Board committees can help members make time for critical work
For many not-for-profit organizations, maintaining a full and active board of directors is challenging. If your board holds frequent meetings, has high attendance expectations, and requires members to do considerable “homework,” you may have trouble recruiting and retaining people. Qualified individuals generally are busy with work, family, and other activities and may not have spare […]
Don’t be surprised by a sudden influx of support
When a Category 5 hurricane struck a coastal community, its most prominent health and human services charity was prepared to act with rescue plans, supplies, emergency shelters, and well-trained staffers. What the not-for-profit wasn’t prepared for was a sudden influx of support, including donations. Too much support may not sound like a problem, but for […]
Making the most of your nonprofit’s social media accounts
When was the last time you evaluated your not-for-profit’s social media strategy? Are you using the right platforms in the most effective way, given your mission, audience, and staffing resources? Do you have controls to protect your nonprofit from reputation-damaging content? These are important questions — and it’s critical you review them regularly. At the […]
Encouraging charitable donors to include you in their estate plans
Even if current donations are your not-for-profit’s bread and butter, you can’t afford to neglect planned, legacy, or deferred gifts. These gifts, generally made through wills and living trusts, often are much larger. Your employees don’t need to be directly involved when donors establish gifts through their estate plans. But your development staff should know […]
Consider these 2 issues before searching for new staffers
Despite many predictions to the contrary, U.S. employers have continued to add workers to their payrolls and the unemployment rate has remained low — at 3.7% as of November 2023, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Is your not-for-profit among the employers that need fresh staffers? The new year is a good time to start looking, […]
Going global: How your nonprofit can navigate potential obstacles
If your not-for-profit’s 2024 plans include international expansion, take care. Rules that apply to U.S.-based nonprofit activities — such as soliciting donations, recruiting members, hiring employees, and selling products — often are different overseas. You need to make sure the desire for your services or products is robust enough in your target countries to justify […]
Do you have to return a donation when a donor requests it?
If a donor has never asked your not-for-profit to return a gift, it may only be a matter of time. Although uncommon, donors can change their minds. They may come to believe your organization is misusing or wasting donated funds or decide it’s no longer fulfilling its charitable mission. Although you’re probably inclined to cooperate with requests, […]
Joining forces with another nonprofit
A merger may seem like something that happens in the corporate world, where companies often combine to expand sales territory, gain competitive advantages, and boost profits. But, in fact, mergers between not-for-profit organizations can offer similar advantages, including greater financial resilience and lower expenses. Over the past several years — particularly since the beginning of […]
Build a better nonprofit board with term limits
Are your not-for-profit’s board members subject to term limits? If not, you might want to consider implementing what’s widely considered a best practice. Some board members lose enthusiasm for the job over time or might even become ineffective or disruptive. Negative attitudes at the board level can easily trickle down and harm your organization’s programs […]
Private foundations: “Disqualified persons” must color within the lines
Although conflict-of-interest policies are essential for all not-for-profits, private foundations must be particularly careful about adhering to them. In general, stricter rules apply to foundations. For example, you might assume that transactions with insiders are acceptable so long as they benefit your foundation. Not true. Although such transactions might be permissible for 501(3)(c) nonprofits, they […]