Executive Issues

A growing Latino population in California's Santa Barbara County has yet to translate into increased representation in leadership and board positions with nonprofit organizations. This lack of diversity can lead to the homogeneity that causes community problems to be missed and voices to go unheard. “You don’t understand it unless you’re living it,” said Ernesto…

After the end of the Great Recession, observers of the nonprofit world expected mergers to increase dramatically. Such arrangements could take the sting out of diminished funding, plus pair like-minded organizations and so increase their reach and power. That never happened, and the first study of Chicago-area nonprofit mergers reveals why. Mergers take time and…

Since 1911, when the YWCA/Community Connections first opened its doors, the mission has always been about  helping families, women and children. "It is cheaper to stay here, so it allows us to save some money," said Juliana Garoutte. Garoutte and her family live in its transitional housing program. She rents a room for $300 a…

All young leaders need to start somewhere. Your level of experience may vary, but everyone can benefit from key advice when just starting out, whether it’s on strategic direction or personal development. Six nonprofit executives from Forbes Nonprofit Council picked up valuable lessons from their time in the for-profit world or after years of working in the social…

After millions of dollars poured in for survivors of the Pulse shooting, some nonprofit groups in Central Florida are struggling to collect donations they need to operate. "We're grateful for Pulse recovery efforts," said Robyn Maynard, founder of Libby's Legacy Breast Cancer Foundation. "We were part of it ourselves, but now we're struggling." Libby's Legacy…

Today’s question comes from Donna, who wrote: We’re considering hiring a major gift officer. How much should they be expected to raise in the first year? And when can we expect to see a return on our investment? I’m delighted you’re considering hiring a major gift officer. Hiring major gift officers and raising major gifts…

Sometimes I feel like the host of "The Blame Game." OK, time to let you in on a secret. A lot of nonprofit leaders email me about what they’re struggling with. More often than not, it’s an executive director or board chair complaining about his or her board: Not being engaged Not raising enough money…

In last week’s blog, I wrote about how automated marketing techniques produce superior results over traditional marketing. Automated marketing is sonar to the megaphone, scalpel to the machete, shouted raucous come-on to the considerate remark. Today, I want to look at one of the psychological mechanisms behind automated marketing’s superior outcomes...

Retired four-star General Stanley McChrystal knows a lot about leadership. And this former Commander of the Joint Special Operations Command and U.S. troops in Afghanistan has already shared his wisdom with the military, corporate clients, high government officials and readers of his management book, "Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World."…

Nonprofit CEOs may play an invaluable role in changing the world, but they still make less than their for-profit counterparts. The average nonprofit CEO makes a little more than $120,000 a year, according to the 2016 Charity CEO Compensation Study by Charity Navigator. The exact figure is $123,362, taken from an analysis of tax filings…