What is a small non-profit to do when the big guys keep stealing their awesome, well-trained staff members? Many smaller non-profits recruit younger staff with lots of enthusiasm, but little, practical work experience. It seems as if they no sooner get these young people trained and working independently when the... read more →
Oct
15
Oct
02
Human resources is a specialized designation that takes years of study and experience to complete. Yet many smaller non-profits are managing their most valuable assets with little or no training. This situation is even more complex for non-profits who use a combination of paid and unpaid (volunteer) staff. One of... read more →
Sep
25
bean count·er - noun informal derogatory a person, typically an accountant or bureaucrat, perceived as placing excessive emphasis on controlling expenditure and budgets. Google Dictionary Whether you are writing about it or doing it, bean counting is dull but incredibly important! How much emphasis on controlling expenditures and budgets is... read more →
Sep
20
Many boards and CEOs spend countless hours analyzing what the agency is spending its money on, without investing a minute on how the agency protects it. This changes when something terrible happens to that money. Many people in the non-profit world have blinders on about the potential for corruption... read more →
Sep
11
Sep
05
For many NPO’s and their leaders, the quest to make the world a better place is relentless. The push to provide more service often comes at the expense of future planning and sustainable practices. This is the first in a series of articles that explores ways that NPOs can create... read more →
Jan
24
Recently the Non-Profit Times published the results of a study showing that most non-profits in the United States are deficient in leadership. This is likely mirrored here in Canada where few non-profit leaders on boards or staff have formalized education. Often the expectation is that they can manage in an... read more →
Jan
24
There is no short cut to achievement. Life requires thorough preparation - veneer isn't worth anything. George Washington Carver
Jan
24
Your smaller agency wants to get into fund raising, so you should hire a Director of Development…right? I say, think again. Check in with agencies that have done this. Have they netted new money? I doubt it. Why not? Because fund development must belong to the agency, not to someone... read more →
Sep
21
Diversity of opinion is the objective of a Boards of Directors. If we only wanted one opinion we would simply have one director and follow their advice. However, one opinion often misses important understanding about the people we serve or the communities we operate within. To ensure that diverse opinions... read more →