Author Archive
Boards are for governance, committees are for results
Confusion I have pointed out in a recent post that nonprofits need to reduce confusion by separating the governance and results function of the organization. There is a knee jerk reaction when a nonprofit is formed to make those who sign as incorporators members of the board of the new corporation. Then the board, in [...]
Why Your Results Stink
Results stink. Volunteers don’t meet deadlines or don’t do what they committed to do. So, the committees are not getting results the board wanted. Chaotic. Dysfunctional. Disorganized. Organization not operating effectively. Take your pick. The result is the same. The mission to which you are drawn, to which your heart is connected, is not being [...]
Nonprofit: Start One, Lead One
I spoke at the Minnesota Mensa Regional Gathering ‘Last of the Aughts’ Saturday. The topic was:Nonprofits: Start One, Lead One. I discussed a few key ideas I have. Start Don’t start a nonprofit if you can do it with a for-profit. Don’t start a nonprofit if you can do it some other way. The National [...]
Remodeling Nonprofits
Chris Fuller, President, Performance Writing & Public Relations, just wrote about a situation in a discussion in a group we share. In his last job, one of his responsibilities was to serve as Executive Director of a foundation. It had outlived its usefulness. He was to either make something of it or shut it down. [...]
Vote For Children’s Mental Health Grant
The Challenge We have abandoned mental health in general and children’s mental health is in crisis. My wife works in children’s mental health so I am continually reminded about the erosion of our children due to mental health problems. What You Can Do Vote for Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health [MACMH] at the Minnesota [...]
Using Social Media
Wow! Yesterday, I watched Chris Brogan’s video seminar “Using Social Media to Find a Job“. The other neat thing was to have Chris refer me to his free ebook Using the Social Web to Find Work. I am a discoverer. A person who wants to know what’s around next corner. These were a couple of [...]
Ten Dimensions that Shape Your Board: Review and Comment
I am excited about a new tool for nonprofit boards both as a Board Member [Shift and the Rotary Club of Minneapolis South] and a Coach and Cheerleader for nonprofits at Yay Team!. Yesterday, I was at the launch of a new workbook for nonprofit boards: Ten Dimensions That Shape Your Board (October, 2008) by [...]
Social Entrepreneurs: Source of Nonprofit Income
Lazone Grays posted to the Non-Profit Tools Group an article by Jonathan Ortmans, President, The Public Forum Institute “Entrepreneurs: Engines for Job Creation and Innovation“. I endorse Mr Ortmans’ belief that entrepreneurs create jobs from the new opportunities that they see. When they turn their attention to nonprofits they will create new jobs and new [...]
Social Entrepreneurship: new economy, new-funding
Show me the money! We all need it so our organizations can achieve our goals. With the state of our economy, one of the most pressing challenges as a leader of an all volunteer non-profit is that many of the old sources are drying up. Financial fears are infecting our economy from the biggest corporate [...]
Membership: Footprints in the sand
Membership ebbs and flows in all organizations. When you don’t know why, you can’t effectively recruit new members. You have to understand from the member’s point of view WIIFM or “What’s In It For Me?” You need to know why your prospects do or don’t pick your organization over other opportunities. When you understand WIIFM [...]
