Bringing new people on to a nonprofit organization’s board is, if done well, a lot of work. Identifying people with the right skills who have a passion for your mission can feel like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Once a potential new board member has been identified, most organizations then struggle with the delicate and often awkward process of actually talking … [Read more...]
Why Strategic Planning Matters for Non-profits and 4 Steps to do it Well
Originally published at BlueAvocado.org. During a recent call with a leader of a nonprofit organization, he asked a question I've been getting more and more. "Do we really need a strategic plan?" He continued, "It seems like a lot of work for some pie-in-the-sky document that rarely gets used." If done the wrong way, strategic planning can be exactly that: a lot of work … [Read more...]
Hiring a Fundraising Consultant: Connections versus Capacities
Look not for connections they bring, but for capacities they leave. In the process of negotiating virtually every fundraising consulting contract we have ever had, there’s a moment when a staff or board member will say: But can you get us connected to Mrs. Megabucks, because we know that if she just knew more about us she would give us a million dollars. We have sent her … [Read more...]
Capital Campaign Feasibility Studies: A Roadmap for Success
Over the years we’ve had a number of nonprofits contact us because they want to launch a capital campaign, but they want to bypass the time (and the expense) associated with conducting a feasibility study first. While it’s possible to conduct a capital campaign without first conducting a feasibility study, doing so is like driving cross-country without a map. Eventually … [Read more...]
9 Criteria for Recruiting Effective Nonprofit Board Members
Many of the boards that we work with frequently ask for guidance for on how to recruit new board members. We strongly recommend that all nonprofit boards establish certain criteria that they use when recruiting. 9 Essential Criteria for Nonprofit Board Members Here are 9 essential criteria you should consider to recruit effective board members. 1. Passion for the … [Read more...]
What Donors Should Expect from the Charities They Support
Many of us are motivated to give donations to the causes we hold dear. If you're considering a gift to charity now or in the future, you might want to do a little investigating to ensure that your gift has maximum impact. So what should you expect from the charities you support? 5 Expectations When Donating to a Charity 1. Information about the mission and governing … [Read more...]
The 9 Responsibilities of the Nonprofit Board Member
Over the years, many board members have approached us saying, somewhat sheepishly: I have been on the board for a while now, and I am still not sure what it is I should be doing. Or, perhaps even worse: As a board member, I feel like I am not really doing anything. Board members of nonprofit organizations have distinct responsibilities. Their role is … [Read more...]