Latest News
Upcoming Workshop: Engaging Staff in Turbulent Times
Kentucky friends - On May 17, Anthony Zipple Sc.D., MBA. and I will be presenting a workshop entitled, "Engaging Staff in Turbulent Times." Tickets are only $10 and available at the link below. Join us for an engaging and interactive morning!
About the Event:
Rapid change, uncertainty, and fluidity are the defining characteristics of our world today. While this kind of turbulence presents great opportunities, it can be stressful for us and our staff. Keeping our staff engaged and focused on doing great work in this kind of environment can be challenging.
This workshop will discuss the importance of staff engagement and provide practical tools for improving staff commitment and organizational optimism. Drawing on current research from positive psychology, you will learn about strengths-based leadership, building a growth mindset in your organization, and implementing strategies for helping you and your staff to be more effective… and happier at work.
On Leadership Transitions....
In 2008, a national study, “Ready to Lead?”, produced by CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Meyer Foundation, and Idealist.org, found that three out of four #nonprofit executive directors planned to leave their positions within three years.
Does your #nonprofit have a #successionplan in place that the Board is comfortable with? Are you in the midst of a #leadership transition? If you would like to further discuss your organization's transition planning, let's connect!
What is Your Compensation Philosophy?
Highly effective Boards understand that one of their core duties is to ensure that organizational compensation decisions are well-founded and follow generally accepted standards. A compensation philosophy establishes a consistent process by which Board leaders can fulfill this duty. It also serves as a necessary complement to the Board-CEO relationship, and critical tie to discussions of performance and organizational equity.
In developing a Board's approach to compensation decisions, the IRS provides nonprofits a three-step process to determine that compensation is reasonable and not excessive. This process requires Board independence, review of comparable salary and benefits data, and documentation of the factors considered by the Board and the decision reached.
A thoughtful and well-developed compensation philosophy and process positively influences the organization’s capacity to:
Attract key leaders and retain high-performing staff members
Demonstrate a link between performance and compensation
Promote internal and external equity
Maintain satisfaction and morale
If your organization is looking to enhance the thoughtfulness and intentionality of its approach to performance and compensation, let's talk!
You Can Diversify if You Want To
"The idea that elite organizations like #foundations have #boards that continue to choose not to reflect and represent the #diversity of civil society sends a message to the growing communities of color that they are not part of the solution and have nothing to contribute to solving the societal challenges we all share."
https://blog.boardsource.org/blog/you-can-diversify-if-you-want-to
#WhatIAmReading
Shall We Engage? Tips and Considerations for a Happy Fiscal Sponsorship Relationship
Really enjoyed leading a webinar last week for Bloomerang on the topic of #fiscalsponsorship. If you missed it, you can watch the webinar now at the link below. Would love to hear your thoughts, questions, and experiences with fiscal sponsorship!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbdLKLnOJL0
Zombie Philanthropy: What I Learned About Donor-Advised Funds as a Foundation Insider
As #donoradvisedfunds continue to grow in popularity (and profitability) for the institutions that promote them, increasing attention is rightfully focused on legitimate critiques, particularly those spelled out in this article.
#WhatIAmReading
Fuller Center for Housing Board Retreat
Nonprofit Board governance requires hard work and commitment, but it can be fun too! Honored to facilitate the Board retreat this weekend for Fuller Center for Housing.
NTC Nonprofit News: Board Retreat Tips, New Podcast Episodes, and MORE!
Check out this month's e-newsletter for tips for a successful #Board retreat, new #podcast episodes, #WhatIAmReading, and MORE! CLICK HERE to read this month’s newsletter.
South Louisville Community Ministries Board Comes Together
Honored to facilitate the #Board retreat this past weekend for South Louisville Community Ministries. These committed leaders came together for an important day of reflection, discussion, and planning. The mission of SLCM is to empower families in crisis in South Louisville to move toward stability and self-sufficiency.
Engaging Board Members at a Retreat
A #Board retreat is an opportunity to reconnect to the mission and vision, evaluate progress, and set priorities for Board engagement.
Spent an outstanding day yesterday facilitating the retreat for the talented Board #leaders of University Club Louisville.
If your Board would benefit from an engaging and interactive retreat, please reach out!
#nonprofit #impact #Retreat #VisionToReality
Defining and Evaluating Board Needs With Greg Nielsen
I recently had the privilege of speaking with Emily Hendershot on Nova Communities Podcast about strategies for building and engaging a highly effective nonprofit Board. Give it a listen and share your ideas and wisdom for building a dynamic Board!
On the road!
Had a great time leading workshops on nonprofit Board governance and "Engaged Board, Effective Fundraising" last week in Tampa for LawPracticeCLE.
#BuildTheBoardYouNeed
#FromVisionToReality
Top 6 Ways a Board Can Help Its CEO
One of the primary responsibilities of a #nonprofit #Board is to select and support the #CEO. This article provides some great reminders for Board members and tips to strengthen the partnership. How strong is the partnership between the Board and CEO in your organization?
https://trust.guidestar.org/top-6-ways-a-board-can-help-its-ceo
Article: Questions I Wish I'd Asked
Thought provoking opinion piece from Antony Bugg-Levine, CEO of Nonprofit Finance Fund published in The Chronicle of Philanthropy.
"I’ve learned that standard practices on the money-giving side of philanthropy often impede effectiveness, stemming from the foundation world’s aversion to risk and persisting because of power dynamics that make it difficult for grant makers and grant seekers to learn from each other."
What additional questions would you pose?
https://www.philanthropy.com/article/Questions-I-Wish-I-d-Asked/245437
Leading From Within: Authentic Leadership as Vision's Ally
Enjoyed a great morning with the talented members of Fundraising Executives of Metro Louisville discussing "Leading From Within: Authentic #leadership as Vision's Ally." So many talented leaders in this group!
5 Ways to Build Your Board into a Championship Fundraising Team
“A good Board is a victory, not a gift.”
– Cyril Houle, Governing Boards
Good boards, like victories, rarely come together by chance. Rather, they are the product of shared commitment to the mission (and to each other), thoughtful planning, and critical processes. Among their many responsibilities, board members are charged with ensuring the organization has the resources necessary to accomplish the mission. For many board members, fundraising is the broccoli in their entree of responsibilities — that part of the meal we know is good for us, but we would just as soon avoid (apologies to all the broccoli fans).
The good news is it doesn’t have to be that way. It is possible for even the most reluctant boards to develop a team culture that embraces fundraising as an essential ingredient in mission success. Here are a few key steps to help transform your board into a championship fundraising team:
CLICK HERE to read the rest of my blog article published by Bloomerang.
NTC Nonprofit News: Tips for Board Fundraising Success, New Podcast, and MORE!
Check out this month's e-newsletter for tips to elevate Board fundraising success, information about our new nonprofit leadership podcast, and more! CLICK HERE to access!
Is it Time for a Board Tune-Up?
As the calendar year draws to a close, this article from Propel Nonprofits provides a great reminder that #nonprofit #Boards require frequent care and attention. Let's chat about tangible and practical ways to enhance the performance of your Board!
https://www.propelnonprofits.org/blog/is-it-time-for-a-board-tune-up/
Deeply Flawed ‘Pennies for Charity’ Report Can Hurt Good Nonprofits
Last week, the New York Attorney General’s office released its most recent "Pennies for Charity" report, which seeks to educate donors about "where your money goes" when you give to a particular nonprofit.
As a Consultant who works to help nonprofits and Boards transparently measure and communicate their impact and effectiveness, I feel passionately about this issue. There are a number of misconceptions and flawed assumptions that continue to be perpetuated with respect to nonprofit “overhead” and administrative costs. A vibrant nonprofit MUST invest in its infrastructure and talent in order to effectively carry out its mission.
For these reasons, I am thrilled to see a leadership response from Anne Wallestad, CEO of BoardSource.
The time has come for #nonprofit #leaders, #Board members, and supporters to unite behind and amplify this critically important message. I encourage you to read and reflect on the full article from Anne Wallestad: https://www.philanthropy.com/article/Deeply-Flawed-Pennies-for/245257
Strategic Planning --> Strategic Alignment
"Strategy and planning is about determining what’s most important for your organization to do and then figuring out how best to get those things done. This is why strategic thinking and planning can serve as a powerful moment to identify opportunities to strategically align or restructure with another organization."