December 2009
4 posts
Just do this One, Tiny Thing
I am often asked (or at least I fantasize that I am often asked), “Michael, if you had only one piece of advice to give to someone running a nonprofit organization, what would it be?”
To which I reply, “EASY! All you have to do is follow this one simple idea –just do this one thing and keep doing it and do nothing else and you’re golden. That’s all you have to do, this is what it boils down to –...
2 tags
Let's Not Forget Who We Are
There is an awful lot of griping about nonprofits these days, and most of it has to do with accusations of runaway proliferation and grossly indecent inefficiencies (“my-my, shocking – you’d NEVER see anything like that in a real business!”).
For just a blessed moment, however, what say you that we give it a rest and instead, realizing just how freaking fantastic it is that we have a nonprofit...
2 tags
The Less You Need the More You Get
Does your place rely heavily on philanthropic hand-outs – maybe too heavily? Not good, because major donors today have little sympathy for risky bets. Tell a major prospect that you rely on fundraising for 25% or more of your operating revenue and what they hear is “my Board passes deficit budgets.”
You know and I know that you’re raising funds to support your mission, but from the perspective...