Note: This is the second of two posts adapted from an online conversation between Train Your Board partners Bob Osborne and Andy Robinson. You can find the first portion here. Join the debate! We welcome your comments. Bob Any alternative structure – different from the traditional 501(c)(3) – would need to address fundraising. If an … [Read more...]
Do we really need boards? Let’s debate (Part 1)
Note: This two-part post is adapted from an online conversation between Train Your Board partners Bob Osborne and Andy Robinson. Join the debate! We welcome your comments. Bob Andy, I know you believe that our current model of board and nonprofit governance may be broken, and that you've been exploring alternative models. It's an … [Read more...]
Training for movements, not just organizations
In 1980, a few weeks after Ronald Reagan was first elected president, I answered a classified advertisement (remember classified ads?) in my local newspaper. The first word was Activist. I can’t remember the rest of the ad, but the idea was that I would be paid to work for social justice. I was adrift and anxious about the future, and … [Read more...]
Difficult conversations: Talking about climate change
Note: This guest post from Karen Strong is the first in a series about facilitating difficult conversations on challenging topics. Her guidance applies to difficult conversations on all sorts of subjects – not just the climate crisis. Thanks, Karen! When was the last time you talked about climate change for more than a minute or … [Read more...]
Listening as leadership
Over the years, I’ve facilitated dozens of strategic planning retreats. Sometimes the executive director, CEO, or board president – somebody with a title and the power that comes with it – will pull me aside and ask a thoughtful question: “How much should I talk?” Here’s a variation: “Maybe I should just listen and not speak too much. … [Read more...]
Feed people!
Several decades ago, I worked at Native Seeds/SEARCH, a nonprofit based in Tucson, Arizona. Their mission: “Conserve and promote the arid-adapted crop diversity of the Southwest in support of sustainable farming and food security.” In addition to collecting, saving, and distributing seeds, the organization offers educational programs … [Read more...]
My three succession plans
In recent years, I’ve been leading workshops and webinars on leadership transition and succession planning. It's a significant aspect of my business. If you believe the maxim, “An expert is anyone who knows 5% more than most people,” then perhaps I qualify. I’ve read a little (and written a little) on this subject. I’ve talked with lots … [Read more...]
Four insights for more equitable nonprofit governance
Note: This guest post is from Renee Rubin Ross. A longer version is available at Community-Centric Fundraising. Thanks, Renee! Long ago, I worked as staff alongside a terrible board. The staff was thoughtful and strategic. We were deeply knowledgeable and connected to the community. But the board? Serving on this board was a symbol of … [Read more...]
Challenging your assumptions about donors
Note: This guest post is from Alyson Molloy Hussey. Thanks, Alyson! I recently consulted with an organization that was planning a very cool cultivation event. Of course, the Executive Director wanted the group’s most generous donor to attend. When we discussed this at our weekly meeting, they seemed skeptical about the donor. “I am … [Read more...]
To connect with your audiences, think like a journalist
Note: This guest post is from Julie Kelley. Thanks, Julie! After decades working in the news media, I want to share a few ideas to help nonprofits tell better stories, reach more people, and engage their audiences. Specifically, I want to offer a journalist’s take on how to better use social media. Here's something that you may not … [Read more...]
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