Sometimes, you start a great nonprofit job, and it’s just not what you expected. Maybe you really love the cause, but it’s the organization itself that’s driving you crazy. You enjoy working with the kids or doing outreach for the homeless, but you don’t think you can go one more day working for an evil jerk of a boss. They don’t pay you enough to deal with dysfunction. Also, your friends are tired of your complaining. It may be time to quit, but you want to leave on good terms. Even if it was the nonprofit job from hell.

Write a formal resignation letter. Keep it short and to the point. Leave emotions out of it. Make sure you give the effective date of your resignation. As much as you may want to vent and rant about all the injustices done to you, this is just not the venue for that. Avoid putting in details of why you’re leaving in the formal letter.  Though it’s supposed to be confidential, the reality is that anything you put in writing can be shared with anyone who happens upon your employee file later. If you really do have a grievance to pursue, use the appropriate channels outlined in the employee handbook.

Deliver the news in person. Request a meeting with your boss to “discuss your future with the organization.” Nothing more needs to be said here. They will have an idea of what you want to meet about. Again, keep this meeting short and to the point – 30 minutes max. Begin by telling them how much you’ve appreciated the opportunity to serve the organization, but it’s time for you to move on. You can insert whatever explanation you want here – you’re leaving to pursue advancement opportunities elsewhere, going back to school, expand your experience with other nonprofits. Whatever you do, don’t say, ‘I’m leaving because you are certifiably insane and if I work here one more day I will jump out of a window.” At the end of the meeting, give your boss the resignation letter that you’ve prepared.

Give at least two weeks notice. I know, if it’s hard to get out of bed in the morning for a job you have grown to despise, this can also be a challenge. Especially when all you want to do is scream, “You can’t fire me; I quit!” at the top of your lungs. But you must do this. It is a generally accepted professional courtesy to give your employer at least two weeks to find your replacement. This will also give you time to wrap up any projects to hand off to the next employee or delegate to one of your colleagues.

Write a positive farewell email to your stakeholders and colleagues.During your last days of work, be sure to inform those you’ve been working with for the last months or years. It’s a courtesy to your colleagues to let them know you’re leaving the organization and where they can contact you in the future. Say something like, “I’ve learned a lot during my time at Toys for Toddlers, but I’m moving on to a new stage in my career. I appreciate having the opportunity to work with all of you, and I hope we can stay in touch…”

Again, even if you’re quitting on bad terms, just try to be as cordial and professional as possible. It’s a small nonprofit world. If you leave any organization in a huff, people will be talking about you, and not in a good way.