Nov

02

2011

12 of My Favorite Nonprofit Resources

  Post by Dania Toscano Miwa There are many more than 12 but this is just a start. The first 3 are Minnesota based, if you are out of MN, skip to number 4. 1. The Principals and Practices for Nonprofit Excellence – This document is available courtesy of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, which is also an excellent resource for Minnesota Nonprofits. 2. MAP for Nonprofits–  Also Minnesota specific, but many of the services they offer, like their board boot camp can be adapted for any board.  There are also templates such as an Executive Director evaluation template, local board position openings and a…

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Aug

29

2011

Why Does a Nonprofit Board Need Young People?

Post by Dania Toscano Miwa I do a lot of board recruiting. A LOT. One of the most common questions I get from those already on the board in question is “Why do I want a college student or young professional on the board? What value does he/she bring?” While it’s true that most young professionals cannot write a 5 digit check to an organization, is money really the only thing of value we gain from our Board of Directors? Assuming a nonprofit organization has the right young individual for board service, it can be a mutually beneficial experience. The…

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Jul

27

2011

Social 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.)


Jun

29

2011
The Leadership Dilemma

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…

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Jun

26

2011

Welcome 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.



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