17
2011
Reposted from New Voices In Philanthropy
Time to Reap and a Time to Sow Post by Trista Harris The last 6 months have been a whirlwind. I have had the opportunity to meet amazing young professionals across the country as I have been touring for “How to Become a Nonprofit Rockstar“, the book was nominated for a Terry McAdam Book Award, which has brought new visibility and years of relationship building on behalf of Headwaters has led to new collaborations and enhanced resources to do our work. I am really excited about all of this wonderful things that are happening but when I had a second to…
16
2011
The Golden Opportunity
Post by James V. Toscano As someone about to retire from his current position, I was intrigued to see the third Daring to Lead report and its significant findings, somewhat changed from the last two reports in this decade. As reported by my friends at MAP for Nonprofts, there were three key findings in the latest version: “Though slowed by the recession, projected rates of executive turnover remain high and many boards of directors are under-prepared to select and support new leaders.” “The recession has amplified the chronic financial instability of many organizations, causing heightened anxiety and increased frustration with unsustainable financial models.” “Despite the profound challenges of the role, nonprofit executives remain energized and resolved.”
11
2011Guest Blog Post – Change is Inevitable
Post by James Faghmous Coming from a technology background, my early experience as a nonprofit executive has been akin to a Lewis Carol adventure: “curiouser and curiouser!” I have been surprised by the time one is expected to spend fundraising, networking and grant reporting. Certainly these activities are useful, but with moderation. How can we be competitive when we spend thousands of hours chasing funds (fundraising, grant research, grant writing, grant interviewing, grant reporting) for a fraction of what for-profit organizations raise in a single round of venture capital investment at 1/10th the time. This is simply unsustainable. Change is,…
08
2011Give Something They CAN’T Throw Away
Post by James V. Toscano A number of years ago, we had a prospect interested in donating a significant piece of equipment to our healthcare organization. The prospect and his spouse had been long-time patients — grateful patients, who had established a solid history of generous giving. The husband was self-made, having risked all on a new business, which he built from scratch into a major player in his industry, then sold, with enough to make the couple secure and (not always the case with every such retired entrepreneur) very generous to the community. At the appointed hour at his…
03
2011“Bah, Humbug!! — Ebenezer Scrooge May Have Been Right”
Post by James V. Toscano Just after he responded to those two proper gentlemen, asking for an end of year donation for the poor, with his classic, “Bah, Humbug !” Ebenezer Scrooge must have mumbled under his breath, “The only time I hear from them is when they need money.” How many of your donors might say the same thing? If the objective of our efforts is a long-term, productive relationship with our donors, then something more than the periodic appeal is required of us. We need to know and understand our constituents’ “visions,” their dreams. We need to reinforce…
01
2011
Transforming an Organization
Post by Jonathan Palmer, Executive Director, Halle Q. Brown Community Center One of my favorite quotes is by Indira Gandhi, who said her grandfather told her there were two kinds of people in this world: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told her to be in the first group because there was less competition. Words to live by in my opinion. When you run a nonprofit organization, the “do the work” part goes without saying. And if you love the work, if it is a mission and a calling rather than just a paycheck,…
27
2011Social Media and Organizational Professionalism
Post by Dania Toscano Miwa Professionalism has been completely redefined as social media, and online networks have changed the way we interact with one another. What is professional and what is personal are now much harder to distinguish. Professional/personal lines are blurred online with both friends and colleagues on professional and personal sites. (See my description on Twin Cities Young Nonprofit Professionals Network Blog, here.)
11
2011
What Really Provokes a Donation? It Isn’t About Money!!
Post By James V. Toscano A new non-profit organization with a Board of dedicated, eager, enthusiastic true believers once asked me to review their emerging development plan. One of the first things they wanted to do, as soon as they could afford it, was to buy a mailing list of the “50,000 Richest Individuals in the United States”! Obviously well-intensioned but off on the wrong foot, they planned to write a letter to each of them, figuring that at least 10-20% would send a thousand dollars. Where did they get these assumptions? Mostly out of blind optimism about their cause. My dilemma centered on how not…
29
2011
The Leadership Dilemma
Post by Dania Toscano Miwa One of the things I’ve noted in my time in the Nonprofit sector is NOT the lack of leadership, but the lack of effective leadership: leaders who trust their staff implicitly with responsibilities and skills for which they were hired. Often, the President/CEO/Executive Director who lacks this trust and interferes in the work of subordinates is not as well positioned to perform these very tasks, thus sub-optimizing the overall effort. I often hear my 20’s and 30’s something peers complaining of being stifled in their careers, not being encouraged to build their skill sets to…
26
2011Welcome to the Good Counsel Blog
This blog is meant to be a resource for people working in the Nonprofit sector, with an emphasis on those working in resource development. James V. Toscano and Dania Toscano Miwa, Principals of Toscano Advisors, are the two main authors of this blog. In addition, there will be a number of guest posts from other experienced nonprofit fundraisers and opinion leaders in the sector. Comments always welcome and encouraged.