminates in a completion ceremony and an ongoing sense of community identity.  OHI also notes that its program includes classes on maintaining a home diet (e.g., dehydration and related food-preparation knowledge). 

Teaching at OHI (as described) includes:

• A week-by-week curriculum moving toward independence (“take the program home”). 
• Education that’s meant to reshape habits and mindset, not just deliver an experience. 

Quote: Instructors teach tasks.  Teachers build thinkers—and nonprofits run on thinking.

9) Managers — Turn the mission into an operating system

Function: Converts goals into plans, processes, staffing, schedules, metrics, and continuous improvement.

A Manager is not the same as a leader (though one person may be both).  Leadership is primarily about alignment and motivation; management is mainly about execution infrastructure, the mechanics that make good intentions consistent.

What managers do (clear outputs)

• Translate strategy into operations: who does what, when, with what resources
• Standardize and reduce variation: checklists, workflows, handoffs, coverage plans
• Measure performance: dashboards, quality checks, incident tracking, feedback loops
• Remove recurring friction: fix bottlenecks so the organization stops re-solving the same problems
• Protect sustainability: staffing pace, workload balance, compliance, budget discipline

How “Manager” differs from nearby roles

• Manager vs. Leader:
• Leader: “Are people aligned and committed?”
• Manager: “Is the work defined, resourced, and repeatable?”
• Manager vs. Facilitator:
• Facilitator: makes groups decide and collaborate
• Manager: makes operational decisions (schedule, SOPs, accountability)
• Manager vs. Instructor:
• Instructor trains skills
• Manager ensures skills are used consistently and measured

OHI San Diego–style example (how it shows up)

In a residential retreat environment, managers ensure the experience is predictable, safe, and consistent—even as new guests rotate weekly.  On OHI’s San Diego page, roles such as Director of Guest Services and other operational staff functions reflect this operational backbone (guest flow, service coordination, campus rhythm). 

Managers in a setting such as OHI also operationalize policies that preserve the program’s container (e.g., closed-campus norms, scheduling, participation expectations), thereby converting “sacred space” into daily practice. 

Quote: If leadership is the compass, management is the engine room.

10) Employee — Delivers the mission where it meets reality

Function: Executes tasks and service delivery with quality, integrity, and consistency.

“Employee” isn’t a lesser role—it’s the role where Impact lands.  Employees are the ones who turn a nonprofit’s values into lived experience through hundreds of small interactions and routine disciplines.

What employees do (clear outputs)

• Deliver service (frontline support, guest services, food prep, admin support, facility readiness)
• Follow standards (safety, confidentiality, documentation, guest experience consistency)
• Observe and report (flag issues early; provide frontline feedback that improves the model)
• Protect culture (how people are treated day-to-day is the culture)

How “Employee” differs from nearby roles

• Employee vs. Manager:
• Employee: executes within the system
• Manager: designs and improves the system
• Employee vs. Instructor/Teacher:
• Employee: delivers the work
• Instructor/Teacher: builds capability and judgment so delivery improves over time
• Employee vs. Leader:
• Employee may lead informally, but the primary accountability is excellent execution

OHI San Diego–style example (how it shows up)

OHI emphasizes that the program is delivered in a community setting, supported by staff and a structured program.  Employees (and staff in general) make that community real through consistent daily execution—welcoming guests, maintaining norms, supporting program flow, and protecting a calm environment.  OHI also describes how participation in program components and adherence to principles/policies support the integrity of the experience.   

Quote: The mission isn’t what the claim—it’s what the employees do repeatedly.

Where do these two roles fit in a “confusion map”

Here’s the typical failure pattern this addition solves:

When “Manager” is missing…

• The org becomes dependent on heroic effort and tribal knowledge
• Quality varies by person and day
• Problems recur because no one owns process improvement
• Training doesn’t stick because nobody enforces standards

When “Employee” is undervalued…

• Frontline feedback is ignored (so leadership makes blind decisions)
• Culture becomes performative (values on walls, not in behaviors)
• Turnover rises (and institutional memory drains)

Quote: Nonprofits burn out when they confuse inspiration (leadership) with infrastructure (management).

11) Volunteers

Volunteers don’t fit into the framework as a separate “function,” such as Visionary or Manager.  They fit as a workforce category—a means of staffing functions.

Functions = what must get done.
Volunteers/Employees = who does it (paid or unpaid).

A volunteer can perform many of the eleven roles OHI defined—sometimes exceptionally well—if they establish boundaries, provide training, and ensure accountability.

Volunteers are not a separate “function,” such as a leader or teacher—they’re a staffing type.  A volunteer can perform many functions (employee, facilitator, instructor, teacher, even informal leader) if the nonprofit provides a clear lane, training to a standard, supervision by a qualified supervisor, and firm boundaries around risk and confidentiality.  When the system is clear, volunteers become force multipliers.  When the system is vague, volunteers unintentionally amplify inconsistency.

Quote: Staff protect the model.  Volunteers extend the mission.

What other nonprofits can learn from this case?

The cleanest model: Two layers

Layer 1 — Functions (the hats)

• Visionary, Innovator, Leader, Nonprofit Entrepreneur/Builder
• Facilitator, Instructor, Teacher
• Manager, Employee (execution role)

Layer 2 — Staffing type (the contract)

• Paid staff (employees)
• Unpaid staff (volunteers)
• Stipended/interns/missionaries (hybrid)
• Contractors/pro-bono specialists
• Board members (volunteer governance)

Same hat.  Different contracts.

Quote: Volunteer is a compensation status, not a competency level.

Where volunteers commonly fit (high-value “lanes”)

Here are the most common nonprofit use-cases—mapped to their roles.

a) Volunteer as Employee (Execution)

This is the most common scenario: volunteers perform defined tasks within a system.

• Front desk / welcome team
• Food prep/kitchen support
• Garden/facilities help
• Event staffing
• Admin support (data entry, calling, packet assembly)

Best practice: Keep tasks bounded, repeatable, and documented.

Volunteers thrive when “what good looks like” is obvious.

b) Volunteer as Instructor (Skill training)

Volunteers can teach step-by-step skills if the curriculum and evaluation are standardized.

• CPR instructors
• Financial literacy workshop leaders
• Software trainers
• Safety training assistants

Watch-outs: Certification, safety, and consistency.  Training must be repeatable and supervised.

c) Volunteer as Teacher (Mentorship & growth)

This is where volunteers often create the most profound long-term Impact.

• Mentors (youth, recovery, job readiness)
• Peer support leaders
• Small group guides
• Coaching (resume reviews, interview practice)

Key difference from Instructor: A teacher develops judgment, not just tasks.

d) Volunteer as Facilitator (Group process & community)

Volunteers are often excellent at “holding space” and helping groups function.

• Support group facilitators
• Community listening session assistants
• Discussion moderators

At Optimum Health Institute, the program emphasizes community and includes a Missionary Program for graduates who want to serve others in the program environment—this is a classic “volunteer-as-facilitator/community-holder” structure. 

e) Volunteer as a Leader (Informal leadership)

Volunteers frequently lead through influence rather than authority:

• Team captains
• Shift leads
• Volunteer ambassadors
• Volunteer trainers-of-volunteers

Requirement: A Manager must still own the system (scheduling, standards, incident response).

f) Volunteer as Manager (limited—but possible)

Volunteers can manage small, well-defined operating areas if the nonprofit provides:

• SOPs (standard procedures)
• Clear authority boundaries
• Quality checks
• A staff escalation path

Example: A volunteer coordinator for one event, one program night per week, or one donor call campaign.

Rule of thumb: Volunteers can manage within a box.  Staff should manage the box itself.

g) Volunteer as Innovator (Pilots & improvement)

Highly valuable when volunteers bring specialized skills:

• UX, automation, data analytics
• Process improvement
• Program evaluation support
• New workshop design

Best practice: Put innovations into a pilot with measurement, staff ownership, and a focus on adoption.

h) Volunteer as Visionary / Builder (Board & founders)

This is real and important: many visionaries/builders in nonprofits are volunteer leaders:

• Board members (governance)
• Board chair
• Founders

They shape mission direction, guard integrity, and strengthen sustainability—often without pay.

Considerable caution: Board volunteers should govern and support—not run daily operations.

i)                 A simple “Volunteer Fit” Matrix

If the work requires...

 - Licensed authority, protected health info, high-risk decisions → STAFF-OWNED

- Consistency and repeatability → VOLUNTEERS OK with training 

- Deep relationship and mentorship → VOLUNTEERS EXCELLENT with supervision

- Program design / significant change → VOLUNTEERS OK as advisors; STAFF owns adoption

- Governance and oversight → VOLUNTEERS (BOARD) essential

Quote: Volunteers are force multipliers—when the system is clear.

The five rules that make volunteers succeed (and prevent chaos)

j) Define the lane

Volunteers need a job description with:

• Task list
• Time expectation
• “Done means…”
• What not to do

k) Train to a standard

This is where the Instructor role matters:

• Demonstration → practice → check → certify

l) Supervise with a real owner

Volunteers should never be the only “owner” of mission-critical processes.

• Managers’ own scheduling, coverage, quality control, and incident response.

m) Protect boundaries

Don’t put volunteers in roles requiring:

• clinical judgment (unless credentialed and properly overseen),
• confidential case decisions,
• high-risk confrontation without training.

n) Close the feedback loop

Volunteers are frontline sensors:

• “What’s confusing?”
• “Where do guests/clients get stuck?”
• “What would make this easier?”

That feedback serves as input for the Innovator and Manager roles.

How this looks at OHI San Diego (clean, non-speculative alignment)

OHI describes a community-based program environment and explicitly references a Missionary Program for graduates who wish to immerse themselves in and serve a God-centered environment.

That’s a classic nonprofit pattern: volunteers (or quasi-volunteers) support the experience and culture—often in facilitation, hospitality, and community reinforcement—while staff maintain program integrity, policies, and operational continuity. 

OHI San Diego’s structure makes one point unavoidable: Impact is a system, not a personality.

When roles are clarified:

• Strategy stays coherent (visionary)
• The program becomes deliverable and repeatable (innovator)
• Culture becomes consistent (leader)
• Governance and expectations protect viability (nonprofit entrepreneur/builder)
• Groups produce decisions and progress (facilitator)
• Standards and safety become repeatable (instructor)
• Learning transfers beyond the program (teacher)

Bottom line: A nonprofit doesn’t need more meetings or more heroics.  It requires clear hats and a repeatable operating model.

Disclaimer:

OHI describes its offerings as non-medical and emphasizes participants’ responsibility for personal medical decisions and for medication guidance through their physician.  This article discusses organizational roles and program structure—not medical advice.