Note: My colleagues Christal M. Cherry, Renee Rubin Ross, and I have been exploring tweaks, hacks, and alternatives to the traditional 501(c)(3) nonprofit structure. This post is the first in an informal series. – Andy When I say “nonprofit,” what comes to mind? Perhaps you picture the entire sector: a $2 trillion dollar industry across … [Read more...]
Consultants: First, do no harm
A former client called last week. He had hired a team of consultants to facilitate a two-day planning retreat and the event had gone badly. It’s a long story, but here’s the gist. The consultants did their homework and carefully prepared the agenda. However, once the retreat began, they faced a lot of tangents, conflict, and … [Read more...]
The COVID relief money you haven’t received … yet
Note: This guest post is from financial management consultant Cynthia Moore of Operation Fairy Godmother, cynthia@operationfairygodmother.org. Thanks, Cynthia! Did your organization take advantage of the PPP, EIDL, Shuttered Venue Operators Grant, or other Federal grant and loan programs? For many nonprofits, this money was a godsend … [Read more...]
Decolonizing your bylaws: Robert’s Rules can buzz off
Note: This guest post is from Bonnie Chavez of Building Beloved Communities. Thanks, Bonnie! Generally, I don’t help to create new nonprofits. I can think of one exception: when a program has outgrown its fiscal sponsor and is ready to become a 501(c)(3). That’s when things get interesting. First, a little about my intersectionalities. … [Read more...]
Creating a climate-positive consulting business
As the summer winds down – a summer filled with drought, fires, floods, and other extreme weather – I’ve been thinking about the ways my consulting business engages with the topic of climate resilience. What am I doing to create positive change? Which of my behaviors add to the problem? How am I supporting my clients in taking … [Read more...]
The myth of dirty money, part 2: Weed in the woods
Note: This is a follow-up to an earlier post, The Myth of Dirty Money. My goal is to demonstrate the complexity of this topic, especially in rural areas with limited resources, and discuss how nonprofits can adapt. I used to take regular work trips to Humboldt County in Northern California. With support from NorCAN, a project of the … [Read more...]
The myth of dirty money
Imagine the following… After talking with a friend who says great things about your organization, I hop on your website – and I’m impressed. Based on this friend’s referral and my bit of online homework, I pull out my credit card and donate $50. Question: Should you accept my gift? Your response: What? Are you serious? Of course … [Read more...]
Why I stopped flying
In December 2018 – a full year before anyone had heard of COVID-19 – I boarded an airplane for the last time. This was a huge change for me and my business. Over the previous 25 years, I had worked in 47 U.S. states and across Canada, piling up lots of frequent flyer miles and spewing lots of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. In … [Read more...]
100 webinars later
Earlier this month, I celebrated (!?) the one hundredth webinar, virtual meeting, or online retreat I’ve designed and facilitated during the pandemic. Looking through the list – yes, I keep a list – it’s amusing to see that the first one focused on how to organize and deliver a remote training. Little did I know… With vaccination … [Read more...]
Consulting and COVID, Part 2: What will you keep?
In a previous post, I shared how consulting colleagues have responded to the pandemic: rethinking priorities, pivoting to new styles of work, embracing emerging opportunities. I’ve been inspired by their thoughtfulness, creativity, resilience, and commitment to justice. I asked them to reflect on what they’ll carry forward into the … [Read more...]
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