Friday, May 30, 2014

The nonprofit leadership crisis we’re not talking about: Interview with Robert Egger | Idealist Careers

The nonprofit leadership crisis we’re not talking about: Interview with Robert Egger | Idealist Careers: When I think about flipping the nonprofit sector on its head, I think about Robert Egger.

He is a long-time rebel rouser in the best way possible; a no-nonsense leader that pushes us all to think of the sector and its capabilities in a different way. I’ve been following Robert’s work ever since I read his book Begging for Change in 2004, where he talks about the ineffectiveness of the nonprofit sector and challenges the nonprofit sector to reform and innovate.

Will Your Friends Tell You This? | Burnout Toolbox

Will Your Friends Tell You This? | Burnout Toolbox: The Warnings

The first time I heard it was after I was asked to lead a new charity project. It would accomplish a significant amount of good and I was excited about the opportunity. I discussed it with my friend David Perdew with all the enthusiasm I had. But after he heard me, he said it didn’t appear to be moving me closer to my vision. He encouraged me to dig deep before agreeing to take this work on.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Handle crises responsibly and openly � Philanthropy North Carolina

Handle crises responsibly and openly � Philanthropy North Carolina: When your nonprofit is dealing with a serious problem is not the time to run, hide and pretend nothing is wrong.

A crisis is the time to show you are true to your cause, and to reassure your constituents, donors, partners and the public that you are aware of the problem and dealing with it.

So be honest and direct about what is wrong and what you are doing to fix it.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Sociocracy: An Organizational Structure for Distributed Leadership - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

Sociocracy: An Organizational Structure for Distributed Leadership - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: lthough the latter may sound like a good idea—helping to bring out the best in employees—it is difficult to implement on a factory floor or in an office setting. It requires a cultural shift that isn’t prevalent in schools, government or organizations. Sociocracy, or Dynamic Governance, is an organizational structure developed by Gerard Endenburg, a Quaker born in the Netherlands who was the CEO of Endenburg Elektrotechniek during a downturn. Sociocracy provides a non-authoritarian organizational structure that empowers people to make decisions within their domains and fosters trust and effective decision-making.

Five Tips for Hiring a Director of Development | Third Sector Today

Some related material compiled on the AFP Questions and FAQ Blog


Five Tips for Hiring a Director of Development | Third Sector Today: When seeking to hire a new director of development, executive directors, board member and others should be mindful of the following:



1) Most development professionals are enthusiastic and motivated by different missions on a personal level. It is imperative that board members, volunteers and donors get a sense of the energy and passion of a director of development as it relates to the mission of the organization. Seek professionals who have an interest in the mission of the organization as demonstrated in previous positions or in volunteer opportunities.

Comic Relief plans new investment policy 'in line with ethos'

Comic Relief plans new investment policy 'in line with ethos': Comic Relief has today committed not to make investments in arms, alcohol and tobacco companies as part of a new investment policy "in line with the ethos of the charity".

Comic Relief, which has an investment portfolio of �138m, was criticised in a Panorama programme last year for investing millions of pounds in companies which make most of their money in these areas, which run directly contrary to its mission.

A How-To Guide for Employee Matching Grant Programs

massnonprofit.org ::: Billions of dollars in charitable funding are left on the table every year because nonprofit organizations around the world are not taking full advantage of corporate giving programs.

Corporate giving programs include, but are not limited to, employee matching grant programs in which an employee can apply for a company match to literally double the donation to eligible nonprofits.

Here are some do's and don'ts on how to break into this largely untapped source of funding.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Young People Are Skeptical of Information Learned on Twitter - Pacific Standard: The Science of Society

Young People Are Skeptical of Information Learned on Twitter - Pacific Standard: The Science of Society: t’s reasonable to fear that social media could exacerbate this problem. With news feeds giving us constant updates from many sources—some reliable, some not—it’d be very easy to conflate fact with conjecture.

So a new research paper from Michigan State University is particularly welcome. It finds that a sample of college students were, in fact, less likely to fall for false information if it had been presented to them in a Twitter format.

ASKphobia: How to Overcome Ask Aversion � 101fundraising

ASKphobia: How to Overcome Ask Aversion � 101fundraising: Fundraisers everywhere are ASK-averse, ASK-phobic, and worse yet anti-ASK.

If the thought of asking someone for money, in person, over the phone or in a letter, makes you flop sweat – I hope these five simple tips help you out. Remember that asking for a donation isn’t just not awful – it can be really, really fun.

Charity offers memorials for Sydney's homeless amid fears more are being pushed onto the streets - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Charity offers memorials for Sydney's homeless amid fears more are being pushed onto the streets - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation): The Wayside Chapel has opened its first memorial garden to honour the homeless who have died on the streets.

"A lot of people that die on the street are buried as paupers, there is no place that you can go to to remember them, their names are not inscribed anywhere, we're inviting people to buy a padlock to inscribe the name of a loved one and then fix it to our fence."

Museum makeover: Fundraising campaign launched for city flood facility � Latest News � The Tribune Democrat, Johnstown, PA

Museum makeover: Fundraising campaign launched for city flood facility � Latest News � The Tribune Democrat, Johnstown, PA: Next week’s 125th anniversary of the Great Johnstown Flood provides the launching pad for a major fundraising campaign to completely update the Johnstown Flood Museum.

The campaign was given a roaring start with a $750,000 grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation of Pittsburgh, Mark Pasquerilla, Johnstown Area Heritage Association chairman, said Thursday during a press conference at the museum.