Note: This guest post is from Erica Waasdorp, author of a new book, Monthly Giving Made Easy. Thanks, Erica! Pandemic lesson number one: you need reliable revenue, no matter what. Your best solution is monthly giving: encouraging automatic monthly payments from your donors, typically via credit card or electronic funds transfer … [Read more...]
Board president confidential
Several years ago I shared Treasurer Confidential, which described my experience as treasurer of a nonprofit board. My volunteer career has progressed and (surprise!) I’m now president of our grassroots, one-employee organization. In theory, I am well-qualified. I’ve served on multiple boards. I train boards for a living. I write books … [Read more...]
Three tips for improving your virtual board meetings
Note: This guest post is from consultant Alyson Molloy Hussey. Thanks, Alyson! 2020 was a challenging year for many organizations. Faced with a totally different environment, nonprofit leaders were forced to pivot, adapt, and get creative. How about you? What was your biggest adaptation over the last year? Some of these … [Read more...]
Using Asking Styles to train your board
Note: This guest post is from Brian Saber of Asking Matters. It’s adapted from his new book, Boards and Asking Styles: A Roadmap to Success. Thanks, Brian! For most nonprofits, board training is a challenge. And no wonder! The team meets infrequently — and can’t meet in person during the pandemic. Resources may be scarce. Furthermore, … [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...]
Board members: It’s not a life sentence
Once upon a time, I served with a skilled, committed, hard-working board president: a great strategic thinker and also attentive to detail. This is a rare combination. If I could clone this person for other boards, I would absolutely do it. Our president, however, was always dancing on the edge of burnout. Lacking an obvious … [Read more...]
Design yourself a better board
Imagine the following exercise. Gather your board members around a flip chart. Ask the following question: "If we could design the perfect board for our group, what skills, qualities, and representation would we want in prospective board members?" Skills, qualities, representation Skills include specific expertise to help the … [Read more...]
Succession planning: Leading by sharing power
In 1986, I killed my first nonprofit organization. That wasn’t my plan. In fact, there wasn't any plan. When our vibrant, all-volunteer nonprofit was ready to hire its first employee, the board chose me. With staff in place, our group took a big step forward: more programming, new audiences, bigger impact. While I was merrily … [Read more...]
What are “major gifts” – and where do I find them?
When talking with potential clients, I often ask the following questions: "What do you consider a major gift? How many donors contribute at that level?" The phrase "major gift" perplexes some people. If needed, I might rephrase as follows: What do you consider a big gift from an individual donor? If you skimmed off the top 10% … [Read more...]
Is Your Board a Cost Center – or a Profit Center?
What does it cost you to have a board of directors? Is the cost worth the effort? Provocative questions, right? Let’s start by acknowledging the basics. If you're a 501(c)(3) charitable organization in the U.S., you are legally required to have a board. There’s a thoughtful reason for this: the board is the legal owner of your … [Read more...]