The third Wednesday of October is International Pronouns Day. The day seeks to make respecting, sharing, and educating about personal pronouns commonplace. In today’s blog post we will examine how we can participate in our fundraising work! What are pronouns? They are words used instead of a noun in a sentence. [...]
Every day, we meet with incredible people who are doing everything they can to raise money for their nonprofit organizations. As we get to know them, we not only hear about the good they’re doing, but we also hear about their struggles. They’re tired, they’re short on time, and they’re [...]
Depending on who you ask, your board of directors can be the single most important element in determining your organization’s success or failure. As you’ve likely seen within your organization, board experience matters and board engagement should be a top priority. When board members are engaged, they’re more effective in [...]
Your donors fuel your organization’s work, so it’s crucial to maintain a healthy, thriving base of supporters. A major part of connecting with these individuals and optimizing the giving experience is utilizing the data you collect about their giving trends to inform your future fundraising decisions. Luckily, ongoing advancements in [...]
As nonprofit professionals, we often wear many hats and work long hours. No matter what your role is within your organization, you’ve likely seen the ugly face of nonprofit burnout from time to time. Daily tasks, to-do lists, e-mails, and phone calls can be passion’s worst enemy at times. If [...]
Every Nonprofit Needs One, But What’s Really Needed in Your Nonprofit's Annual Report? So, you’re one year into the adventure of starting your own nonprofit and now the time has come to put together your first annual report. Or, perhaps you’ve just been tasked with putting together the annual report [...]
In much of our culture, we glorify opinions over facts. At one place I worked, the executive director gleefully presented everyone on the management team with a sweatshirt as a team-building gift. It said “Maven University: Opinion above Knowledge.” I was embarrassed to wear it. Everyone else seemed to find [...]
Though the COVID-19 pandemic has put a lot of life on hold, your nonprofit hasn’t stopped operating. You and your staff have worked tirelessly to keep your organization afloat through 2020 and 2021, fundraising for your cause and maintaining good relationships with donors. And, with a few exceptions, the government [...]
This is part two of a three-part series. You can read part one here. Stay tuned for part three! Now that you’ve prepared for your search, it’s time to dive into the search and selection process. The search: Cast a big net By casting a big net in your search, [...]
On any given day of the week, nonprofits face multiple decisions, large and small. How do we know we’re making the right ones? The word billionaire is ubiquitously associated with certain names: Jeff Bezos and Warren Buffett being two of the highest profile in the class. Aside from their immense [...]
A majority of all adults experience imposter syndrome at some point in their careers; 70% by the latest figures. It affects professionals of all occupations and backgrounds, with the impact on individuals in the nonprofit community being a significant one. Be you a newly qualified doctor or starting up your [...]
Before starting a nonprofit organization, you should understand that the 501(c)(3) designation is just that: a tax designation. It’s not a business model. Why is that important? To be successful, you must understand that you’re starting a business. Getting into that mindset will help set you up for success. Here [...]