Organizational Culture – Good or Bad, You Choose.
I have been doing a lot of reading lately about organizational culture. The topic is certainly not new to me, but I’ve been fascinated by it for many years, dating back to my banking career and subsequent transition to the nonprofit sector. Like just about everyone I know, I have worked in companies with strong, […]
This is (supposed to be) Serious Business
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been subjected to this type of nonprofit board recruitment conversation: “Hey, L. I’m on the board of XYZ Organization and I’d really love it if you’d consider joining. There’s no real work to do, just show up at a few meetings. No, really, you don’t have to […]
You Think You’re Making a Difference…But Are You?
Nonprofit leaders and volunteers are passionate, busy people. There is so much to be done and in many understaffed and under-resourced organizations, not enough time or money with which to do it. Clients need to be seen, grants need to be written, board members need to be informed, staff needs to be managed…and the list […]
On Gardens & Donors: Great Relationships Take Work!
I spent last weekend outside in my back yard, toiling in my garden and getting it ready for spring and summer planting. The front of my home is completely xeriscaped and filled with beautiful yet intimidating agave, cacti and succulents. From this vantage point you’d never know that there’s a small but productive vegetable and […]
Yep…That’s Your Job, Too.
What did your road to executive directorship look like? Where did it begin? Did you start as a staffer and work your way up? Were you recruited from a different sector, and what made you decide to make the jump to nonprofits? Do you feel like you started the E.D. role with all the skills […]
When Grant Funding is Problematic
Grant funding is often the primary source of operational and/or programmatic revenue for a nonprofit organization. Whether from government or non-governmental sources, grants are integral to a nonprofit’s survival. Executive directors and grant writing professionals can spend many hours researching and writing grants with varying degrees of success. For organizations that are just starting out […]
On Trust…
I recently read an article in the Chronicle of Philanthropy entitled “To Keep People Giving in the Pandemic, Trust in Nonprofits is Essential” (Segar, B., 2020). I won’t go into detail about the article’s arguments because the title sums up my thoughts perfectly: a nonprofit’s fundraising success is built upon a foundation of trust, and without that […]