Strategic Planning

The problem with any single metric is, as either or both of Karl Pearson and Peter Drucker have said, “That which is measured, improves.” My corollary to this is, “What isn’t measured is sacrificed to improve that which is measured.”...

In the last few years, the term “implicit bias” has gone mainstream, and the idea has infiltrated even the backwoods of Virginia. Otis and I talk about this kind of stuff almost every day in our home life and at work. So, implicit bias was on my mind last Sunday as I drove home three hours to go to church with my dad. We sat on the back pew, as is my family’s way...

There’s a new trend emerging, and it’s taking the world by storm. Actually, this tactic is something that has been around for quite a while—and it’s remarkably effective—but we’ve recently been seeing it in the headlines in our sector of late: video storytelling...

CEOs of nonprofits have been talking with me a lot about three matters that are weighing heavily on their minds: financial challenges, regulatory change and expansion. It is not news that nonprofits face financial challenges, but the challenges have been gradually exacerbating. They are seeing increased competition for donations, time and attention...

This question comes up regularly, but especially now, as nonprofits are starting to prepare their fall and year-end appeals. Should you or should you not ask your monthly donors for money? The answer is a resounding yes...

I sit on several nonprofit boards and have led and managed many. What I found is executives and community leaders who serve on nonprofit boards do so because they have a passion for the cause and they typically know quite a bit about the organization...

Turnover is costly, even in the nonprofit sector. Although most volunteers are not paid, extensive training may go into preparing the volunteer to perform their duties. Nonprofits also invest money in recruiting volunteers either by inbound or outbound marketing strategies...

When gauging your nonprofit’s success, relying on gut instinct is foolish. It’s necessary to study metrics and see how they change over time. There are several especially worthy measurements that can tell you how your nonprofit stacks up...

The boards of small nonprofit organizations must make major investment decisions, but they are often flying in the dark. Handling large amounts of money simply isn’t a risk-free proposition, and it can be difficult for those without a background in finance. “We probably get three or four calls a month from institutions that have $10…

I’m so excited! I just received “The 2017 Burk Donor Survey Report,” and this year’s study has a huge section on sustainers—comparing this year’s donors’ answers to ones from 2012, when they last had this major focus on monthly gifts...