Tag Archives: mission

Common Myths Concerning Nonprofits

Just yesterday, I was interviewing a new student intern candidate in my office.  During the course of our wide ranging discussion, the conversation turned to some of the interesting misconceptions we encounter with clients.  I made the comment that we … Continue reading

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Questions You Must Answer Before Starting a Nonprofit

So…you want to start a nonprofit.  Fantastic!  That puts you in pretty good company.  In any given year, as many as 75,000 applications for 501(c)(3) tax exemption are filed with the IRS.  Less than half survive the process, but there … Continue reading

Posted in Education, Funding, Managing a Nonprofit, Starting a nonprofit | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Why Marketing Is So Critical To Your Fundraising

Developing a proactive, comprehensive fundraising plan to make sure your organization is fully funded is just one part of a total plan for your organization. There is another plan you need to create – one that is just as important … Continue reading

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When The Going Gets Tough

We all have our moments of discouragement.  There are times when we are getting beaten up so badly that we would rather throw in the towel than continue to get pummeled.  This situation can occur in just about any area … Continue reading

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What is Your Nonprofit Thankful For?

Thanksgiving is a wonderful, home-grown holiday.  It is a time for family and friends, eating way too much and, most importantly, a time for reflection about all the things we have to be thankful for.  I heard someone mention this … Continue reading

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Conflict Within Your Nonprofit – Handle With Care

The honeymoon is over.  It seems like yesterday that everyone was full of passion, vision and warm fuzzies.  You were going to save the world and nothing could stand in your way.  Now, passions have cooled, visions have diverged and … Continue reading

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The Challenges of Expanding Your Nonprofit

One of the most challenging situations your nonprofit organization can face is the need to expand.  It is also an exciting challenge.  Compared with the alternative of diminishing effectiveness and shrinking support, growth is a good thing.  At least it … Continue reading

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Cultivating and Maintaining an Active Donor Base

So, you want new donors?  You want to make sure that you keep getting funds from the donors you currently have?  What are you doing to make sure that both of these things are happening?  If you lack a strategy and … Continue reading

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How Much Is Too Much? The Limits of Benevolence

The idea for this article came from my good friend, Belinda from Madison, Alabama.  A few weeks ago, she wrote us an email asking the following: “Due to the economic downturn and, with the increasing requests for benevolence assistance, are … Continue reading

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How to Protect Your Nonprofit’s Board Members

Your board of directors is one of the most important assets your nonprofit has.  Assuming they understand their role and are there for the right reasons, your board members provide invaluable insight, direction and oversight.  They volunteer their time and … Continue reading

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10 Business Essentials for Nonprofits

It often seems that when otherwise business-savvy individuals become involved in a nonprofit organization, they set aside all they ever learned in business and proceed to operate their nonprofit as if business rules do not matter.  As most soon find … Continue reading

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How To Get Funding For Your Nonprofit

It is the burning question of every nonprofit organization:  “How do we get funding?” With the economy in the dumps, and recovery looking like a distant hope, this question screams for an answer.  In fact, we get more requests from … Continue reading

Posted in Managing a Nonprofit | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Five Considerations When Starting A Nonprofit in a Tough Economy

In this tough economy, nonprofit organizations are needed more now than ever.  More and more people are finding themselves in difficult circumstances and, according to all available evidence, it’s going to get worse before it gets better.  Despite all the … Continue reading

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Thoughts on Nonprofit Leadership Part II

This is installment #2 in our ongoing series on leadership.  Our first installment was more of an introduction.  In this post, we are going to explore the concept of governance vs. management. Governance and management:  For many, these are interchangeable … Continue reading

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Thoughts On Nonprofit Leadership (Part I)

The word “leader” conjures up a variety of images:  your old Little League coach, a military general, your boss…even the president of the United States.  Regardless of who (or what) comes to mind, there is the common thread of someone … Continue reading

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