​Misty Copeland almost disappeared quietly.

After 25 years with American Ballet Theatre—with metal plates, torn ligaments, and constant pain—she was ready to fade away. No farewell gala. No public goodbye.

Then Darren Walker intervened. Walker, the outgoing president of Ford Foundation, convinced her to make it public. "It feels like a launching pad," Copeland said after his encouragement. Then Walker did something even better: Ford Foundation became the lead underwriter for her October 22 retirement gala.

Here's what makes this model worth studying (read the full article):

1. Walker modeled the exit he was asking her to take
​He announced his own departure from Ford Foundation in July 2024—giving 16 months notice for a planned, public transition. He didn't just advise from the sidelines. He went first.

2. Ford Foundation funded the farewell
​Not just advice. Actual dollars. They underwrote both the gala and the free livestream for hundreds who couldn't afford $5,000 tickets. For readers who work at foundations or funding entities, when did your foundation last fund a grantee's leadership transition?

3. It's a launching pad, not an ending
​Days after her final performance, Copeland revealed she already had her next opportunity lined up in LA. She's expanding her foundation, producing films, and writing more books. Planned exits create momentum.

4. She left without someone in her shoes
​When Copeland leaves ABT, there will be no Black female principal dancer at the company, and ... she's leaving anyway. The succession gap is ABT's problem to solve, not hers to fix before departing.

Three actions for your organization:

For boards: Add "executive transition planning" as a funded line item in your next budget. Not buried in general operating. Explicit and resourced.

For EDs/founders: What's your launching pad? If you can't answer that, you're not ready to leave—not because your org needs you, but because you need to know what you're leaving for.

For funders: Make transition support a fundable expense in grant agreements. Executive transition planning, interim leadership, search process support, and yes—departure celebrations. If you want healthy exits in the sector, pay for them.

Want to talk about how to fund transitions in your portfolio, address succession planning at the board level, or plan your own exit? Let's talk.