Executive Issues

In an online forum for nonprofit professionals, a recent post struck a chord. A group member described sitting in her office over a long weekend, working on a grant proposal in her underwear. The air conditioning in her office was turned off until the next business day, and it was hot. Surprisingly, the post came…

A group of 21 states is suing the U.S. over the new overtime rule set to take effect Dec. 1. The attorneys general of Texas and Nevada, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of their states and 19 others, alleged that the rule is unconstitutional and will place too great a burden on businesses, nonprofits and other employers. A coalition of 50 businesses on the same day filed a separate lawsuit seeking to overturn the rule...

If football coaches do not recruit well, their teams will not have winning seasons. In the nonprofit world, a losing fiscal year could mean a reduction in programs, services and staff. If you have too many losing fiscal years, you could end up looking for another position at another nonprofit...

As an attorney and advocate for people with disabilities, I often hear questions like these: “If I return to work, I could lose my Social Security Disability (SSD) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. So, what happens if I find out that working is more than I bargained for? Can I return to my benefits? If so, how difficult is that?”...

Looking for ideas for your P2P programs? Ways to get your board more involved? How to grow your programs and coach up fundraisers? Tips for social media and corporate engagement? You've come to the right place...

On Tuesday, Guidestar released its 2016 Nonprofit Compensation Report. The annual study uses data from 96,242 Forms 990 to form a comprehensive snapshot of the nonprofit sector's compensation practices. It breaks down compensation by gender, program area, geography, budget size and just about every other metric imaginable. The full version clocks in at a breezy 4,297 pages, so here are some of the highlights...

One of our team-guiding principles is to approach each opportunity and project with a sense of urgency. Early in my career, I interviewed for a few positions. After each interview, I waited for the call. Well, to be honest I waited on the call the next day. After all, who would not want to hire me? It was my major focus...

A few years ago, after taking on a new development and operations position, I was determined to find a way to maximize my workday. I examined the hours my organization spent on what I refer to as “talking to ourselves” versus engaging stakeholders and funders, only to discover that our small nonprofit of fewer than 10 full-time employees was spending at least 1,000 hours in meetings every year! (Insert gasp!)...

If you are a leader in higher education, independent schools or any nonprofit, you need to be on social media personally, especially if your role includes fundraising. Why? A key part of your role is to nurture relationships. If your board members, donors and prospective donors are engaged in social media, then you need to be as well...

Last week, Seattle lost one of its community leaders, legendary activist Bob Santos. "Uncle Bob" was one of the Gang of Four, aka the Four Amigos, a group of racially diverse friends who hung out, sang karaoke and fought injustice. The other three Amigos were Bernie Whitebear, Roberto Maestas and Larry Gossett. They realized that…