The unspoken truth in nonprofit organizations is there is often at least some measure of tension between the Board and the ED. Why? Because as businesspeople Board Members view the organization through the lens of industry, which means they feel like they are the best equipped to make key strategic decisions related to its future. Simultaneously, as seasoned […]
Read More… from Who Matters More – The Board or The Executive Director?
Turnaround Executive Directors are brought in for various reasons, the most common of which are to fix an ongoing cash deficit, revitalize ailing programs, or pivot the organization towards a new mission. But, when you are faced with making decisions about how to turn the organization around, you need to first ask if you even should. […]
Read More… from Should You Hire a Turnaround Executive Director or Sunset the Organization?
Marketing is critical for nonprofits because it helps them generate the financial and volunteer support needed to achieve their mission. In this way, marketing acts as the bridge that connects their cause with the hearts and minds of their passionate donors, sponsors, volunteers, and advocates. External marketing efforts and internal communications play pivotal roles in […]
Read More… from Is Your Nonprofit Marketing Strategy Effective?
Are you a good leader? Of course, every leader wants to think so! …But would you know if you weren’t? As nonprofit consultants we work with some of today’s most dynamic organizations (and their world-class leaders) every day. As a result, we have seen plenty of examples of what makes a great nonprofit leader. Today […]
Read More… from What Would a Nonprofit Leadership Assessment Reveal about You as a Leader?
When you hear the phrase “community outreach” what comes to mind? Most people immediately think of nonprofit organizations hosting community events, which isn’t necessarily wrong. However, on its own it’s an incomplete view of what community outreach means for nonprofits. Hosting events can be an important component of what outreach in our communities looks like, […]
Read More… from 7 Essential Components of Nonprofit Community Outreach
Every day we work with organizations that are in transition. Some have already lost their Executive Director, while others are in the process of losing leaders that have been instrumental in their growth over the years. Regardless of when they bring us in, each organization is facing the same fundamental questions: “What do we do […]
Read More… from Why Nonprofit Succession Planning Often Fails
Fundraising is the lifeblood of any nonprofit because it provides the resources needed to fulfill their mission. And yet, many organizations are still behind the times when it comes to raising funds for important programs and initiatives to serve their communities. Whether it’s using outdated methods for fundraising or thinking too small when it comes to approaching […]
Have you heard your Executive Director or CEO say any of these things? These are all statements I have made throughout my career, and that I have heard echoed from my peers in nonprofit leadership. And that’s a problem! Each of these statements point to an unspoken issue that should concern a board of directors. […]
Read More… from Nonprofit Compensation: The Danger of Underpaying Your Chief Executive
Should your organization have centralized leadership or use a distributed leadership model? With all the buzz today around distributed leadership for nonprofits (also known as “shared leadership” or “co-leadership”), it’s easy to get caught up in the trend without fully analyzing the needs and implications associated with this kind of leadership model. But while distributed leadership may work well […]
Read More… from How to Select the Right Nonprofit Leadership Model
In a nonprofit organization which responsibilities belong to the Board of Directors, and which belong to the Executive Director? And how can both avoid stepping on each other’s toes? This is one of the most contentious topics in nonprofit leadership! Trying to determine where the board ends and the ED begins is one of the most common […]
Read More… from Where does The Board Stop and The Executive Director Start?