Executive Issues

5 Tips to Screen Your Volunteers
March 2, 2016 at 11:06 am

More and more organizations are screening all of their volunteers—not just those that work with children, the elderly or the disabled. That’s because they understand that failing to screen everyone means they are risking their organization’s assets, reputation and safety....

Interviewing 101: Avoiding Unintended Consequences
March 1, 2016 at 10:59 am

Interviewing is an important part of any business. It goes without saying that the successful candidate for the job will come to the interview prepared. What is often overlooked is that the same is true for the interviewer. When interviewing for any position, plan your questions in advance and use care when addressing the following topics...

Report Finds NYC Nonprofits Plagued With Chronic Problems
February 26, 2016 at 10:03 am

A year after Federation and Employment Guidance Services (FEGS), a $250 million health and human services behemoth in New York City, went bankrupt, the city's human-services sector is struggling to serve an estimated 2.5 million people, a report from the Human Services Council found. The report, "New York Nonprofits in the Aftermath of FEGS: A…

Scammers Continue Attempts to Defraud Nonprofits
February 25, 2016 at 11:37 am

Scams, particularly one involving the stolen identity of a British architect, continue to target nonprofits across the country with "donations" via fraudulent checks and requests for portions to be returned before nonprofits realize the checks are fake. We previously reported on the scam affecting nonprofits in Richmond, Va., and Seattle. Now, reports are surfacing in North Carolina and Georgia....

The Unfortunate Separation of Mission and Fundraising
February 24, 2016 at 11:00 am

Separating mission work from fundraising work is a deeply rooted practice in nonprofit. I challenge that. I challenge the idea that there is any scenario where a complete separation is necessary or more productive than collaboration. Here is a good illustration of what could be....

Study: Donors Want Better Impact Reporting and It's Making Fundraising Harder
February 23, 2016 at 10:57 am

Fundraising is hard, and it's only getting harder. That's according to the latest "Nonprofit Pulse," a survey from accounting firm Marks Paneth. Of the 114 CEOs, executive directors and other high-ranking officers at major nonprofits surveyed, 47 percent said that donor demand for better impact reporting (or social return on investment) has made it "challenging" or "extremely challenging" to raise funds...

Make Your Fundraising Efforts Easier: Stay Compliant!
February 22, 2016 at 11:07 am

Fundraising is difficult, no matter how you slice it. Your fundraising team is hard at work, finding prospects, writing letters and grants, “following up” countless times—you know the story. So why hamstring yourself further by ignoring state charitable solicitation requirements? You could be losing crucial gifts and credibility with donors without even knowing it...

The Way of Wisdom: Why It Pays to Seek Major-Gifts Counsel
February 22, 2016 at 10:55 am

He was driving around for almost half an hour. He was lost. He had no idea where he was. Even his GPS was no help. There was no way he was going to get to his destination. There was no source of information he could tap into. Does this scenario sound familiar? Have you ever been with someone who was lost who keeps driving around saying things like, “Seriously, I think it’s right up this street,” or, “We’re pretty close,” but he or she will not stop and ask someone for directions?...

Toronto Goodwill Loses Affiliation, Files for Bankruptcy
February 17, 2016 at 10:52 am

Goodwill Industries of Toronto, Eastern, Central and Northern Ontario (TECNO) has had a tough 2016 so far. The nonprofit abruptly closed all of its locations Jan. 17, lost its affiliation with Goodwill Industries International (GII) Feb. 5 and filed for bankruptcy Feb. 8....

Scam Defrauds Seattle Nonprofit of Almost $10,000
February 15, 2016 at 10:39 am

A scam targeting nonprofits in Virginia that we reported last week appears to have spread across the country. Authorities in Seattle called the scam “an old con,” but indicated they believe nonprofits are being targeted in Washington and Oregon....