Note: This guest post is by Daonese Johnson-Colón, MLS, SHRM-CP, CPC. Thanks, Daonese! A payment is late. A staff member needs access to a system. A new project is ready to launch, but no one has created the process. Someone needs to figure it out. What do you do? You send it to Admin. Each request may be reasonable on its own. But … [Read more...]
Everyone grab a fork: What’s different about leading a rural nonprofit
Note: This guest post is from Abbey Harlow, host of the Rural Nonprofit Leader Summit beginning October 20. Registration is free! This winter, a nonprofit leader in a rural area told me that his list of prospective foundations was running dry. His organization has spent most of a decade renovating its building, winning the same … [Read more...]
Giving USA: The good, the bad, and the stuff they leave out
Note: This guest post is from Nora Ellertsen of The Funding Seed. Thanks, Nora! Every summer, Giving USA – a comprehensive, annual report on charitable giving in the United States – lands in the inboxes of fundraisers everywhere. I review the report and reference it frequently in workshops and coaching sessions. Although imperfect, to … [Read more...]
Stop losing people with your language
Note: This guest post is from consultant and author Harvey McKinnon. Thanks, Harvey! If you can’t build trust, you can’t create social change. Ineffective language choices are one of the quickest ways to lose trust ... and if people don’t trust you, they won’t listen, join, volunteer, donate, or take other actions. People don’t hear … [Read more...]
Why belonging is the core work of boards – not the extra stuff
Note: This guest post is from board governance and fundraising consultant Christal M. Cherry of The Board Pro. Thanks, Christal! Let me say this plainly: Some of y’all don’t have a board problem, you have a belonging problem. We spend so much time trying to get the “right people” in the room. Smart people. Connected people. Diverse … [Read more...]
How we raised $1 million upside down
Note: This guest post is from Brian Lowe, an advisory committee member of the Vermont Immigration Legal Defense Fund and managing partner at Assembly Theory. Thanks, Brian! Nearly one year ago, we created the Vermont Immigration Legal Defense Fund. Our goal was to support and expand legal resources available to organizations that protect … [Read more...]
Steal these lines! Board edition
A few months back, I shared some of my favorite one-liners, jokes, re-frames, and hot takes from the many workshops and meetings I’ve facilitated. That post was a shout-out and a gift to my fellow trainers, facilitators, and group leaders. Like I said then: Steal these lines! Here’s another round of insights, zingers, and stories … [Read more...]
What I said to the Vermont Legislature
Earlier this week, I had the distinct honor – and slightly weird experience – of addressing the Vermont House of Representatives. I was recruited by two friends, who happen to be legislators, to provide the devotional before Tuesday morning’s session. Here’s the YouTube link. I am not clergy, so I was surprised by the invitation. The … [Read more...]
The value of inclusive strategic planning
Note: This guest post is adapted from a new book, Inclusive Strategic Planning for Nonprofits, by Dr. Renee Rubin Ross. Thanks, Renee! When I’m asked why Inclusive Strategic Planning is valuable, I immediately go into the kitchen. Let me explain. SOS Meals on Wheels had a problem hiding in plain sight. Their industrial kitchen – the … [Read more...]
Steal these lines!
If you work with groups in any way – for example, if you train people to raise money, facilitate retreats, engage with nonprofit boards, etc. – this post is for you. After thirty years of consulting, facilitating, and training – and more than a decade of teaching others how to do these things – I’ve developed a library of insights, … [Read more...]
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