Perspectives

Fully engaging your trustees may be the singular most important work you can do to ensure you garner the full benefit of your volunteer leadership’s passion and commitment to your work. Learn more about how you can start engaging them more fully. We often talk about engaging nonprofit board members in the organization’s work and service. The premise of board engagement is based upon…

Last month in our first post of Building Better Nonprofit Boards, Part 1, we talked about the importance of a strategic plan and developing the optimal Board composition.  Now on to a few more tips to ensure your Nonprofit Board is all it can be. A great quote from Governance as Leadership by Chait, Ryan, and Taylor that frames value:  While trustees act responsible in terms of fiduciaries,…

If your Board isn’t a vital resource for your nonprofit organization, you’re missing out on a tremendous resource.  Your Board should be one of your most vital assets.  We’re offering you some tips to consider to ensure you’re getting the most from your nonprofit Board. Strategic Planning for Your Nonprofit First and foremost, it is critical that your nonprofit organization has a…

Stop just “checking the box” for your nonprofit stewardship program and celebrate the riches a vibrant and creative program can bring you, your donors, and those you serve. So often, I find that nonprofits view stewardship as an obligation, dare I say burden, to “check the box” of gratitude to donors. Send a thank you letter in 24 – 32 hours? Check. Send an annual report, where the donor…

Cynthia talks with Ben Albert of Rochester Business Connections about supercharging your not-for-profit board. Learn more about how to help ensure top performance of your board. Learn more about Ben Albert, at Rochester Business Connections Powered by Balbert Marketing LLC

“I cannot believe our board…” Have you had a similar conversation with senior leadership colleagues lately? If your board is surprising, you in all the wrong ways, I’d like to offer these tips to help ensure top performance of your board. I hope you had an opportunity to read the first part of this Perspectives article. If not, please check it out. Now, on to more ways to super charge your…

“I cannot believe our board…” Have you had a similar conversation with senior leadership colleagues lately? If your board is surprising you in all the wrong ways, I’d like to offer these tips to help ensure top performance of your board. Today, I’ll offer the first part of this two-part Perspectives. Super Charging Your Board for Peak Performance is one of my favorite topics because…

Last week I spoke at the virtual COLLABORATE Summit, created to propel non-profits, mission-driven organizations, and socially conscious businesses to success. The summit was designed to inspire solutions and bring together nonprofits, socially conscious businesses, and mission-driven organizations to strengthen, motivate, and elevate our communities to new levels of success. Below you will find a…

The virtual summit created to propel non-profits, mission-driven organizations, and socially conscious businesses to success.  Thursday, October 14, 20219:30am-3:30pm What might "getting grants, understanding millennials, maximizing your website, storytelling" and much more have in common? They - and many more diverse topics - will be part of the virtual COLLABORATE Summit on October 14th. I hope…

In this podcast episode, Cynthia Woolbright talks with Stephen Halasnik, host of The Nonprofit MBA Podcast, about the importance and influence of gender when it comes to nonprofit fundraising. Historically, men have made most of the decisions when it comes to wealth management. However, we have seen a significant change in women taking control and making more money than ever in today’s society.…

While the pandemic may be serving lemons, many fundraising professionals are making lemonade by engaging their donors in new and worthwhile ways. Have you been enhancing your stewardship efforts throughout the pandemic?

As non-profit budgets continue to come under remarkable stress, investing in a communications audit is a smart way to ensure that every penny spent on communications is earning its keep. A communications audit will help ensure you're operating as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. once said, “Greatness is not where we stand, but in what direction we are moving.” An organization’s vision and mission aspires to great things. But to accomplish them, they need a compass and a map. That map – a strategic plan – shows the path they can chart to get where they hope to go. The compass guides them and tell them the direction they are headed on their journey, let’s call our compass the goals and objectives set forth in your plan. And now, a few thoughts on strategic thinking and planning.

As we ushered in the long-awaited new year, we turned to some of our most accomplished colleagues to benefit from their reflections on the past year as well as insights on what this new might hold for the advancement field. They all agree that the virtual world we’ve come to know is here to stay and while it won’t change the most fundamental cornerstone of fundraising - to connect with…

It is easy to philosophically commit to building a diverse and inclusive culture. But what does it take to actualize that commitment? Hiring and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce is fundamental to building that culture. Here are some tips to building a solid foundation for diverse and inclusive practices for hiring and retaining talent.

Many organizations proclaim their commitment to diversity and inclusion, yet the data tells a different story. Not-for-profits continue to reflect a dire lack of diversity on their Board of Trustees. It’s time to make diversification of our Boards an actionable priority.