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A culture of giving
Jan 31st, 2012 | By: Tommy Spaulding
Dylan Taylor showed up at my office on the Friday before Christmas with a nicely wrapped gift that, frankly, blew me away--all the baseball cards for the 1977 New York Yankees, matted and framed with a personalized plaque that said, "To the greatest Yankee fan. Love, your friend, Dylan." Dylan and I met about a year ago when he hired me to speak at the ...
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	Martial arts lessons for nonprofit managers Jan 23rd, 2012 \| By: Melissa Mendes Campos In 2012, nonprofits face another year of budget battles and political skirmishes, and the fight continues to intensify with the coming national election. Make no mistake. Nonprofits are in a full-fledged combat situation. Social, political, and economic forces have created a ... Read more
	Nonprofits: Can crowdsourcing become community building? Jan 17th, 2012 \| By: Rebecca Arno Social media has great power to connect people within and across communities--geographic communities, communities of practice and interest and communities of faith and belief. How are nonprofit organizations mining these connections to achieve their missions? Crowdsourcing is often ... Read more
	Successful nonprofit leadership: The starts, the risks and the failures Jan 11th, 2012 \| By: Deborah Dale Brackney The walls at Seniors’ Resource Center (SRC) are lined with beautiful photographs of people they have helped, which can be shared with generations of family members. These pictures tell of lives filled with joy, struggle and stories. Telling the story of these seniors is what the CEO for almost 30 years, John Zabawa, believes is the ... Read more
	There’s no “I” in TEAM Jan 3rd, 2012 \| By: Denise McMahan Unlike business partnerships, which are usually grounded in equal shares or investments, the partnership of a nonprofit board and the executive is much more ambiguous. Although one is a governing entity (the board) and the other is a ... Read more
	Creating a new habit: Incorporating program evaluation into your daily operations Dec 26th, 2011 \| By: Maggie Miller You are already busy enough. In fact, you’re busy running your programs. You don’t want to steal time away from actually doing the work and spend it on evaluation. Let’s face it: evaluation takes staff time, some expertise and money. At the same time, you know that evaluation is at the very least a necessary evil. I’ve been hearing this comment repeatedly, “More and more funders are demanding ... Read more
	Strategy is a 24/7 endeavor Dec 19th, 2011 \| By: Karla Raines As nonprofits began adopting successful practices from the business community, they grabbed hold of one with an iron grip: strategic planning. However, in our efforts to embrace the practice, we confused the process of planning with the real work of ... Read more
	Going upstream: Engaging nonprofits in public policy issues Dec 12th, 2011 \| By: Rich Jones Public policies often have a significant effect on the lives of many of nonprofit clients and the resulting demand for services nonprofits provide. With their unique insights and knowledge about how current policies are working, nonprofit ... Read more
	Overcome employee discontent to gain competitive advantage Dec 5th, 2011 \| By: Michael Lee Stallard For the second year in a row, 84 percent of American workers intend to actively look for a new job, according to new research by Right Management. Workplace incivility is also on the rise. According to research presented at the 2011 ... Read more
	Playing to lose Nov 21st, 2011 \| By: Tom Ahern Untrained staff and board cannot accurately judge professionally-crafted direct mail. It's impossible. Mailed appeals are a counter-intuitive enterprise, based on neuroscience, decades of testing, empiricism, and acquired skill sets of surprising depth and complexity... Read more
	Evaluating the executive director Nov 14th, 2011 \| By: Jan Masaoka Virtually everyone agrees that boards should conduct performance reviews of executive directors (EDs or CEOs). Even so, the predominant practice is neglect, and the predominant feeling is resentment. The neglect comes from the board: only ... Read more
	Experiments with networks are leading the way in community change Nov 7th, 2011 \| By: Noah Flower Social networks are hardly news. Everyone participates in networks in our families, schools, neighborhoods and workplaces. For activists from Mahatma Gandhi to current Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street leaders, understanding networks, linking together citizens and harnessing the power of network connectivity have been ... Read more
	Big changes start with small steps Nov 1st, 2011 \| By: Heather Gowdy It has been almost two years since the release of “Convergence: How Five Trends Will Reshape the Social Sector.”In that piece, my colleagues and I looked at how the combined effect of demographic shifts, technological advances, ... Read more
	The greener grass in front of me Oct 25th, 2011 \| By: Deborah Dale Brackney New studies by the Hay Group and the Corporate Leadership Council suggest that employees are getting frustrated with their current employers. Employees feel overworked, underpaid and undervalued. As a result, as many as six in 10 employees are looking to exit, according to the Hay Group. Some 85 percent of ... Read more
	Lead change, make it stick and get in on the big opportunity Oct 18th, 2011 \| By: John P. Kotter Thirty years of research by leadership have proven that 70% of all major change efforts in organizations fail. Why do they fail? Because organizations often do not take the holistic approach required to see the change through. However, by following ... Read more
	Withstand unreliable times by making “people smart” choices Oct 12th, 2011 \| By: Tommy Spaulding Numerous studies report that the most successful companies are those run by leaders who understand that people are the most important part of the business equation. Despite these reports, CEOs still do not prioritize... Read more
	Is your strategy sound? Oct 5th, 2011 \| By: Mike E. Stone, Ph.D. A few years ago, I discovered a framework for evaluating foundation strategy developed by Peter Frumkin that draws attention to three critical features of strategy: its soundness, the quality of its implementation, and the results it produces. The framework has proven to be immensely... Read more
	Three ways your nonprofit can adapt to Facebook's recent changes Sep 28th, 2011 \| By: John Haydon Liking pages is no longer a requirement for conversation. Taking this requirement away will create greater awareness of your nonprofit and allow you to gain valuable insights about "people on the fence." (I am interested in your organization, but not enough to like your page--at least not yet...). This is not different from... Read more
	Should we strive for sustainable organizations? Sep 22nd, 2011 \| By: Raylene Decatur Rather than investing so much energy in discussing and developing sustainable nonprofits, we should instead have a more animated dialogue about the best way for nonprofits to go out of business. Why should there be an aura of ... Read more
	Community auctions: Collect creative items and boost the bidding process Sep 12th, 2011 \| By: Sara Mellen Last week, we had a chance to ask you and your fellow readers for questions they had of our guest author and contributor, Sara Mellen. Mellen is the author of SOLD: How to Run a Great Community Auction and owner of Community ... Read more
	Taking risks for the public good Sep 7th, 2011 \| By: Lydia McCoy The heads of many, if not most, of our nonprofit organizations, large or small, traditional or non-traditional, seem afraid to speak out publicly on important public issues, go on the record with their positions, confront controversial problems or critique their weak or ... Read more
	The four great truths of cause marketing Aug 29th, 2011 \| By: Joe Waters People often make a big mistake with cause marketing: they confuse it with sponsorship. They talk about logos and billboards and companies cutting fat checks. For every cause marketing program that is funded by a company, there should be three ... Read more
	Good facilitation, great results Aug 22nd, 2011 \| By: Maria Markham Many of us have sat through stultifying meetings that result in little progress or less than substantive achievement. Unfortunately, they are all too common. This article suggests one solution, facilitation, and explores what it can offer your organization. Strong facilitation brings ... Read more
	Hallmarks of effective collaboration Aug 15th, 2011 \| By: Sarah Fischler Effective collaboration requires a different mindset than one operating a single organization. Leaders who are over time able to shift their thinking and behavior to work as part of a group to move beyond their organization’s walls are an essential factor in ... Read more
	Three tips for getting buy-in Aug 8th, 2011 \| By: John P. Kotter If you have a good idea, whether as small as what flavor of cake to serve at your best friend's birthday party, or as large as what company to merge with, and you want to help create strong buy-in among relevant others, you can take ... Read more
	Into the field Aug 1st, 2011 \| By: Rebecca Arno Many of us who work in the nonprofit sector spend our time in management and administrative tasks. In service to our missions, we make phone calls and send e-mails, prepare presentations, compose fundraising letter, manage staff. Though our ... Read more
	Financial due diligence: What grantmakers look for and what you should know about it Jul 25th, 2011 \| By: Brent Copen Grantmakers are by necessity becoming more selective in how they allocate their resources. Many are looking for data to help inform increasingly difficult funding decisions. Across the sector, we are seeing a genuine desire among grantmakers ... Read more
	Leadership development: Learning by listening Jul 18th, 2011 \| By: Alice Korngold I read CausePlanet.org’s book reviews and articles on a regular basis for their wisdom and to follow the conversation. In preparing to write this post, I perused many recent pieces for inspiration. Brilliant stuff…. if perhaps a bit head-spinning for most nonprofit CEOs when taken in... Read more
	Three ways to avoid a social media time sink Jul 11th, 2011 \| By: Katya Andresen Although it’s vital to dedicate time to social media, your social media efforts don’t need to consume your entire day. I thought I’d share a few tips I use to save time, while also delivering strong, comprehensive social media efforts... Read more
	Six cause marketing promotions you can learn from Jul 5th, 2011 \| By: Joe Waters I’m always finding good examples of cause marketing on Twitter. I have a few open searches on Tweetdeck that capture most of them. The great people I follow on Twitter send me the rest. I had these seven cause marketing promotions saved in my ... Read more
	Why nonprofits should explore shared administrative services Jun 27th, 2011 \| By: Vance Yoshida To some, sharing administrative services sounds like a great idea for streamlining operations and saving money. Others would ask whether it is really worth the effort, compared to just continuing with business as usual. What is needed is a clear-eyed ... Read more
	Revealing organizational culture: The power of stories Jun 20th, 2011 \| By: Paul Sturm A nonprofit faith-based organization once proclaimed one of its core values to be “treating all people with dignity and respect.” What idealistic nonprofit staff member wouldn’t want to work for an organization committed to this manifestation of the ... Read more
	Collaboration Series Part 3: New language for collaboration Jun 13th, 2011 \| By: Cindy Willard We spend a lot of time trying to define collaboration and even more time being concerned about it. That’s why I am so grateful to John Kania and Mark Kramer for defining collaboration in a new way. In their article, “Collective Impact,” in the ... Read more
	What influences your workplace culture? Jun 6th, 2011 \| By: Denise McMahan These situations are familiar to all of us. After less than a year, the board decides to make a change and concludes the executive director is not the right fit for the organization; or two executives from the community are recruited for the board ... Read more
	Four ways to remove a board member Jun 1st, 2011 \| By: Jan Masaoka Occasionally, a board member needs to be removed from the board. In some cases, a conflict of interest or unethical behavior may be grounds to remove an individual from the board. In other cases, the behavior of a board member may ... Read more
	The myth of time management: Today’s leaders must adopt better habits to achieve work/life balance May 23rd, 2011 \| By: Amari Romero-Thomas As an executive director, consultant, board member, wife, friend or sister, I often felt there was never enough time in the day. When I felt pressed for time, the small voice in my head would spew negative self-talk about “not being organized ... Read more
	Major gifts on the mend May 17th, 2011 \| By: Denise McMahan Terry Burton of Dig In Research recently sent me interesting data regarding the year-to-date total of major gifts in 2010. His research reports that major gifts were up by 11 percent, or 326 gifts in 2010 from 247 gifts in 2009 in the U.S. “Emerging trends ... Read more
	Collaboration Series Part 2: Collaboration in the new economy May 11th, 2011 \| By: Cindy Willard What is collaboration? This simple question elicits a complex array of answers. The steering committee for the Colorado Collaboration Award struggled to answer this very question. For the purposes of the award, collaboration means joint ... Read more
	Feedback: The gift that keeps on giving May 2nd, 2011 \| By: Deborah Dale Brackney It happened again. The phone rang a few weeks ago on a Friday afternoon at 4:30. It was an Executive Director who was at her limit with an employee who had worked at the organization for more than two decades. The caller... Read more
	Battle of the appeal letters: Four-pager versus two-pager Apr 26th, 2011 \| By: Tom Ahern If I've heard this one once, I've heard it a thousand times...Dear Tom: My boss wants to know which is better, a four-page letter or a two-page letter? Signed, Direct Mail Novice. This is one of those great "it all depends" questions. First, you need to distinguish between ... Read more
	Due diligence and advice for grantseekers Apr 21st, 2011 \| By: Jo DeBolt Last year, La Piana Consulting and Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO) updated their due diligence guide for grantmakers, first published in 2004. Many grantmakers have embraced the principles presented in the ... Read more
	Collaboration Series Part 1: Today’s complex issues require a new breed of community leaders Apr 13th, 2011 \| By: Denise McMahan Much attention has been given to the merits of legitimate collaboration. It’s no wonder that we aspire to develop a replicable methodology because the results we have witnessed from these collective efforts range from wonderful to wildly ... Read more
	The external environment: What’s going on out there? Apr 4th, 2011 \| By: Raylene Decatur Organizations are beginning to focus on the future again. During the recent recession it was often hard to justify the time, energy or resources to mount a visioning or planning session. How can we take the time away from pressing client ... Read more
	Language matters Mar 28th, 2011 \| By: Marco Montenegro As a child, the adult community that surrounded me prepared me for success by teaching me how language matters. Growing up, I was consistently reminded to say, “Thank you! No, thank you! Please! Excuse me!” But like so many of the ... Read more
	Protecting your great ideas from naysayers Mar 22nd, 2011 \| By: Denise McMahan The nonprofit organization is no stranger to the necessity of buy-in. Be it building a case for support or engaging a board of directors to make a change, buy-in can make or break an organization on a small and large scale. Without understanding how potential attacks can disrupt consensus around important change, ... Read more
	Getting to “no”: The three C's of strategic consideration Mar 15th, 2011 \| By: Mike E. Stone, Ph.D. The essence of strategy is deciding what not to do. This idea was presented by Michael Porter in the 1996 Harvard Business Review article titled, “What is Strategy,” and has proven to be prescient in light of the current strain ... Read more
	Build a board culture that advances fund development Mar 7th, 2011 \| By: Sarah Fischler One of the most frequent frustrations for nonprofit executive directors is their board of directors’ lack of involvement in fund development activities. Not only is it often challenging for nonprofit staff members to engage board members in fund ... Read more
	Before you can get buy-in, people need to feel the problem Mar 1st, 2011 \| By: John P. Kotter Picture this: you're in the middle of presenting your proposal and a person at the far end of the table raises her hand. "I'm not even sure the 'problem' you're describing exists, or is a big deal at all!" How do you deal with ... Read more
	The 21 key aspects of good board governance Feb 23rd, 2011 \| By: Ken Burnett Many nonprofit executives and board members know all too well that building an effective volunteer board can be difficult. In this series, we excerpt five of “The 21 Key Aspects of Good Governance” from nonprofit consultant Ken Burnett’s book, Tiny ... Read more
	Who wants to set sail with you? Feb 15th, 2011 \| By: Tommy Spaulding I spent nearly two years in business school in Australia, and I was fortunate enough to spend some of my off days sailing around the Whitsunday Islands on the Coral Sea. Only 10 of the 74 islands are inhabited, and their unique location between the ... Read more
	Don’t get caught in the deep end: Become a Liquid Leader Feb 8th, 2011 \| By: Denise McMahan Having launched and successfully led the first dot-com agency to go public, Liquid Leadership author, Brad Szollose, experienced a working world remarkably changed by... Read more
	The influential fundraiser: Two most common persuasion pitfalls Feb 1st, 2011 \| By: Bernard Ross The world of fundraising is changing. After being deluged for so long by email solicitations and direct mail campaigns, donors are demanding a more personalized approach when being asked for money. They want fundraising messages that ... Read more
	Do your confrontations pass the safety test? Jan 25th, 2011 \| By: Denise McMahan Regardless of whether a confrontation is board member to executive director or director to staff member, it’s essential to arrive at the conversation prepared. Unfortunately, most of us wing it and address issues without much thought ... Read more
	Nonprofit publications: A whole new (virtual!) world Jan 19th, 2011 \| By: Rebecca Arno I’ve killed a lot of trees in my two decades in the nonprofit sector, even though I switched to using recycled paper in the early ‘90s. Direct mail, annual reports, newsletters, issue briefs…you name it, I’ve produced it! All in service to the mission... Read more
	Are you fired up or burned out? A case for connection Jan 11th, 2011 \| By: Denise McMahan Connected organizations are more productive, more innovative and more profitable; conversely, a lack of connection will gradually burn employees out. Author Michael Lee Stallard makes the case for increasing connection at work and shows you how to ... Read more
	How much do social norms inspire giving? Jan 4th, 2011 \| By: Katya Andresen Today we’re taking on my favorite part of the book: Rachel Croson and Jen Yue Shang’s work on social influences in giving. Unlike the rest of the book thus far, which has a lot of research in which subjects predict what they would do in certain circumstances, this chapter details field experiments during real fundraising ... Read more
	Board recruitment goals: Changing with your nonprofit’s life cycle Dec 21st, 2010 \| By: Alice Korngold Your organization’s board recruitment goals will change depending on where your nonprofit is in its life cycle. There’s just one problem. Perhaps there was a time when people could describe a fairly predictable, steady trajectory for the life of a nonprofit ... Read more
	Create a culture of shared leadership in your organization Dec 6th, 2010 \| By: Sarah Fischler Many of us who grew up with the Internet simply have a different way of looking at the world compared to previous generations. Take access to information: the Internet has democratized access to and dissemination of information in some very ... Read more
	Fixing the broken formula: Success equals happiness Dec 3rd, 2010 \| By: Denise McMahan During this time of year, it feels appropriate to be talking about happiness. In fact, this month’s book feature, The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work by Shawn Achor, ... Read more
	Make evaluations work for you, not the other way around Nov 15th, 2010 \| By: Marianne Philbin I recently met with a highly involved board member of a local nonprofit who was recruiting new folks for their board of directors. After she shared what type of positions they were looking to fill and what business sector they hoped to draw ... Read more
	It takes two Oct 25th, 2010 \| By: Deborah Dale Brackney As I sat down to write about the relationship between a board and executive director, a beloved colleague came to my office to tell me about a board on which she participates. That day, the relatively new Executive Director gave his ... Read more
	Developing leaders through board service Oct 18th, 2010 \| By: Cindy Willard As my friend Rich Male likes to say, “Leadership is one of the most talked about and least understood ideas in the nonprofit world.” There are volumes of books on leadership, seminars to take and discussions to have. But real leadership ... Read more
	Should your nonprofit be blogging? Oct 5th, 2010 \| By: Kivi Leroux Miller While social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter are getting all of the attention now, one of the original social media tools – blogging – still deserves serious consideration by nonprofits who want to do more to connect with current and ... Read more
	Don’t get left behind: Put these four social media steps to work for your nonprofit Sep 27th, 2010 \| By: Jenny Davies-Schley Social media guru Beth Kanter was in Colorado last month to recruit regional nonprofit leaders to join the Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn/Yelp revolution. A conference organized by the Colorado Association of Funders and the Colorado Nonprofit Association helped more than 300... Read more
	Common sense evaluation Sep 20th, 2010 \| By: Mike E. Stone, Ph.D. Evaluation, like many endeavors in life, can cause confusion and frustration if its purposes are not understood. When dealing with evaluation, lack of clarity of purpose can lead to a flurry of activities that are disjointed at best, random and meaningless at worst. Even if executed well, an evaluation that is not focused and timely may produce good answers to irrelevant questions.... Read more
	Shape up your social media strategy with Kanter's "spreadsheet aerobics" Sep 7th, 2010 \| By: Denise McMahan In light of our Page to Practice feature, "The Networked Nonprofit" by Beth Kanter and Allison Fine, we’re pleased to cross-post one of Beth Kanter’s recent blogs to give you a sample of what you can find in this terrific book. I had the pleasure of attending a conference where Beth was ... Read more
	Thriving in the new economy: Getting your next job Sep 1st, 2010 \| By: Raylene Decatur In June of 2008, I wrote an article on career planning and voiced concern that people were not investing enough thought, time and energy in their careers, given a rapidly changing environment. Little did I realize the extent to which dramatic ... Read more
	Shatter business as usual with breakthrough thinking Aug 16th, 2010 \| By: Bernard Ross The environment in which nonprofits operate is changing rapidly and – just like businesses have had to do with their environment – nonprofits need to “catch up” with it. This change process is continuous and accelerating. Nonprofits must ... Read more
	Who do you really know? Aug 3rd, 2010 \| By: Tommy Spaulding When CausePlanet asked me what single event most inspired me to focus my life on who I was rather than who I knew, I recall a job I had when I was in my late twenties. I worked for IBM (Lotus Development). It was at the time in my career where networking and building net worth was important ... Read more
	2020 vision: What might be the future of fundraising? Jul 26th, 2010 \| By: Ken Burnett The answer, of course, is ‘Well, it depends...’ It depends principally on whether fundraisers will get clever and start building more substantial, more meaningful relationships with their donors, offering them more tangible benefits and practical engagement. Or whether, instead, they will ... Read more
	Surprising discoveries about change from "Switch" Jul 19th, 2010 \| By: Denise McMahan In the last two weeks, we have explored highlights from our July Page to Practice feature: Switch:How to change things when change is hard. Join us for another excerpt from a conversation with authors Chip Heath and Dan Heath with ...... Read more
	Wanted: Risk takers who focus on the future - Part 2 Jul 12th, 2010 \| By: Patricia A. Sterner This rhetorical question brings to mind a colleague with whom I worked on the first ever association merger in the financial cooperative industry. The merger created a huge amount of controversy and tension with many of his colleagues ... Read more
	New website? New world. Jul 6th, 2010 \| By: Rebecca Arno I cut my teeth in the nonprofit sector back in the early days of desktop computing. (Yes, I’m that ancient.) Through the years, I’ve been excited when new technologies have come along and I’ve adopted them for the nonprofits with which I’ve worked. The first time I helped develop a nonprofit website was back in the 1990’s – about a ... Read more
	Maximize your board’s effectiveness by building harmony Jun 28th, 2010 \| By: Alice Korngold Four years ago, I met with the CEO, Senior Vice President and two board members of a nonprofit that were interested in recommendations for corporate executives for the organization’s board of directors. Since global companies engage me to prepare and... Read more
	Wanted: Risk takers who focus on the future Jun 21st, 2010 \| By: Patricia A. Sterner Being a leader in today’s changing and challenging world is a bit like parenting teenagers. As a parent of two teens, I have found it takes a multitude of leadership skills – courage, patience, integrity, vision, mentoring, perseverance – to help us ... Read more
	Five tips to make time for social media Jun 14th, 2010 \| By: Holly Ross You get to the office each morning and start your scan. Mail, email, voicemails. Then you have the meetings and the phone calls. Then back to email. You might get a little bit of project work completed before it’s time for ... Read more
	Seven steps for building your best LinkedIn profile with the Brandraising approach Jun 9th, 2010 \| By: Denise McMahan LinkedIn is all about connecting with others who share commonality. This, of course, can be said of all social networks, but if you want to maximize your professional network, building a personal brand is essential. Most nonprofit leaders make the mistake of ... Read more
	Is your nonprofit Facebook page worth it? Measurements and analytics May 24th, 2010 \| By: Katya Andresen When I’m speaking to nonprofit professionals about social media, the first question they want answered is this: “Do we really need a Facebook page?” (That is unless they already have a page for their organization. Then they want to know: “How do I ... Read more
	Reality show takes a page out of "Brandraising" May 18th, 2010 \| By: Denise McMahan It hit me last night when I saw a commercial for American Idol. The cast must have read Sarah Durham's new book called Brandraising. I knew Durham and her New York agency colleagues at Big Duck were hip, but her guidelines for success ... Read more
	Being a good follower can be as important as leading May 11th, 2010 \| By: Deborah Dale Brackney The other day, my colleague of 21 years and I went to lunch. We started talking about what it was like to work so long for one organization. My colleague said that for many years she has set yearly goals about what she could do to be the best ... Read more
	Raise more money and visibility with smart communications May 3rd, 2010 \| By: Denise McMahan Despite the fact that a sound communications plan is the foundation of effective fundraising, advocacy and community relations, many nonprofits often leave little in their budget to pay for research, planning and execution, let alone a ... Read more
	Ethical behavior critical for both organization and leader Apr 12th, 2010 \| By: Cindy Willard When the economy is bad, everything tends to look worse. Snowy weather feels colder, your favorite team losing is more disappointing, and ethics scandals seem more egregious. The recent focus on corporate and nonprofit executive salaries, and ... Read more
	Four considerations for organizational relevance, today and tomorrow: Part 2 Apr 5th, 2010 \| By: Sarah Fischler To really consider the question of relevance, for today and tomorrow, organizations will benefit from looking beyond their own walls. In doing so, an organization must consider the broader environment in which it operates and the changes that could rapidly threaten ... Read more
	Four considerations for organizational relevance, today and tomorrow: Part 1 Mar 22nd, 2010 \| By: Sarah Fischler Relevance is a word that has been tossed around a lot lately, both for the nonprofit sector as a whole and within individual organizations. Many nonprofit leaders have been considering their organization’s place in a world that is being rapidly redefined ... Read more
	Six strategies for aspiring social entrepreneurs Mar 8th, 2010 \| By: Paul C. Light Some of the most interesting work in the study of business entrepreneurship focuses on the role of imagination in sparking initial action. Entrepreneurs must believe that change is both essential and possible ... Read more
	Thriving on reinvention: Stimulating conversation about the business model Mar 1st, 2010 \| By: Raylene Decatur Regardless of the timeline for the U.S. economic recovery, emerging trends in competition, technology, demographics and consumer behavior are the major drivers of future opportunities for nonprofit organizations. These trends will shape a ... Read more
	Ready, set, influence: A nonprofit leader’s guide for influencing boards, prospects and peers Feb 23rd, 2010 \| By: Denise McMahan No matter where you are in the organizational food chain, you probably have to exert influence to get your job done. In the book, Influencer, authors Patterson, Grenny, Maxfield, McMillan and Switzler explore how to master six sources of influence. These sources of influence are based on the premise that almost ... Read more
	Overcoming challenges with a social marketing approach Feb 16th, 2010 \| By: Philip Kotler and Nancy R. Lee Philip Kotler and Nancy Lee’s Up and Out of Poverty is an extremely helpful social marketing guide about the essential principles, misconceptions, and challenges. Through the lens of the poverty issue, Kotler and Lee offer a concise 10-step model for developing a social marketing plan that reflects a systematic process and ... Read more
	Rethinking the nonprofit business model in a time of crisis Feb 8th, 2010 \| By: Scott Schaffer The economic meltdown that began in 2008 evoked a wide range of reactions in the nonprofit sector. “Deer in the headlights,” as one leader put it, was one common response, but nearly everyone now recognizes that the old status quo won’t be ... Read more
	Social marketing strategies explored by those fighting poverty Feb 1st, 2010 \| By: Denise McMahan The best way to describe Philip Kotler and Nancy Lee’s "Up and Out of Poverty" is that it’s a nonprofit lesson in how to use social marketing by illustrating the steps through the very real and pervasive issue of poverty. This terrific social marketing case study of ... Read more
	High-impact nonprofits leverage power to create change Jan 27th, 2010 \| By: Gina Bernacchi What makes great nonprofits great? In their book, Forces for Good: The Six Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits (Jossey-Bass, 2008), authors Leslie R. Crutchfield and Heather McLeod Grant studied 12 high-impact nonprofits to find out. What they discovered ... Read more
	Add mid-range donors to your best practices benchmarks Jan 18th, 2010 \| By: Kim Klein There are a number of “best practice” benchmarks that organizations can use to measure their health, as well as to set goals that are useful to improving their fundraising programs. Here are three fundraising benchmarks that are ... Read more
	Will philanthrocapitalists realize their potential? Jan 11th, 2010 \| By: Gina Bernacchi Our Page to Practice™ this month is Philanthrocapitalism: How Giving Can Save the World by Matthew Bishop and Michael Green. Philanthrocapitalists are philanthropists who are trying to apply the secrets behind their money-making ... Read more
	Make 2010 the year to ask yourself the tough questions you’ve been avoiding Jan 4th, 2010 \| By: Holly Ross In the final month of the first decade of the new millennium, there are lots of reasons for us to stop and think. Some of the greatest challenges of our time are bearing down on us, from the environment to the economy. The nonprofit sector is at the heart of it ... Read more
	Leadership is everybody’s business Dec 28th, 2009 \| By: Gina Bernacchi Angie Chaplin, M.A., C.P.B.A., is a certified facilitator for The Leadership Challenge, this month’s Page to Practice™. She conducts The Leadership Challenge Workshops for nonprofits across the country, and teaches the curriculum at Seton Hall University ... Read more
	Maximize your organization’s potential by building a passionate and productive board Dec 21st, 2009 \| By: Alice Korngold By building the right board of directors for your nonprofit organization, you will maximize your organization’s greatest potential – strategically and financially – in serving your community. Every board member at the table should matter. And together... Read more
	Leadership is learned, not born Dec 14th, 2009 \| By: Gina Bernacchi Leadership is not about personality; it’s about behavior. And, according to James M Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner, authors of The Leadership Challenge, this month’s Page to Practice™, it is available to anyone who learns and follows The Five Practices of ... Read more
	Ready or not, here comes everybody Dec 7th, 2009 \| By: Rebecca Arno In 2007, the U.K. division of the bank HSBC promised students and recent college graduates bank accounts with no penalty for overdrafts … until August, when they revoked the policy with only a few weeks’ notice. They counted on two things when ... Read more
	Best practices and the fallacy of “plug and play” Nov 30th, 2009 \| By: Mike E. Stone, Ph.D. The secret to a good golf game is simple: Watch Tiger Woods, learn what he does and simply apply those techniques to your own game. That will make you just as good as Tiger, right? Of course not. There are too ... Read more
	Focus on what’s always true about fundraising to survive tough economic times Nov 23rd, 2009 \| By: Gina Bernacchi There’s no end in sight to the current economic crisis. However, the fact is that our economy has always operated like a rollercoaster – so, nonprofits need to create a disciplined, systematic fundraising program that is both flexible and resilient and that ... Read more
	Great employees exceed expectations Nov 21st, 2009 \| By: Deborah Dale Brackney Last week I had a moment of sheer bliss. A moment that elevated my spirits and made me believe that all things were possible. A moment where I forgot I was at work in the middle of a goal planning meeting with an employee. Here’s what ... Read more
	Transparency is the new black for nonprofits Nov 17th, 2009 \| By: Katya Andresen In the current environment of distrust, everyone in our sector needs to go out of their way to be highly transparent and accountable. You must show where the money goes, in all your outreach. But that’s not enough for ... Read more
	Leverage skills, talents and potential by recognizing ‘ordinary greatness’ Nov 2nd, 2009 \| By: Pamela Bilbrey Today’s business environment compels us to think differently about what we do and how we do it. Simply put, we’re learning to do more with less: less money, fewer people, less guidance and less overall certainty. The answer to higher productivity, ... Read more
	Use social networking to save money and build community Nov 2nd, 2009 \| By: Deborah Dale Brackney The British Broadcast Company (BBC) recently announced that the millionth English word is likely to be “Web 2.0.” Web 2.0 can be defined as two-way communications on the Internet. This two-way exchange is also known as Social Networking, and it is... Read more
	Strategic process more effective than Magic 8-Ball for making decisions Oct 12th, 2009 \| By: Cindy Willard Tough times call for tough decisions. The Third Sector is confronted with increasing needs and decreasing resources. This is not a new dilemma, just one that is more pronounced now than ever before. How will your board and staff handle making the ... Read more
	Use online surveys to drive member loyalty and program success Oct 5th, 2009 \| By: Mary Crogan Too often, marketing is a one-way street, an avenue for organizations to merely “talk at” their members and supporters. Smart marketers, heads of development and executive directors understand that it’s just as important to know what their ... Read more
	Future challenges call for new leadership skills Sep 28th, 2009 \| By: Gina Bernacchi Bob Johansen has been focused on the future since 1968, when he was a research assistant for a conference on religion and the future. “I was the young guy who went to the airport to pick up the speakers, who were the world’s leading futurists of the ... Read more
	Using Real-Time Strategic Planning to evaluate nonprofit partnerships Sep 24th, 2009 \| By: Robert Harrington Many nonprofits are considering the spectrum of strategic restructuring options, such as partnerships and mergers, as potential strategies to enhance financial viability and achieve greater sustainability. With more than a decade of experience in this area, I ... Read more
	Learn the six “secrets” to accelerate large-scale change Sep 14th, 2009 \| By: Michael Fullan In our work In Ontario, Canada and around the world, we have been trying to bring about significant improvements in schools and school systems. We have aligned this effort with the best of research and practices around the world, and tested our ... Read more
	The 5Cs of change: Why don’t they all stand up and cheer? Sep 9th, 2009 \| By: Bernard Ross As a senior manager, chances are at some point you’ve been involved in either instituting or supporting change in your organisation. The question is, if the need for change is so obvious to you, why isn’t the rest of the organisation jumping up and ... Read more
	Use these “six secrets” to help your organization thrive Sep 1st, 2009 \| By: Gina Bernacchi Although Fullan argues that the six secrets “travel best as a pack,” many organizations are already using some or all of them. According to Fullan, the reciprocal and synergistic relationships among them make it easy to take action. You ... Read more
	The value of your brand: Are you making the most of it? Aug 26th, 2009 \| By: Michaela Hayes To many, “brand” is a corporate sector concept. While you may not think of your nonprofit as having a brand or a “brand identity,” it does. Overlooking this is a huge mistake, not to mention a major missed opportunity. It’s not enough to have a ... Read more
	Don’t go it alone: Making fund development partners of your board Aug 18th, 2009 \| By: Naomi Harris I recently conducted a straw poll that confirmed my suspicions: Other consultants, executive directors and development directors get the same blank stare from board members that I do when I tell them their job includes an active partnership in raising ... Read more
	Don’t neglect your message in tough times Aug 13th, 2009 \| By: Luis Vergara “We need to get our message across.” This is a common refrain by many nonprofits leaders and never has it been more relevant, given the current economic situation. In any organization, marketing and communications resources are usually the first ... Read more
	Structure national-chapter relationships to maximize organizational success Aug 4th, 2009 \| By: Alice Korngold In consulting to nonprofits, I often observe tensions between the national and chapter offices. To some extent, these tensions are natural, since the national and regional chapters each want to control the destinies of the organizations for which ... Read more
	Shift power from “do for” to “do with” to create real change Jul 28th, 2009 \| By: Rebecca Arno This admirable sentiment lives and thrives everywhere in the nonprofit sector – from the volunteer who ladles soup into a dish for a hungry person to a fundraiser who submits a grant request to secure dollars for his or her program. One could say that ... Read more
	Does your organization have a high impact board? Seven questions to ask Jul 21st, 2009 \| By: Vance Yoshida Great boards have a significant impact by adding value not available to their organization’s current resources and means. High impact boards are the key difference between achieving good results and great results. They don’t spend their ... Read more
	Evaluation frameworks offer starting point for grantmakers Jul 16th, 2009 \| By: Alex Mitchell There is growing interest in both strategic grantmaking and evaluation, as foundations and nonprofits become progressively more aware of how focused attention in these areas can serve their mutual best interests. Organizations such as ... Read more
	Closing a nonprofit organization – discussing the unthinkable Jul 7th, 2009 \| By: Cindy Willard Civil society organizations are created to fill a community need, but community needs change over time as do community resources, both monetary and otherwise. Yet, we rarely hear of an organization closing its doors. One result of the tough economy ... Read more
	Mergers: A cautionary note in difficult times Jun 29th, 2009 \| By: Jo DeBolt The current economic climate has everyone scrambling – looking for ideas that will help them weather hard times. Many in the nonprofit sector are looking to mergers as one solution. Mergers are often a good strategic move for nonprofits. This is ... Read more
	Research pays off when pitching stories Jun 22nd, 2009 \| By: Michelle Dally Getting your organization, your service or your product into the paper or on radio or television isn’t a matter of magic. It’s a matter of study. I recently had coffee with a Denver Post reporter who was bemoaning the inane emails she often receives pitching stories that are ... Read more
	The value of evaluation: A grantmaker’s perspective Jun 15th, 2009 \| By: Jeff Pryor As grantmakers grappled with the development of the Colorado Common Grant Report, there was considerable discussion about the purpose of the report. Would it simply be a summary of the nonprofit’s work in relation to the grant? Or should it ... Read more
	Are you on the same mission? Eight steps to a successful consulting relationship Jun 8th, 2009 \| By: Russ Debenport For many nonprofit executives, choosing consultants for high-profile projects is an anxiety-provoking experience. Nonprofit organizations are mission-driven, and finding consultants who share our values and fit our cultures is critical. With funding tight, ... Read more
	Winning the governance game Jun 3rd, 2009 \| By: Ken Burnett I took my broken sandals to the shoe-mender across the road from my London flat. “These are unusual,” he observed, when I gave them over. “They’re from Ghana,” I told him. “I bought them from a street vendor in Accra for less than two pounds, but ... Read more
	Build on your organization’s strengths when developing strategy May 22nd, 2009 \| By: Lester Olmstead-Rose Knowing Thyself is important for many reasons, but the most important benefit is to guide the organization in making major decisions by doing more of what it does best. Human nature is often to fret over our weaknesses. But individuals are more ... Read more
	Look for challenges in different phases of your career to keep it fresh May 18th, 2009 \| By: Deborah Dale Brackney Like seasons, careers change. And even though a bad economy with massive job layoffs makes today’s job market seem like a job hunter’s winter of discontent, there are always approaches job seekers can use to plan and prepare for their career. There are phases and stages to our work ... Read more
	The art of polarity management: Crafting compelling messages to folks who just don’t get it May 9th, 2009 \| By: Naomi Harris If you’re like me, you have been astounded by the absolute polarity of Americans’ viewpoints during the last decade, particularly in evidence during the last election. It seems like a hopeless waste of time and resources to target your organizational ... Read more
	Innovations in nonprofit collaborations: Powerful new momentum May 4th, 2009 \| By: Alice Korngold The unreliability of nonprofit funding and alarm about scarce resources is driving nonprofits to form partnerships between each other and with for-profits. The benefits of growing collaborations include cost efficiencies, new revenue opportunities for ... Read more
	Emerging managers: Giving and receiving feedback Apr 27th, 2009 \| By: Bernard Ross Becoming a manager is often an exciting and nerve-wracking time in your career – exciting for the whole new vistas it opens up; nerve-wracking because suddenly you’re responsible not just for your own work, but for that of others as well. And if ... Read more
	Three steps to becoming a trusted, membership-focused organization Apr 20th, 2009 \| By: Julie Niehoff As the Texas Regional Development Director for Constant Contact, I have the benefit of connecting with nonprofits, organizations and entrepreneurs every day – either in person at a seminar, by phone, or via email. By listening carefully to what ... Read more
	Get back to basics with first principle of strategy development Apr 14th, 2009 \| By: Lester Olmstead-Rose We all carry unexamined – or unstated – assumptions with us. When organizations initiate strategy development processes, these unexamined assumptions can lead to unsatisfying results: mis-communication along the way, time wasted gathering ... Read more
	Evaluate potential collaborations to avoid common pitfalls Apr 1st, 2009 \| By: Jane Hansberry Collaboration has long been touted as a mandate for nonprofit organizations, and current economic challenges have increased the call to collaborate. However, too often collaboration is viewed as a panacea when, in fact, it is more helpful to view ... Read more
	Involving businesses in the community is essential … and often untapped Mar 25th, 2009 \| By: Rebecca Arno It’s easy to bash businesses for not being more involved in the community. We’re the nonprofit sector, and they’re the ones with the profits, right? And aren’t they always the ones whose percentage is lowest in the Giving USA (www.givingusa.org) report ... Read more
	Teams can provide meaningful partnerships in nonprofit sector Mar 18th, 2009 \| By: Cindy Willard In the midst of crisis situations, we often feel isolated, particularly in the nonprofit sector. The amount of work to be done increases, resources decrease, and the pressure to make positive change seems even more urgent. Responsibilities for ... Read more
	Alter your PR message to reach your audience during hard economic times Mar 11th, 2009 \| By: Michelle Dally Hard economic times rarely spell opportunity for nonprofits. Instead, they usually mean that demand for services is up, while funders and donors are strapped, and the general public, including lawmakers, are focused on saving themselves, not ... Read more
	Smart nonprofit leaders are finding opportunity in scarcity Mar 5th, 2009 \| By: Jerr Boschee Alarmists are in full cry as the recession widens, and the pillars supporting the nonprofit sector begin to crumble. Individual contributions, corporate philanthropy and government subsidies are all at risk. Newspaper columnists, television ... Read more
	Developing a lifelong, sustainable approach to leadership development Feb 27th, 2009 \| By: Mary Stelletello When I took my first job as an executive director at age 25, I didn’t really think about embarking on a career as a nonprofit leader. However, nearly 20 years later, I have led five different organizations with annual budgets ranging from $150,000 to $13 ... Read more
	Decisions made during recession shouldn’t be taken lightly Feb 20th, 2009 \| By: Sharon Knight Nonprofits are feeling a variety of new challenges as a result of the nation’s economic recession. There is trepidation about fundraising and the soundness of other revenue streams. The ... Read more
	Thinking outside the box can help nonprofits become powerful economic force Feb 9th, 2009 \| By: Robert Egger Following a speech I made recently — at a statewide gathering of beleaguered, direct-service, nonprofit organizations — a participant stood up and suggested that, given the dire nature of our country’s economy, wasn’t it now time for nonprofits to ... Read more
	Goals give meaning to our doing Feb 5th, 2009 \| By: Melissa Mendes Campos Many of us are entering 2009 with equal parts optimism and reserve (if not outright anxiety). Excitement about the inauguration of President Obama and the prospect of meaningful social change is tempered by an economic crisis at home, lingering wars ... Read more
	Balancing the urgent and important: How to be more effective with time management Jan 26th, 2009 \| By: Bernard Ross Have you ever wondered why it is that, with all the advances in technology and communication in the workplace, we seem to get less done than before? And not only that, we seem to be more and more stressed about the things that we haven’t ... Read more
	Corporate social responsibility: Leveraging business engagement to build better boards Jan 16th, 2009 \| By: Alice Korngold Nonprofits are entering the toughest year ever for revenue development. Philanthropic dollars, government funding and fees for services are all in jeopardy. Boards and CEOs of organizations will be put to the test to re-think their ... Read more
	Connect with donors—and save time, energy and money—with viral marketing Jan 9th, 2009 \| By: Naomi Harris The Internet has provided charities and social causes a cost-effective, influential platform to reach supporters. According to the Chronicle of Philanthropy, traditional means of fundraising—direct mail and telemarketing—are growing less effective and ... Read more
	New leadership series for executive directors Jan 1st, 2009 \| By: David La Piana In fall, 2008 I wrote an article for CausePlanet on leadership development programs, which provide a structured group learning experience for practicing executive directors. These programs are more formal than “brown bag” learning circles, and ... Read more
	Characteristics of an investment-worthy nonprofit Jan 1st, 2009 \| By: Alex Hildebrand We are in the midst of an unprecedented time of economic turmoil and insecurity. Competition for resources of all types, from individual donations to government contracts, will rise to the highest levels in recent memory. Nonprofit organizations, ... Read more
	Major gift ask amounts: Revising the strategy Dec 21st, 2008 \| By: Terry Burton One of the areas that appears to be in need of thought and attention in 2009 is the strategy of what to ask for with a major gift. Typically, major gifts present naming opportunities. This may be a good time to revisit your organization’s current naming ... Read more
	Connection and vision: Steering the way through troubled times Dec 15th, 2008 \| By: Rebecca Arno Yes, we are facing one of the most challenging economic environments in our nation’s history. At the same time, our country has just witnessed a historic presidential campaign season, in more ways than one. Certainly, no matter what our ... Read more
	Capacity building during challenging times: Start with financial management Dec 8th, 2008 \| By: Sarah Fischler Along with the recent economic meltdown has come the question for nonprofits of how organizations can survive or continue to thrive during these challenging times. One answer is to invest in capacity-building activities that are proven to make ... Read more
	Learn from history to weather economic storms Dec 1st, 2008 \| By: Jeff Pryor The economy is on the mind of many. Trillions of dollars have evaporated and the implications on all forms of charitable contributions are undeniable. At every turn is evidence that the force of the impact will accelerate through declining state tax ... Read more
	How Nanda found her voice in Nepal Nov 19th, 2008 \| By: Ken Burnett Listen to Nanda for awhile. What she is saying is amazing. So is how she is saying it. But even more remarkable is that this semi-literate young woman is speaking out at all, in a packed public meeting with many... Read more
	Earned media is essential part of any advocacy campaign Nov 13th, 2008 \| By: Michelle Dally What exactly do you read in the newspaper? The letters to the editor? The guest columns or OpEds? How about the editorials? Do your friends? Your relatives? The answers to these questions are ... Read more
	Trust is the key to retaining staff during financially difficult times Nov 10th, 2008 \| By: Deborah Dale Brackney recently read an article written by the head of a community foundation that encouraged readers to step up their giving during these financially difficult times. While this is a reasonable request, it made me think about the value of emotional ... Read more
	Transitions in board leadership style: Moving toward a governance model Nov 3rd, 2008 \| By: Cindy Willard Organizations evolve. Budget growth, staff leadership transition and changing community needs may spark that evolution. As part of organizational change, boards of directors must adapt along with the organization. Many boards begin their ... Read more
	Use subject lines and calls-to-action to generate better email marketing results Oct 23rd, 2008 \| By: Michael Clark Email marketing has become critical to increasing fundraising success and membership enrollment for many nonprofit organizations. The opportunity to engage with your community, communicate news and solicit funding is ... Read more
	Build your leadership capacity with development programs and learning communities Oct 15th, 2008 \| By: David La Piana In recent years, forward-thinking capacity builders have learned that they could build the leadership capacity of the nonprofit sector not just through direct individual consulting, but also through the design and delivery of ... Read more
	Levels of authority: The art of effective delegation in projects Oct 9th, 2008 \| By: Bernard Ross As a project manager, does it sometimes seem that your projects have got out of hand? That there’s so much you need to do that you’re almost suffocating under the weight of it all? Do you have a nagging thought that there must be a better way to ... Read more
	Tap into growing Hispanic donors by avoiding common pitfalls Sep 30th, 2008 \| By: Judith Nichols The U.S. population is projected to grow by 48 percent by 2050, with one in five Americans being an immigrant, according to the Pew Research Center. Under current trends, the report states, the U.S. population would increase from 296 million in 2005 ... Read more
	Learn from exiting board members to improve board experiences Sep 24th, 2008 \| By: M.L. Hanson Many times the expiration of a board member’s term is celebrated by giving the retiring board member a plaque or certificate thanking him or her for his/her service and leadership. Rarely, in my experience of working with a variety of boards, is there ... Read more
	Advocacy organizations should be a resource, not a charity Sep 16th, 2008 \| By: Elaine Mariner I am the director of a state arts agency, but I am not an artist. I am a salesperson for the arts, and I use my creative skills to help government leaders and, to a lesser extent, foundations and individuals, understand why they should invest in the ... Read more
	Altering the course of history: Collaborations make good Sep 5th, 2008 \| By: Mary Lou Makepeace Mohandas Gandhi said, “A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history.” This statement speaks volumes to the important role individuals can play in shaping ... Read more
	DNC SPECIAL REPORT: Philanthropists encourage nonprofits to collaborate with government, business Aug 29th, 2008 \| By: Gina Bernacchi Young people have the power to change the world—but it will take a collaboration between philanthropy, government, corporations and individuals to create real change. That was one of the themes repeated by foundation executives and other philanthropists at ... Read more
	Strengthen your foundation proposals by including organizational inclusivity Aug 25th, 2008 \| By: Naomi Harris As a consultant for nonprofit organizations, I have noticed an increased concern on the part of my clients to boost the diversity of their board, staff and volunteer corps and to embed inclusive policies into organizational practices. The more I have those ... Read more
	Learning to manage employee downsizing can ease transition Aug 19th, 2008 \| By: Deborah Dale Brackney You know the old joke: When somebody you know loses a job, it’s a recession; when you lose a job, it’s a depression. No matter what it’s called, when 51,000 jobs are lost in July only, all of us our touched by layoffs. While most of these job cuts are ... Read more
	Enhance your organization’s adaptive capacity to build effectiveness Aug 19th, 2008 \| By: Sarah Fischler Understanding where adaptive capacity fits into a larger capacity-building framework is important to understanding how an organization can start building its adaptive capacity. According to the TCC Group’s capacity-building model, adaptive capacity is ... Read more
	The myth of the press event—Part two: Avoiding five totally wrong mistakes Aug 9th, 2008 \| By: Michelle Dally Any of my clients will tell you I am not a fan of press conferences. For most issues, individual meetings with key reporters, well-written press releases and phone calls, and a comprehensive but concise fact sheet should do the job and get you all the ... Read more
	Tap into your local community foundation for funds, other resources Aug 1st, 2008 \| By: Rebecca Arno In nearly every community across the United States—and increasingly in cities and towns around the world—you’ll find an important and sometimes puzzling entity called a community foundation. “They make grants to us,” says one nonprofit executive ... Read more
	Women and philanthropy: Six trends to watch Jul 25th, 2008 \| By: Judith Nichols Authors of Reinventing Fundraising: Realizing the Potential of Women’s Philanthropy (Jossey-Bass, 1995), they were among the first to assert that “whether they inherit, earn, or marry money, women are becoming a powerful financial force, and they are increasingly... Read more
	Winning the “talent” competition: How to recruit the next generation of nonprofit leaders Jul 25th, 2008 \| By: Becky Andrews By many accounts, young professionals are increasingly interested in working for social change through a nonprofit career. That’s good news for nonprofits that will need as many as 600,000 new staff over the coming ... Read more
	Funder-grantee relationships offer more than just money Jul 14th, 2008 \| By: Cindy Willard One of the first things a colleague said to me when I started as a program officer at a foundation was that I’d never again receive a sincere compliment. My first thought was, “Really? I’m not brilliant, insightful, funny and wonderful?” My second thought ... Read more
	Raising awareness and funds with trusted email: How to overcome the obstacles and reach your audience Jul 6th, 2008 \| By: John Arnold Issue awareness and fundraising are both essential to a nonprofit’s mission. Fortunately, over the last few years, affordable email technologies have emerged that have made it possible for nonprofits to do both while also building stronger ... Read more
	Board committees: A closer look at a functional model Jul 1st, 2008 \| By: David La Piana From my consulting work with hundreds of nonprofits, I have developed a keen appreciation for the role of a well-functioning board committee structure in helping the organization to achieve success. In my experience, most nonprofit organizations ... Read more
	Changing nonprofit sector demands solid career plan Jun 22nd, 2008 \| By: Raylene Decatur Dramatic change is occurring in the world of work. Are you ready? Rapidly changing demographics and the rising tide of expectations will shape revolutionary changes in job expectations in the coming years. Now is the time to revise or write your career ... Read more
	The nonprofit sector's role in corporate social responsibility: Part 2 Jun 22nd, 2008 \| By: Michaela Hayes The nonprofit sector, along with government, can (and does) play a major role in shaping and monitoring CSR initiatives. International NGOs and NGOs in developing countries are playing a central role in influencing corporate policies in ... Read more
	Use these tips to help maintain your fundraising during slow economic times Jun 18th, 2008 \| By: Richard Male Over the past several months, a sense of panic has settled in about the economy, led by the issues of housing foreclosures, the loss of value in the international and national stock exchanges, and the federal government’s economic ... Read more
	Five practices of the exemplary leader Jun 10th, 2008 \| By: Bernard Ross In any senior manager’s career, the transition from manager to leader can be a tricky one. How do you lift yourself up from the operational to the strategic? What are the secrets ... Read more
	Inclusiveness is good for business: A guide to developing effective outreach strategies for nonprofit organizations Jun 4th, 2008 \| By: Naomi Harris Communities across the nation are becoming more and more diverse. Conversely, recent studies have spotlighted the fact that many local nonprofit agencies, their boards, staff and volunteer corps, who all work to enhance the quality of life in ... Read more
	The nonprofit sector’s role in corporate social responsibility May 27th, 2008 \| By: Michaela Hayes Corporate philanthropy and cause marketing are often what comes to mind first when nonprofits hear the term “corporate social responsibility” (CSR). While many nonprofits have benefited from these programs, others have felt somewhat “burned” ... Read more
	Public News Service helps nonprofits get their issues in the news May 20th, 2008 \| By: Gina Bernacchi Global warming is expected to eradicate Colorado’s ski industry by 2050. If you’re surprised by that news, you’re not alone. It’s not the kind of information you’re likely to hear on commercial radio or TV. Public News Service (PNS), a member ... Read more
	Employees bear half the responsibility in employee/employer relationship May 20th, 2008 \| By: Deborah Dale Brackney Recently, I did some work for a fairly financially well-off nonprofit. While this may sound like an oxymoron, it isn’t. This nonprofit has had some luck, a good business model and longevity. With this success, the nonprofit provided very nice benefits to ... Read more
	Older volunteers continue to be strong resource for nonprofits May 20th, 2008 \| By: Judith Nichols The value of volunteering for civil society organizations outdistances the value of gifts of cash to these organizations by almost one and a half to one, and in some ... Read more
	Building connection in the workplace reaps big benefits May 12th, 2008 \| By: Gina Bernacchi One of the most powerful and least understood aspects of business is how a feeling of connection between management, employees and customers provides a competitive advantage. That’s the premise of both Michael Stallard’s 2007 book,... Read more
	The myth of the press event—Part one: Much ado about nothing May 5th, 2008 \| By: Michelle Dally A mass delusion exists among nonprofits that the way into the pages of the newspaper or onto a TV news segment is to stage a “press conference.” A press conference, the myth goes, is the only way to get your story heard—whether it’s a... Read more
	The art of constructive big talk: Tools for talking when the stakes are high Apr 28th, 2008 \| By: Debra Fine In the nonprofit world, constructive talk preserves a positive relationship between communicators, while enabling people to address problems, face challenges, negotiate resolutions and evaluate outcomes. Poor approaches to communication,... Read more
	Get the most from your Gen-X leader by working together Apr 21st, 2008 \| By: Judith Nichols Whether you’re in the position of grooming Gen-Xers for future leadership roles within your organization or you’re suddenly being managed by a Gen-Xer, the following points will help you understand the younger leadership style, how to ... Read more
	Redefining nonprofits: Ideas to ward off a leadership crisis Apr 14th, 2008 \| By: Sarah Fischler Whether you think the nonprofit sector is facing a leadership crisis or a leadership transition, the issue is difficult to ignore and is likely already affecting your organization in some way. It may look like generational differences that are causing ... Read more
	Advocating for your nonprofit is easier than you think Apr 6th, 2008 \| By: Kathryn Hill For good and obvious reasons, communications with our constituents focus on the success of our programs and the “feel good” stories of the lives we’re affecting. Ensuring that your constituents also understand the public policy environment in ... Read more
	Hail the fundraising faux pas Apr 2nd, 2008 \| By: Ken Burnett Some time ago, my friend Harvey McKinnon in Vancouver sent me a news clipping from the brilliant UK fundraising Web site, www.fundraising.co.uk. This relayed to its readers an item originally reported on the ultra-dependable BBC (news often ... Read more
	Listen up: Good listening skills are essential to nonprofit success Mar 23rd, 2008 \| By: Rebecca Arno Why can listening to feedback prove so difficult for nonprofit professionals? One reason may be the passion with which we do our work. This passion increases the volume and intensity of the messages we send, and it can also prevent us from ... Read more
	Advocacy is a ‘must-do’ for nonprofits Mar 17th, 2008 \| By: Lydia McCoy A frequent point of discussion in the nonprofit sector is whether foundations and funders should use their influence to set priorities for the nonprofit organizations they fund. When funders use their influence with vision, they can propel organizations to tackle issues that seem too comprehensive to address and too easy to postpone.... Read more
	Write your best proposal: Compelling evaluation statements, financials and follow-up Mar 11th, 2008 \| By: Richard Male Showing that your program will spark outcomes is perhaps the most powerful claim you can make in a grant proposal. Establish outcome baselines based on your best estimates, and try not to inflate your ... Read more
	Fundraising in diverse populations Mar 4th, 2008 \| By: Naomi Harris Close your eyes and imagine a typical philanthropist. Chances are, if you are a North American of European descent, what comes to mind is an individual belonging to the white, affluent elite—perhaps a corporate mogul. Conversely, communities of color ... Read more
	Why more questions and fewer reports can help your board Feb 26th, 2008 \| By: Raylene Decatur Boards must reframe their roles. The requirement today is to be leaders of two seemingly opposite agendas: How do I lead, as a board member, for discipline, consistency and dependable organizational results, while simultaneously challenging ... Read more
	Seven ways to inspire innovation and sustain your competitive edge Feb 21st, 2008 \| By: Bernard Ross Almost every organization—charity, public body or private corporation—sees innovation as a key competency for the 21st century. Philip Kotler, marketing guru says, “The only sustainable competitive advantages are creativity and ... Read more
	Calvary Women’s Services: Strong management helps build stronger programs Feb 21st, 2008 \| By: Gina Bernacchi Francine is one of Calvary Women’s Services success stories. Homeless but employed, Francine battled drug and alcohol addiction for years before she found Calvary. After six months of getting the support she needed—including medical care, ... Read more
	Bell Policy Center pushing for payday lending reform Feb 15th, 2008 \| By: The Bell Policy Center The best way for states to protect their citizens from continual payday loan debt is to impose a 36 percent cap on interest rates, according to a recent report. Evaluating the policy approaches of various states to regulate payday lending, “Springing the Debt Trap,” a report from the Center for Responsible Lending ... Read more
	Managing conflict with your boss Feb 14th, 2008 \| By: Deborah Dale Brackney In a perfect world, conflicts at work would improve productivity and even relationships. However, in the real world, conflicts can result in damaged relationships and a lack of trust. A recent study... Read more
	Ending discrimination in the workplace: What nonprofit leaders need to know about laws to protect employees who don’t conform to gender stereotypes Feb 10th, 2008 \| By: Mary Lou Makepeace We are all familiar with civil rights statutes stating that an organization “… shall not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, creed, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, or ancestry.” Now, employers in many states are seeing ... Read more
	Vetting your “public face” Feb 5th, 2008 \| By: Michelle Dally Finding someone to speak for (or otherwise represent) your nonprofit can appear deceptively easy. If your nonprofit is an advocacy group, you might need someone to serve as a lead plaintiff in a civil suit or be the lead proponent of a ballot initiative. If your organization is more... Read more
	Laying the groundwork for change: The power of organizational assessment Jan 28th, 2008 \| By: Patricia A. Sterner Over the past decade, a handful of foundations nationwide have put a microscope to the thorny issue of why nonprofits—especially smaller, service-oriented organizations—have difficulty growing beyond a certain size and competency.One example is ... Read more
	Putting the proposal together: The nine key elements Jan 22nd, 2008 \| By: Richard Male In my years of reviewing grant applications, this section (also known as needs assessment, problem statement or issues statement) is frequently the weakest. Because agency directors are so invested in their programs, they sometimes tend to ... Read more
	Beat the statistics: How to increase individual giving Jan 15th, 2008 \| By: Judith Nichols According to The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s annual Philanthropy 400 survey, donations to America’s largest charities grew by 4.3 percent in 2006 to $67.5 billion; however, the increase was much smaller than in the previous two years, when giving rose by double-digit percentages, thanks to the ... Read more
	Refresh your 2008 fundraising with technology Jan 10th, 2008 \| By: Karen Meyer The Internet is here to stay, so if you’re not on board yet, the New Year is a great time to start. Without question, we’re living in a world that depends and thrives on the backbone of technology. The Internet has reached in and ... Read more
	Communications planning for executive transitions Jan 8th, 2008 \| By: Cindy Willard So, you’ve just been through the transition process of hiring a new executive director for your organization. You’re excited, enthusiastic and exhausted. Now that the decision is made, it’s tempting to think you’re finished, but your job isn’t ... Read more
	Diversity and donors: Understanding your minority prospects Jan 7th, 2008 \| By: Judith Nichols The world’s population is diversifying, racially and ethnically. Today, one in three people in the United States is black, Hispanic, Asian or Native American. Fueled by immigration and high birthrates, populations of ethnic and racial minorities in the ... Read more
	How to be 15-minutes ahead Jan 1st, 2008 \| By: Ken Burnett What follows is a short selection of ideas you can use to enable your nonprofit organisation to be just far enough ahead of all the others to ensure you have all the success you need. This list is very far ... Read more
	Lessons from the front: Two arts organizations merge and learn to let go Dec 27th, 2007 \| By: Kathryn Hill “Overfunded Public School Forced to Add Jazz Band.” That was the headline in a recent issue of The Onion, a satirical newspaper. My colleagues and I at Think 360 Arts, a statewide provider of arts education programs and services in Colorado, roared when we read ... Read more
	Building nimble nonprofits: Part 3 Dec 18th, 2007 \| By: Michaela Hayes This article presents an unexpected project finding that emerged from our observation of the pilot sessions, discussions with the consultants who conducted post-session follow up with the participating nonprofits, and the post-session evaluation interviews with ... Read more
	The endowment paradox Dec 10th, 2007 \| By: Rebecca Arno Endowment. For a nonprofit executive, this word brings with it all the joy of a bountiful holiday season. A healthy, well-managed endowment means financial stability, reduced fundraising pressures and a greater ... Read more
	The nine elements of successful proposals Dec 4th, 2007 \| By: Richard Male Opening up a grant award letter is one of the most exciting responsibilities in the life of a nonprofit executive. It means that a foundation or corporation has recognized the strength of your ... Read more
	From Baby Boomers to Gen Xers: How nonprofits can prepare for the coming leadership transition Nov 19th, 2007 \| By: Gina Bernacchi The “silver tsunami” has begun. The nation’s first Baby Boomer, Kathleen Casey-Kirschling, filed for her Social Security retirement benefits in October. This makes her eligible for ... Read more
	Sleeping with the enemy: When do you take the money? Nov 13th, 2007 \| By: Bernard Ross This issue emerges at some point in every senior fundraiser’s career. Do you take the money from that individual? Will an investment from that company undermine your cause or support ... Read more
	National studies show work supports critical for low-wage earners Nov 6th, 2007 \| By: The Bell Policy Center Two recent national studies show that work supports such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, child care assistance, food stamps, housing assistance, Medicaid, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and Temporary Assistance to Needy ... Read more
	Four generations create an unprecedented workplace dynamic Nov 6th, 2007 \| By: Judith Nichols Initial results from the implementation of the new United Nationals Handbook on Nonprofit Institutions (www.jhu.edu/ccss/unhandbook) reveal that the economic growth of the nonprofit sector is more rapid than the growth of the economies ... Read more
	For all the right reasons: Media coverage and your organization Nov 1st, 2007 \| By: Michelle Dally I can’t tell you the number of calls I get from clients and people wanting to be clients that start with the question, “Can you get me into the newspaper?” or “Can you get me on the news?” For the most part, the answer is ... Read more
	Shifting the tide: What it takes to make systemic changes Oct 30th, 2007 \| By: Lauren Casteel I’ve always been a “tide” person. You’ve heard the story—two people are walking along the beach; there are thousands of starfish stranded on the sand, far above where the next high tide will reach. One person starts heaving ... Read more
	Increase your Web “findability” with these five simple steps Oct 25th, 2007 \| By: Dee Rambeau Search Engine Optimization (SEO)—or Search Engine Marketing (SEM)—is a concern for any organization in this Internet age. Simply put, SEO is how you can use your day-to-day efforts with your Web site and outbound ... Read more
	Advancing equality: From the Lobby to the Legal Ease, Your Work Environment Says a Lot Oct 15th, 2007 \| By: Mary Lou Makepeace While most organizations would agree it’s important to promote diversity and create a work environment that is welcoming to all people, many may not realize that they may be doing very subtle things that in fact do not feel welcoming to ... Read more
	The seven trends of 2007 in the United States Oct 11th, 2007 \| By: Judith Nichols Demographic trends usually move at a glacial pace. Several factors have quickened that pace lately. Globalization has boosted immigration and business competition, transforming our population and economy. The aging of the ... Read more
	Redefining scale and sustainability Oct 5th, 2007 \| By: Patricia A. Sterner I find the phrase “scale and sustainability” one of those expressions that we tend to use in the development world without really thinking about what it means. Typical comments from clients and funders over the years have included “We need to bring ... Read more
	Guard the mission during executive transitions Oct 3rd, 2007 \| By: Cindy Willard One of the hot topics in the third sector these days is the retirement of Baby Boomers and the transition of leadership this creates. While I suspect that leadership transition has always been a topic of interest in nonprofit organizations, this recent focus provides ... Read more
	Federal investments in kids projected to drop in the future Sep 25th, 2007 \| By: The Bell Policy Center Federal spending in those areas generally considered as investments—such as education and research, work supports that expand the labor supply, and social programs that help people remain in the workforce or school—are projected to ... Read more
	Background checks can help hire the best employees Sep 19th, 2007 \| By: Deborah Dale Brackney A few years ago, I interviewed a prospective employee who was just right for the job. His resume demonstrated the kinds of skills needed, his communication was easy but focused, and he clearly wanted to do the job that was open. In the end, I ... Read more
	Building nimble nonprofits: Part 2 Sep 18th, 2007 \| By: Michaela Hayes The development of this capacity does not occur overnight. At a minimum, it requires commitment and continuous effort. Often a change in the organization’s culture must occur before these efforts ... Read more
	OSPs help nonprofits obtain much-needed resources Sep 13th, 2007 \| By: Gina Bernacchi The Denver Office of Strategic Partnerships (DOSP) is one of many OSPs across the country that was created to connect cities and their nonprofits. The DOSP partners with individuals, foundations, corporations and nonprofits to raise funds for cooperative initiatives, foster ... Read more
	The popularity contest: Why big-time conferences choose the wrong presenters Sep 10th, 2007 \| By: Ken Burnett Fundraising leaders should hold conference organizers more accountable for the fare they dish up to their staff on “company’” time and at company expense. Fundraising leaders (who often don’t attend these seminars themselves) should... Read more
	The state of philanthropy Sep 6th, 2007 \| By: Judith Nichols About 65 percent of households with incomes lower than $100,000 give to charity—that’s higher than the percentage that vote or read a Sunday newspaper. So says the Giving Institute’s chair, George C. Ruotolo, Jr., CFRE, commenting on the 4.2 ... Read more
	The “new” retirement Aug 28th, 2007 \| By: Judith Nichols Aging baby boomers constitute this decade’s fastest growing age group, expanding nearly 50 percent in size from 2000 to 2010. This group—more highly educated, with more professional women and more diverse than its predecessors—will add new ... Read more
	Poverty rising to the top of state political agendas Aug 23rd, 2007 \| By: The Bell Policy Center Reducing poverty is a top concern for politicians across the country. A teleconference hosted by the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), “Poverty and Opportunity: Development Around the Nation,” focused on the ... Read more
	What leadership gap? One Gen Xer’s opinion Aug 21st, 2007 \| By: Lydia McCoy Articles about the transition of executive leadership from the Boomer generation to generations X and Y frequently pop into my inbox. Recently, a quote from an article in The Council on Foundations’ daily email compilation, titled “Will Grassroots Nonprofits Survive When Boomers Retire?”, elicited an abnormally strong response in me in the form of a rapidly increasing heart rate.... Read more
	The “symphony” of social media (a creative analogy) Aug 14th, 2007 \| By: Dee Rambeau Imagine the modern communications professional as the conductor of this orchestra. The goal? To present a complete experience to all relevant audiences using all of the tools at his or her disposal. What are those instruments or tools ... Read more
	Emerging managers: Giving and receiving feedback Aug 9th, 2007 \| By: Bernard Ross Becoming a manager is often an exciting and nerve-wracking time in your career—exciting for the whole new vistas it opens up; nerve-wracking because suddenly you’re responsible not just for your own work, but for that of others as well. And if you’re responsible for ... Read more
	Strategic planning: A story from the middle of the journey Aug 7th, 2007 \| By: Rebecca Arno Many CausePlanet readers have participated in that long-standing tradition in nonprofit leadership: strategic planning. Most missives I’ve read on the subject are written from the vantage point of the glory days after the final document is written, approved and—hopefully... Read more
	The 21 key aspects of good governance Aug 3rd, 2007 \| By: Ken Burnett Many nonprofit executives and board members know all too well that building an effective volunteer board can be difficult. CausePlanet wants to help. In this continuing series, we excerpt ... Read more
	Media relations for the good guys: Part III Jul 31st, 2007 \| By: Michelle Dally Until now I’ve been writing about how nonprofits can garner wanted attention from the media—and how they can use that wanted attention to get the true spirit of their ... Read more
	Results require action Jul 24th, 2007 \| By: Raylene Decatur Volumes are written extolling the virtues of creativity in the workplace. We all invest time in brainstorming and daydreaming about how to improve our programs, products and client services. New ways of looking at... Read more
	Collaborate and improvise for organizational change Jul 17th, 2007 \| By: Mary Lou Makepeace I recently read an article that struck a chord with me. It was a piece in which the author likened the process of organizational change to the way a jazz band makes music, comparing the improvisational nature of jazz to the need for groups to ... Read more
	Urban and rural nonprofits can learn from each other Jul 12th, 2007 \| By: Cindy Willard Fundamentally, nonprofit organizations exist to meet a community need, but how they meet those needs varies widely. Urban and rural environments present different obstacles and opportunities that must be overcome and met. Neither locale... Read more
	Are we investing enough in nonprofits? Jul 1st, 2007 \| By: Patricia A. Sterner Nonprofit executives often lament the struggle they face to adequately fund their organizations. However, one of the contributing factors to this lack of funds is the fact that nonprofits typically downplay their true costs in order to look “efficient” ... Read more
	Marketing and communicating with our youngest generations Jun 30th, 2007 \| By: Judith Nichols Accounting for 25 percent of the population in the United States, Generation Y—aka the Millennials and Gen Net—not only provides a huge current market, it also offers savvy marketers the possibility of gaining... Read more
	Good EDs can become great with development Jun 30th, 2007 \| By: Deborah Dale Brackney Often faced with more needs than resources, Executive Directors must do their work by navigating complex power, funding and organizational structures. Being the leader of a nonprofit organization requires a vast set of skills that include leadership, ... Read more
	Ten essential elements of a great fundraising plan Jun 12th, 2007 \| By: Richard Male Every organization, no matter its size, needs a fundraising plan to guide and support its efforts. The purpose of the fundraising plan is to have a planning document that clearly spells out the overall fundraising picture of the organization. In most plans, the agency takes a ... Read more
	Chicago photographer becomes benefactor to Cambodia’s garbage dump children Jun 11th, 2007 \| By: Gina Bernacchi Bill Smith is saving lives, one child at a time. What began as a photography tour of Southeast Asia has slowly but persistently turned into a nonprofit that helps provide shelter, food and education for the impoverished children of ... Read more
	Strategy formation: Building nimble nonprofits Jun 7th, 2007 \| By: Michaela Hayes Strategic planning, as it is often practiced in the sector, is a long, involved process resulting in a three-year plan that is often outdated by the time the ink is dry. While we believe that planning is useful, we have found that it does not address ... Read more
	Online Media Room essential for small organizations Jun 1st, 2007 \| By: Dee Rambeau Since the advent of the Internet, the way in which journalists do their jobs has been forever changed. It is because of the fact that the working press (like consumers and donors) use the ... Read more
	Levels of authority: The art of effective delegation in projects May 24th, 2007 \| By: Bernard Ross As a project manager, does it sometimes seem that your projects have got out of hand? That there’s so much you need to do that you’re almost suffocating under the weight of it all? Do you have a nagging thought that there must be a better way to get things done? How good are you at delegating?... Read more
	TABOR proposals emerge in Florida and South Carolina May 23rd, 2007 \| By: The Bell Policy Center Legislators in South Carolina and Florida are proposing strict revenue and spending limits for state government similar to Colorado’s TABOR amendment. The proposals come after voters soundly rejected ... Read more
	Why employees leave: Retention strategies for nonprofits May 18th, 2007 \| By: Deborah Dale Brackney I recently heard a story about an employee who received a very enthusiastic call from a headhunter trying to recruit him for a job. The employee said he wasn’t looking to leave the organization, to which the headhunter replied, “You are on my list of employees ... Read more
	Back to basics: Understanding demographics and psychographics May 17th, 2007 \| By: Judith Nichols To effectively build and upgrade donor bases, fundraisers need to use targeted marketing that combines geographic, demographic and psychographic information. Let's start here with some basic... Read more
	Educational foundations can play key role in helping school districts meet their goals May 10th, 2007 \| By: Barbara Berv Public education has undergone a dramatic change in recent years. Study after study keeps showing that America is failing to prepare its students to compete in a global economy. As a result, society is demanding higher accountability from educators and ... Read more
	Our grass is greener: Advice for nonprofit board members considering careers in the nonprofit sector May 7th, 2007 \| By: Rebecca Arno You’ve been serving on the board of your favorite nonprofit for years, and you’re thinking about the next step in your career. You look across the table at the organization’s executive director and think, “Maybe I should do what she’s doing.” The truth is ... Read more
	Media relations for the good guys: Part two May 3rd, 2007 \| By: Michelle Dally Honest, hardworking people tend to twitch a little when you use the word “messaging.” They’ve seen the movies where the spin doctors (always with a little too much grease in their hair) sit around with the politicians and decide how to... Read more
	Will this be the year we make a difference? Apr 27th, 2007 \| By: Ken Burnett Each morning 11-year-old Winfred Akera, an orphan, gets up at 6:00 a.m., sweeps and cleans her compound, then prepares whatever breakfast she can find for her younger brother and sister and their sick grandmother. She then goes to school, ... Read more
	Engaged employees means better donor relationships Apr 19th, 2007 \| By: Deborah Dale Brackney You’ve seen it and felt it: There is no mistaking an organization where employees are engaged. In those organizations, employees are friendly and helpful, and work seems to hum along. If you are a customer or client, you may leave feeling better than when ... Read more
	Planning a facility project? These tips can help Apr 19th, 2007 \| By: Lara Jakubowski Many nonprofits encounter serious challenges when faced with a change in their facility or physical space. Organizations don’t want their physical environments to undermine their mission, but sometimes a leaky roof, cramped quarters, ... Read more
	Traditionalists, Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y: Understanding varying attitudes toward nonprofit work Apr 17th, 2007 \| By: Judith Nichols A vast majority of nonprofit organizations are not taking full advantage of the professional skills and knowledge possessed by their volunteers. According to the 2006 Deloitte/Points of Light Volunteers IMPACT Study, 77 percent of nonprofit leaders believe that skilled volunteers could improve their ... Read more
	Is your organization using “Best Web Practices?” Apr 10th, 2007 \| By: Dee Rambeau Back in 2005, the Council of Public Relations Firms commissioned IMT Strategies to research how the Internet had changed business communications. Although a nonprofit is not technically a PR firm, we are all in the business of effectively ... Read more
	March Madness: Basketball and the boardroom Apr 3rd, 2007 \| By: Cindy Willard March Madness may be over, but for many college basketball fans, the excitement, outstanding performances and team spirit of the games linger. For many nonprofits, this is also a time of anticipation, uncertainty and challenge as new board leadership ... Read more
	Looking at diversity in a new way Apr 2nd, 2007 \| By: Mary Lou Makepeace Many organizations today place an emphasis on fostering diversity, through either task forces or entire departments devoted to addressing diversity in the workplace. This trend is a wonderful development that has blossomed over the past two ... Read more
	Achieving organizational excellence through an effective executive-board relationship Apr 1st, 2007 \| By: Patricia A. Sterner A common characteristic I’ve found among high-performing organizations is a dynamic and balanced partnership between the executive and his or her board. This is often the critical difference between a “good” organization and one that is exceptional. How can an effective ... Read more
	World’s poor receive boost from Denver nonprofit Mar 23rd, 2007 \| By: Gina Bernacchi After 25 years of helping the world’s poorest farmers improve their livelihoods, International Development Enterprises (IDE) has finally attracted the attention of one of the biggest philanthropists in the world: Bill Gates. The Lakewood, Colo.-based nonprofit was recently ... Read more
	How to work with corporations: Marketing vs. philanthropic dollars Mar 19th, 2007 \| By: Richard Male The nonprofit sector is the second largest sector in the private economy, exceeded only by the manufacturing industry. In 2002, more than $750 million dollars flowed into and out of the nonprofit sector throughout the United States. Of these dollars, ... Read more
	Organizational transparency and the nonprofit board Mar 15th, 2007 \| By: Judith Nichols If the nonprofit sector wishes to retain its current level of relative self-regulation, nonprofit leaders need to make a visible effort to improve organizational governance and accountability. If this does not occur, nonprofits may come under additional ... Read more
	Leading from within: Are you ready for transformational leadership? Mar 13th, 2007 \| By: Paul Alexander and Karen Gizzi A new trend in the field of Organizational Development is emerging that asks nonprofit leaders to embark on an internal journey and become more spiritual adults. If this sounds too “touchy-feely” for your leadership style, consider this growing body ... Read more
	Transition planning and management capacity Mar 12th, 2007 \| By: Molly Stevenson Our organizations regularly experience various executive transitions or shifts in the staff leadership of operations. Across the country, more than 10 percent of executive directors depart their positions every year, and that number is expected to climb for ... Read more
	The 21 key aspects of good governance Mar 9th, 2007 \| By: Ken Burnett Many nonprofit executives and board members know all too well that building an effective volunteer board can be difficult. CausePlanet wants to help. In this continuing series, we excerpt five more of “The 21 Key Aspects of Good ... Read more
	Boomers leading change in metro Denver Mar 6th, 2007 \| By: Gina Bernacchi Today’s 60 has been touted as the “new 40”—in general, people reaching 60 today benefit from better health, more education, greater diversity and more financial security than in the past. These baby boomers—born between 1946 and 1964—have much to contribute to society ... Read more
	Stakeholders and change processes: The Wild West of change Mar 1st, 2007 \| By: Bernard Ross Many organisations in the public and voluntary sector work hard to set up a high performing culture. They devise programmes and processes, build teams, engineer reward systems and so on. They draft vision statements, embed core values, set ... Read more
	The world of philanthropy: A reality check Feb 13th, 2007 \| By: Judith Nichols As we begin a New Year, it seems fitting to take stock of the state of the world of philanthropy, in order to make some realistic predictions of where it is going. There are more nonprofits ... Read more
	Strategic planning: Is your board focusing on the five external forces? Feb 13th, 2007 \| By: Raylene Decatur Strategic planning often gets a bad rap. And it’s easy to see why. Usually, we have a board retreat or take the staff off site and hold a big meeting. Much is said and brainstorming is vigorous,... Read more
	Three strategies to overcome burnout Feb 12th, 2007 \| By: Rebecca Arno In the nonprofit sector, we work hard to achieve missions that often will never be realized, at least during our careers. Sure, we can measure progress using all kinds of evaluation methods. But will we stop hunger, end poverty, and create opportunities for all children to achieve their dreams? Probably not in our lifetimes. Over a 20 or ... Read more
	Parking meters become change agents Feb 9th, 2007 \| By: Denise McMahan If someone asked me to think of an everyday item that conjures up goodwill, it wouldn’t be a parking meter. In fact, a meter would probably fall close to the bottom of the list, since most memories entail a parking ticket or me rushing to the car when ... Read more
	Arts agencies play important role in education reform Feb 8th, 2007 \| By: Elaine Mariner Anyone whose work is connected to K-12 education is surely aware of the recent report from The National Center on Education and the Economy titled, "Tough Choices, Tough Times.” This controversial report, issued after a two-year study ... Read more
	Media relations for the good guys Feb 6th, 2007 \| By: Michelle Dally If you don’t have anything to hide, why should you worry about media relations? I get asked this question on at least a weekly basis. People figure that if they’re not breaking the law or having ... Read more
	Three strategies to overcome burnout Jan 26th, 2007 \| By: Rebecca Arno In the nonprofit sector, we work hard to achieve missions that often will never be realized, at least during our careers. Sure, we can measure progress using all kinds of evaluation methods. But will we stop ... Read more
	“Triple bottom line” approach growing in nonprofit sector Jan 21st, 2007 \| By: Nancy Fell The combined power of Hollywood movie making, star power advocacy, a value-seeking stock market and a Nobel Peace Prize winner may be the catalyst that links social mission, environmental sensitivity and economic return. Consider the recent film ... Read more
	Defining leadership in staff and volunteers Jan 16th, 2007 \| By: Judith Nichols One of the greatest lessons of leadership is accepting the need to contemplate paradox, says Karlin Sloan in Smarter, Faster, Better: Strategies for Effective, Enduring and Fulfilled Leadership (Jossey-Bass 2006). Things are not always what they seem, and when we look at becoming smarter, faster and better, there are three paradoxical truths to explore... Read more
	Does the future of the nonprofit sector lie in social entrepreneurialism? Jan 12th, 2007 \| By: David Henninger In 1983, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund published a small book titled, Enterprise in the Nonprofit Sector. What struck me when I first read this book over 20 years ago—and what continues to resonate today—is that “nonprofit enterprise/social entrepreneurialism” is not ... Read more
	What makes a leader? Three examples from the “real world” Jan 2nd, 2007 \| By: Mary Lou Makepeace When people think of the word “leader,” what often comes to mind is an elected official, a politician. People may get put off by this term, and even feel intimidated by it. I have a different perspective. I think everyone can be a leader. As a nonprofit executive or board member,... Read more
	Faith-based communities offer fund- and friend-raising Dec 20th, 2006 \| By: Richard Male The faith-based community is an area where activists and grassroots organizations can tap into an organized structure to help with recruiting volunteers, using facilities for meetings, raising money and expanding a base of support that brings a "moral authority" to your issues. I am not suggesting all grassroots organizations become ... Read more
	Manage your organization’s cash position with cash flow statements Dec 18th, 2006 \| By: Patricia A. Sterner One of the first questions I ask clients is how they manage and track the cash position of their nonprofit. Their response? Sometimes blank stares; more often, they point out the bottom line of the latest financial statement, which typically includes pledges and promises to ... Read more
	Managing a nonprofit in the 21st century Dec 7th, 2006 \| By: Judith Nichols What does it take to manage nonprofit organizations today and tomorrow? In Managing at The Leading Edge: New Challenges in Managing Nonprofit Organizations (Jossey-Bass 2005), Mike Hudson makes six key points. He says nonprofit organizations need... Read more
	Chinese checkers: International charities can play a vital role in helping extend the benefits of China’s rapid development Dec 4th, 2006 \| By: Ken Burnett We've arrived in Leishan district, Guizhou province, southern China, a town so new no one around seems to know its name. The people we are with are amazed at the streets, squares and offices that have sprung up in the few weeks since their last visit.... Read more
	The 21 key aspects of good governance Nov 28th, 2006 \| By: Ken Burnett Many nonprofit executives and board members know all too well that building an effective volunteer board can be difficult. CausePlanet wants to help. In this continuing series, we excerpt five more of “The 21 Key Aspects of Good Governance” from nonprofit consultant Ken Burnett’s book, Tiny Essentials of an ... Read more
	A ten-year program cycle: Building a planned-giving strategy Nov 20th, 2006 \| By: Peter Ticconi Recently, a friend from another charitable organization asked me, “Are you having fun yet?” Those of us in the development business know that this question was more than just a casual inquiry. What he really wanted to know was whether or not I had ... Read more
	Arts and culture mergers: Trends, challenges and benefits Nov 13th, 2006 \| By: Robert Harrington Mergers and other forms of partnerships between nonprofits have been on the rise for the past decade, particularly in the last five years. The reasons for this trend are numerous and include cuts in foundation and corporate funding, as well as in individual donations; a desire on the part of nonprofits to have a greater impact, ... Read more
	Employment services: Which type is best for your organization? Nov 7th, 2006 \| By: Rick Mack One of the most confusing aspects of the human resources field is the different types of services offered. Should you use an executive search firm or an employment agency? What’s the difference between an executive search firm and an executive placement firm? Exactly what services does a temp agency offer, and when is it ... Read more
	Proving our public value Nov 7th, 2006 \| By: Elaine Mariner You might be thinking that because your organization is not a government agency, this article doesn’t apply to you. But take a minute to reflect on your organization’s sources of funding. If you receive grants from state or federal agencies, you are receiving public funds. ... Read more
	Employment services: Which type is best for your organization? Nov 3rd, 2006 \| By: Rick Mack One of the most confusing aspects of the human resources field is the different types of services offered. Should you use an executive search firm or an employment agency? What’s the difference between an executive search firm and an executive placement firm? Exactly what services does a temp agency offer, and when is it ... Read more
	Audiences of color: Who has the dollars? Nov 2nd, 2006 \| By: Judith Nichols Affluence is found in all demographic groupings, including audiences of color. Understanding who has the dollars in those audiences is the first step in forming an inclusive fundraising... Read more
	Social entrepreneurs: Motivated by mission Nov 2nd, 2006 \| By: Jerr Boschee Many NGO board members and executives are daunted by the prospect of social entrepreneurship, because they think it means starting a business venture, something few know how to do. But creating a social sector business is just one of the earned income ... Read more
	Direct mail: The dinosaur still has teeth Oct 30th, 2006 \| By: Janalee Card Chmel In our technological age, direct mail (a.k.a. “snail mail”) seems to have taken a back seat to email, blogs, and other viral marketing strategies. But studies show that direct mail is still a viable source for getting your organization’s message out—especially when used in tandem ... Read more
	Boards are only as effective as their EDs Oct 20th, 2006 \| By: Jackie Norris A commonly held belief in the nonprofit sector is that high-performance boards are critical to the success of nonprofit organizations. And rightly so. If board members truly fulfill their responsibilities—both collectively and individually—they will bring new resources to the ... Read more
	Diversity and inclusiveness: A white woman’s perspective Oct 10th, 2006 \| By: Rebecca Arno This is a message to all of my white sisters out there. You and I, we’re the ones who came into the nonprofit sector a year or two or 20 ago. Once here, we looked around and saw women like us answering phones and managing databases and doing fundraising. We saw women who were a little older, but with similar backgrounds, serving in leadership roles. Most days, the nonprofit ... Read more
	Diverse strategies create financial security for nonprofits Oct 2nd, 2006 \| By: Mary Lou Makepeace Foundations have the power to be of enormous help to nonprofits by providing financial grants and other resources, but the size and regularity of foundation support can lull nonprofits into developing a dependency relationship. When long-term relationships between foundations and grantees ... Read more
	Four simple rules for successful strategic planning Sep 26th, 2006 \| By: Patricia A. Sterner Last week, a colleague called me about facilitating strategic planning for a new group he is managing through his association management firm. He warned me that the executive committee didn’t hold much value in strategic planning, but they had agreed to an initial conference call to, as he put it, “hear me out.” ... Read more
	The CEO Search – A critical task for any nonprofit Sep 22nd, 2006 \| By: Rick Mack As many American nonprofit organizations struggle to remain relevant and viable in a rapidly changing and increasingly competitive environment, the role of the board of directors is receiving ever-increasing attention. The work of John Carver, generally considered the Guru of nonprofit governance, is being studied far and wide in the nonprofit world. There are many issues boards need to address to ensure that they are effective and acting in the best interests of their organizations. A short-list includes governance structure/board roles and responsibilities, identification and recruitment of new board members, strategic direction and objectives, budget approval, and last but not least, hiring and overseeing the CEO... Read more
	Ethical guidelines are a must in post-Enron world Sep 22nd, 2006 \| By: Rick Mack The unprecedented failures in American corporate governance over the last few years have changed the business culture of our country. We now live in an age of heightened consciousness about ethical dealings in business. The culprits are household names: Enron, Arthur Andersen, Tyco and WorldCom, among others. ... Read more
	Ethical guidelines are a must in post-Enron world Sep 22nd, 2006 \| By: Rick Mack The unprecedented failures in American corporate governance over the last few years have changed the business culture of our country. We now live in an age of heightened consciousness about ethical dealings in business. The culprits are household names: Enron, Arthur Andersen, Tyco and WorldCom, among others. ... Read more
	Changing the face of philanthropy Sep 12th, 2006 \| By: Jerr Boschee Social innovators around the world have begun to reach a disquieting conclusion: Inspired vision, impassioned leadership, enthusiastic volunteers, government subsidies and a phalanx of donors are not always enough. They serve admirably while innovators transform their dreams ... Read more
	Six myths of corporate sponsorships debunked Sep 5th, 2006 \| By: Bruce Erley More and more nonprofit organizations are using corporate sponsorships to bring in additional income. And for good reason: According to IEG SR’s 21st annual industry forecast, spending on sponsorship by North American companies will grow by double digits ... Read more
	Will Buffet’s mega-gift bolster philanthropic giving? Aug 25th, 2006 \| By: Gina Bernacchi Billionaire investor Warren Buffet’s $31 billion gift to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has triggered a flood of questions about the effect such a large donation will have on the nonprofit sector and the causes it seeks to help. And understandably so. Buffet’s gift is the largest in philanthropic history and... Read more
	Is pay for performance right for your organization? Aug 25th, 2006 \| By: Deborah Dale Brackney Today’s nonprofits face several challenges that are forcing them to operate more and more like their business counterparts. Competition for dollars in a skeptical post-9/11 world, coupled with demands for accountability, has caused nonprofits to reevaluate the way they ... Read more
	Annual reports: How to avoid “Frankenstein” Aug 21st, 2006 \| By: Janalee Card Chmel Let me have a big shout from everyone who loves doing their organization’s annual report?! Did I just hear a pin drop? Let’s be honest. Annual reports are tough! They require tremendous human and financial ... Read more
	Is your leadership ready for inclusiveness? Aug 21st, 2006 \| By: Gina Bernacchi Nonprofits in cities like Denver—whose population is now more than 50 percent people of color—have become increasingly ill-equipped for dealing with the diverse populations they serve. Most nonprofits would agree that they would like a more diverse board and ... Read more
	Prepare to lead a new generation Aug 18th, 2006 \| By: Robert McMahan Call it a quirk in scheduling, simple twist of fate, or serendipity. I called it a miracle. For one six-week period in my third-grade year, I had three whole periods of recess. Today, administrators would scream, teachers would picket and parents would panic if any child had more than one gym class per day, much less three. Many middle and high schools ... Read more
	Stretch your marketing dollars Aug 16th, 2006 \| By: Mark Howard More and more nonprofit leaders are drawing on innovative, cost-saving measures to promote their organization, from participating in co-op marketing to soliciting pro bono services from a professional agency. Here are three strategies for stretching ... Read more
	Focus on inclusivity helps nonprofits become more effective Aug 12th, 2006 \| By: Gina Bernacchi Like many nonprofits, the majority of cityWILD’s clients are minorities (in this case, African-American and Latino). The Denver-based leadership development program uses the outdoors to teach at-risk middle- and high-school students how to be more effective leaders ... Read more
	Room at the top Aug 1st, 2006 \| By: Deborah Dale Brackney Who’s left? That is the question that starts the coffee conversation with my non-profit friends. The “who” refers to executive directors in our community who are leaving their nonprofit organizations. For the last three years, the number of long-term experienced... Read more
	Why leaders fail Aug 1st, 2006 \| By: Mark Sanborn Donald Trump, paragon of the real estate world, files for bankruptcy. Richard Nixon, 37th U.S. President, resigns the presidency over the Watergate scandal. Jennifer Capriati, rising tennis star, enters a rehabilitation center for drug addicts. Jim Bakker, renowned televangelist, is convicted of fraud. In the recent past, we've witnessed the public downfall of leaders ... Read more
	Leverage the “power of three” for effective communications Jul 28th, 2006 \| By: Marie Revenew The nonprofit market has become increasingly tight, making it more important than ever to shine when communicating with donors and prospects. Your mailings or Web site are very often the first impression an individual or corporation receives of your ... Read more
	Boomers control three-quarters of U.S. financial wealth Jul 28th, 2006 \| By: Judith Nichols According to Mature Marketing & Research, boomers control more than one-half of the nation’s discretionary income and three-quarters of the country’s financial wealth. Baby boomers account for 42% of all U.S. households and control 50% of all ... Read more
	Do your marketing and communication efforts pass the ‘blink’ test? Jul 28th, 2006 \| By: Jackie Howard Two seconds. That’s how much time the average visitor to your Web site or reader of your brochure will spend looking for something of interest. If you can’t pique interest in two seconds, your time is up. Ironically, it takes ... Read more
	Put donors and prospects at ease by honing the fine art of small talk Jul 28th, 2006 \| By: Debra Fine Working in the nonprofit sector means attending many business-related social events, especially fundraisers. And a big part of a nonprofit executive’s job is talking to others about the organization’s mission and programs. However, despite the fact that ... Read more
	Get the most from board members with these ‘tiny’ essentials Jul 28th, 2006 \| By: Ken Burnett As many nonprofit executives are aware, effective volunteer boards are, unfortunately, the exception. All too often, board members sign on to serve a nonprofit with no clear understanding... Read more
	Safeguarding organizational capacity Jul 28th, 2006 \| By: Molly Stevenson Our sector regularly sees information from studies and surveys about an anticipated shortage of qualified leaders for nonprofit organizations. Research provides compelling evidence that nonprofit organizations should continue to focus on ... Read more