Executive Issues

When I stepped into the leadership role at Chicago Scholars more than a year ago, I began searching for other nonprofit leaders of color so we could share and learn from our common experiences in navigating the nonprofit landscape. I knew I’d have to look far and wide for these peers, as it’s common knowledge in our world that diversity is lagging at the highest levels.

Keeping hope alive describes what the nonprofit sector is about. Humanitarian relief to Ukrainian refugees and in-country citizens has been extraordinary. We see hope alive in the surge in charitable contributions to nonprofit organizations.

Did you know that it is possible to have a nonprofit board committee that has more power and authority than the full board? No, I’m not making this up. This is most often in the form of a standing executive committee described in the by-laws.

I know what you're thinking: "My team isn't broken. Thank you very much." You may be surprised to hear that it doesn't matter if your team is functioning well or not; everybody could benefit from a bit of team building.

Nonprofit executive directors need to know what can make their organizations thrive. Think about what personal skills you need to improve, especially if you are interested in enhancing your job performance or if you aspire to the position of executive director.

The cost of everything in the US grew 7% in 2021. For the average household, this translates to about $3,500 in higher consumer prices for the same products and services that families purchased in 2019 and 2020. As wallets shrink, how will Americans shift their spending and prioritize giving?

Audiences are changing, donors are evolving, and patrons of all backgrounds are participating. The biggest question is: Are these diverse voices represented at the table within our organizations?

When a nonprofit is able to invest in proper program evaluation, the returns can be major: stronger processes, improved performance and a supercharged impact. Here are seven tips for harnessing the power of evaluation. 

Here are five strategies to redefine philanthropy for the New Year. These actions will prepare you to build a strong culture of giving and amplify your development program as we continue to navigate a dynamic environment.

Philanthropists can stretch their donation dollar ever further these days by investing in the people who manage and run the nonprofits, much like the private and government sectors of the economy.