The Nonprofit Nav Blog
Should strategic planning take six months or six hours?
Spoiler alert…as you probably guessed, the answer is it depends…on a lot of things. About ten years ago, I was working for a nonprofit and serving with two others in a board capacity. My Thursdays were dedicated to galas and my Saturdays to strategic planning...
Ten Common Experiences of New Nonprofit Leaders
1) You’ll be informed of anything and everything that has ever bothered anyone.
There’s a new sheriff in town and many will hope that you address things previously overlooked. Whether it’s the brand of copy paper in the printer or the frequency of volunteer newsletters, each and every matter that has ever bugged anyone will be brought to you…with urgency.
What does a government shutdown mean for your nonprofit?
While the government shutdown might seem like something that only happens once in a blue moon or only impacts government employees, nothing could be further from reality. Even if your organization’s only interaction with the federal government is your federal filings,...
The Value of Five Minutes
How Can I Get Any Work Done with So Many Meetings? A day filled with meetings is the norm in the nonprofit sector. Perhaps once or twice, someone wraps up their discussion early, and you reclaim 10-15 minutes of your day, but more often than not, your windows for...
Is an Interim Executive Director the Right Choice?
We have all heard the phrase "change is hard" at some point in our professional careers. This can be especially true regarding changes in leadership within a non-profit organization. This change can challenge an entire organization, its staff, stakeholders, and the...
5 Considerations When Hiring a Feasibility Consultant
Is your nonprofit's project ready for a feasibility study? You've decided it's time to grow, build, or revamp. You're going to take on a capital campaign. Depending on your donor relationships, community climate, and other factors, you may be considering completing a...
Where to Register Once Your Nonprofit Has its 501c3
The heavy lifting of filing and receiving your exempt status may be complete, but there are some other places you should register to give your nonprofit a strong start. Top Websites to Register With for Your Nonprofit Guidestar Guidestar is an authoritative registry...
Are You a Paragraph Person?
When I do strategic planning sessions for nonprofits, I often incorporate a “3-minute Rule.” If you find yourself talking for more than three minutes, you need to stop. This might prove difficult for a paragraph person. I don’t do this to stifle the conversation, but...
Should Nonprofits Recycle Board Members?
What does it mean to "recycle board members"? To start, it’s probably best stated as “re-cycle board members,” lest we confuse it for the renewal process reserved for cardboard and plastic bottles. To recycle board members allows them to serve an additional term cycle...
Ten Classic Habits v. The Next Big Thing
A recent Seth Godin blog applauded and cautioned all the personalities, products, and trends to be featured in the “Next Big Thing” lists that smatter social media this time of year. “But the truth of the next big thing is that you can’t stay that way. The hot...