Two decades after taking over as President of Focus on the Family from founder Jim Dobson, Jim Daly has announced that he is stepping down from the role and that a search for their next leader is beginning.
Focus on the Family, which was founded in 1977 by Dr. James Dobson, now reaches millions of people across the world. Jim Daly took over the helm in 2005 and continued to grow its influence and reach.
The organization now employs 750 people across 13 international offices and has a budget of $150 million, according to The Christian Post, which reported the story. Daly told the CP:
There is no crisis, which is wonderful. We’re not under any kind of situation of moral collapse or any other thing. Finances are good at Focus. … If I were coming in as the next leader, it’s the kind of situation I’d want to walk into, where things are going well.
…My core belief was it’s good to get new faces, new energy, younger leadership in to kind of speak to the 30-, 40-somethings now about what they’re facing with marriage and parenting. I’m going to be turning 65 here. It’s time to start looking for the next-gen leadership. That’s really the goal, and to do it well is the other goal.
The search for a new leader is expected to take 18 months and will be completed before the organization celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2027.
For those curious, according to the org’s Form 990, Daly’s compensation in 2025 was nearly half a million dollars.
