“Despite years of claiming the contrary, donors still don’t really care about nonprofit performance or impact.” In fact, as blogger and student of philanthropy Tim Ogden reports, a majority of donors believe there “isn’t much difference between nonprofits, that any giving is good, and performance measures are a waste of time and money.” For all [...]
Two strategies for improving your board’s fiduciary behavior
May 1, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Once upon a time, minding your board’s fiduciary P’s and Q’s consisted of dotting organizational I’s and crossing legal T’s and little more. But no longer. Or so say the members of an august panel of governance veterans featured in the March/April 2013 issue of Trusteeship magazine. As they tell it, fiduciary stewardship stretches well [...]
When building a board, look for the helpers
April 17, 2013 By Leave a Comment
“Look for the helpers. You’ll always find people who are helping.” Following the bomb explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Monday (April 15), this comforting word from Fred Rogers has popped up again on social media sites. Our favorite neighbor was referring, of course, to advice from his mother about dealing [...]
When building a board, look for the helpers
April 17, 2013 By Leave a Comment
“Look for the helpers. You’ll always find people who are helping.” Following the bomb explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Monday (April 15), this comforting word from Fred Rogers has popped up again on social media sites. Our favorite neighbor was referring, of course, to advice from his mother about dealing [...]
Helping the CEO isn’t job one for the board
April 3, 2013 By 4 Comments
“Unless we’re certain that what we do is helpful to our president, I won’t waste my time coming back.” The board member’s comment and the vehemence with which she delivered it, took me by surprise. From where I sat, it had seemed a productive meeting.
Monkeys see, monkeys do. But not in the boardroom, please.
March 13, 2013 By Leave a Comment
My apology for casting dispersion on the good folks sitting on boards of nonprofit organizations. But hey, I’m one of you. And if I’m willing to confess my share of monkeying around in the boardroom, so can you. So put down that banana and listen up. Stop aping other people’s best practices and start thinking [...]
Isn’t that just like a woman?
March 8, 2013 By 3 Comments
In honor of International Women’s Day, a few facts with a feminine flair. Women’s ways of giving: Bank of America Merrill Lynch recently asked the folks over at The Center for Philanthropy at Indiana University to take a look at the giving patterns of high-net-worth women. Here are some fascinating findings from the report. In [...]
Get governance or get off
February 27, 2013 By 2 Comments
I feel the pain of nonprofit CEOs and development staff who rail about board members’ reluctance to step up to the fundraising challenge. I’ve served on the development staffs of three Christian colleges, including a short stint as a VP for Advancement. For the past 15 years, I’ve provided development counsel to faith-based nonprofits. I’ve [...]
Re-visioning nonprofit boards as innovators and change-agents
February 13, 2013 By Leave a Comment
I recently challenged boards faced with tough decisions to choose this day (month or year) which way the organization should go. (here) Yet I know deciding is easier said than done. For boards and the nonprofits they serve, there’s no going back to how things once were. The way forward is obscured and without guarantees [...]
When your board comes to a fork in the road . . .
February 6, 2013 By 2 Comments
My work this week is with a theological school board in the midst of a presidential transition – board members standing at one of those Robert Frost moments. You know the drill. Two roads in front of them. One familiar and comfortable. The other, less traveled by peer institutions.
