Many nonprofit organizations and small businesses are standing on the threshold in an Artificial Intellegince (AI) doorway that will provide challenge, concern, and a sense of uncertainty looming. Given other sector issues, one would think we have enough to keep busy. ... Read More
Remember WIFM? It’s the acronym for, "What’s in it for me." It seems that some membership organizations are staking their futures on the fact that WIFM doesn’t matter to their members or prospective members. Unfortunately, it does, and as nonprofits, they need to be acting now to adapt their business models and ensure that they are well-positioned to ride the waves of the future.... Read More
We’ve all heard the old proverb, “Actions speak louder than words.” In today’s high-tech society, the phrase takes on new meanings, including actions on social media, chats, marketing, and other communications. ... Read More
After decades of working with and for nonprofits, there’s one major takeaway regarding nonprofit competition. It’s not to be taken lightly. As I shared in a recent article, there are nearly 1.85 million existing nonprofits in the United States today. More concerning is there are 50% more charitable nonprofits today than there were just 12 years ago. As I frequently mention to potential clients, the competition keeps growing, so it should be a major consideration.... Read More
Lilly Endowment Inc. probably hasn’t received the societal praise it deserves when considering its history of capacity building among nonprofits. Their foresight and leadership have been a welcome catalyst to growth and change. I think it’s time for leaders in many smaller organizations to aspire to a similar type of transformation. Will a funder out there be willing to be the catalyst for their next steps?... Read More
Nonprofit organizations are not unlike individuals, they are constantly looking to the future and often stressed about how their “lives” are going. What could they do differently to improve? A great deal is externally focused when the answers they need may be internal. In fact, the answers are already there, but how much you will GRASP is TBD.... Read More
Purpose is foundational; it doesn’t matter if you are a business, nonprofit, or individual. I recognize that my life has been driven by purpose at varying levels. I’ve lost it, had it shaken, and found a new purpose a few times. I’ve talked about it, wrote a book about it, and now you’re reading about it. On a larger scale, our individual inability to deal with many of today’s societal issues can be rooted in the lack of such purpose. So, what can we do about it?... Read More
So maybe you didn’t read the headline, or it piqued your curiosity. Granted, it’s a bit like some of the “clickbait” stories we see pop up in our news feeds. However, in this instance, the headlined instructions are appropriate since one of its intended audiences is a younger generation... Read More
Let's face it; whether you are a business or an individual, you work hard for your money. When it comes time to consider making a gift or grant, there are several vehicles and seemingly worthy recipients. How do you sort through the myriad of requests and reward the organization that will have the best outcome and amplifies the impact of your gift?... Read More
We've been asked to "choose a side" since childhood. It may have been on the playground or in a friendly relationship. What happens when neither of those sides is what we seek, support, or can be trusted to be accurate? It calls for critical thinking, consideration of unbiased perspectives, and greater objectivity. Our society could use more of those qualities in today's discourse and deciding where to expend our valuable resources.... Read More
