Sprinkler Systems and Special Events
My friend Jill* breathed a sigh of relief. She was exhausted from working long hours planning her organization’s annual fundraiser, but she was thrilled with how the event was going. …
Eight Reasons Why You Need Term Limits
Ah, term limits. Few things get a group of nonprofit leaders quite as riled up as the topic of term limits. Some of the reasons we have heard given in …
Boards, Engagement, and Year-End Fundraising
Last week we posted tips on engaging your board of directors in work outside of regular board meetings. While board members provide service to their organizations in a myriad of …
Board Engagement (or getting your board to do the stuff you need!)
One of the most common complaints of Executive Directors is that their boards aren’t engaged. But what does that even mean? Usually it means board members show up once a …
Learning to Listen
Regardless of the kind of project or type of organization we work with, our clients usually want more of something from someone: More new donors, members, or funders More engagement …
Organizational Analysis (or how to know what you need to know!)
Mission-driven organizations operate in a complex environment. Operating in isolation from the world around you is no longer an option. Economic, political, and technological trends all have an impact on how you …
Context and Organizational Analysis
In our work with clients, we make a concerted effort to say what we actually mean. But jargon happens to everyone. It serves as handy verbal shorthand; a quick turn …
Making your Strategic Plan Stick
Call it the post-planning let down. The excitement fades after the thrill and rush of the planning process. There’s another grant application to write, a board member with a great …
Plenty of Fish in the Sea
There are plenty of fish in the sea. Has a well-meaning friend ever said that to you after a break-up? It’s true. There are a lot of fish out there. …
Building Productive Partnerships
(This post is part 3 in a month-long series on partnerships) Whether because of decreases in funding or increasing demand for results, more nonprofit organizations and government agencies are turning …