Note: This guest post is from Martha Collins. It’s adapted from a piece originally published by the Nonprofit Academy of Wisconsin, co-written with Rob Meiksins. Their training series on nonprofit lobbying begins on September 17. Hello, fellow nonprofiteers! As we write this, the reasons and the need for nonprofit … [Read more...]
Hats, history, and the myth of facilitator objectivity
Note: This guest post is from Annie Winkler of Real Pickles Cooperative. Thanks, Annie! We all have many ways we can think about who we are. There are: Identities based in our families of origin: sibling, child, parent. Labels based in communities we belong to: gay, Indigenous, physically-abled, poor, cis-gendered, … [Read more...]
Trainer confidential: How to move everything online
Three months into the pandemic, I've noticed three facilitation and training trends. First, the webinar wave. Lots of nonprofits and consultants started offering webinars: many for the first time, many for free, and many mediocre. It’s easy to organize and present a webinar, but it’s difficult to do it well. During this first wave, … [Read more...]
Racism, privilege, facilitation, training – and sharing the wealth
Are you paying attention? Two interlocking crises are playing out in real time, right in front of your eyes: The ongoing, unending murder of people of color – especially black people – by police. The COVID-19 pandemic, which disproportionately affects communities of color, due to inequality in housing, employment, … [Read more...]
Fundraising in uncertain times: Success stories
How are you navigating this moment? Are you fearful for your organization? Do you sense opportunities? Perhaps both... In today’s post, I’m offering you a pep talk based on data, long experience, and a couple of good stories. These days may feel bleak, but if you address your fear and engage your donors, you can raise a lot of money – … [Read more...]
Board members: What you can do right now
How are you doing? How is your organization doing? As we navigate the challenges of COVID-19, many nonprofits are taking tactical steps to serve and survive: implementing anti-infection measures, working from home, moving programming online, taking a hard look at their budgets, and so forth. In this new environment – which changes … [Read more...]
Mastering virtual meetings
How many online meetings have you attended recently? How many were engaging, satisfying, and effectively facilitated? As I write this in mid-March 2020, we are just beginning to feel the impacts of the coronavirus across North America. As you gather less often with colleagues, more of your work life is probably moving … [Read more...]
How to market your micro-business
This year, I celebrate my 25th anniversary of working for myself. After all these years, it’s a still a one-person business – by design. Yes, I use contractors for various tasks, like managing my websites. For bigger jobs, I team up with other consultants, which is productive, educational, and fun. Most of the time, however, it’s … [Read more...]
A conflict-of-interest game — for your board
Nearly all board members assume their responsibilities with good intentions and a degree of humility. If they weren’t concerned about a community issue – maybe one that affects them personally – they wouldn’t have joined the board. Perhaps they want to reduce pollution in their neighborhood, or create opportunities for their kids to … [Read more...]
How to build a gift chart: A fundraising exercise
What’s my favorite fundraising tool? That’s easy: show me a gift chart. If you’re like me, you need to understand how many donations, at what amounts, are needed to reach your goal. If the information is presented in a visual, easy-to-understand way, that’s even better. A gift chart can be used to: Test the feasibility of … [Read more...]
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