Your non-profit’s ability to pursue its mission depends greatly on its financial health and integrity. If your non-profit is growing and your executives are struggling to juggle financial responsibilities, it may be time to hire a chief financial officer (CFO). Core responsibilities Generally, the non-profit CFO (also...
Most non-profits are intensely focused on present needs, not the possibility that disaster will strike sometime in the distant future. But because a fire, flood, or other natural or manmade disaster could strike at any time, the time to plan for it is now. You likely...
A non-profit can have many strengths — a prominent board of directors, dedicated volunteers, committed staff members, effective programs — and still struggle to meet fundraising goals. Often, such non-profits lack a strategic fundraising plan. Here is how to develop one that can get better...
Non-profits are increasingly taking on big issues, such as global warming and economic development. Some are turning to a relatively new approach known as ‘collective impact.’ Such cross-sector coordination may help non-profits achieve greater change than isolated interventions by individual groups. More than collaboration Collective impact is...
Outsourcing human resources can give your non-profit’s staff more time to spend on core duties and mission-driven programs and it may be cost-effective. Here are some suggestions if you are thinking about outsourcing part or all of your human resources (HR) tasks. First steps First, decide which...
If your non-profit’s board is like most, its members lead busy lives. They may not get to every board meeting or perhaps they are able to attend meetings only via teleconference. That is why it is important to periodically bring everyone together in a relaxed...
U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles require non-profits to regularly evaluate whether there is ‘substantial doubt’ about their ability to continue as a going concern. This means that the organization will not soon liquidate its assets and cease operations. What does your management team do if...
It is a well-known fact in the corporate world: organizations that do not evolve run the risk of becoming obsolete. But instead of anticipating and reacting to market demands like their for-profit counterparts, many non-profits hold on to old ideas about how their organizations should...
Competition is as fierce as it has ever been for private and public grants to non-profits. If your funding model depends on receiving adequate grant money, you cannot afford to submit sloppy, unprofessional grant proposals. Here are some tips on writing a winner. Do your research Just...
Celebrities — whether they are Hollywood stars, hometown sports heroes, or local TV news anchors — can provide a big boost to the non-profits they publicly support. The flip side is that stars also can harm an organization by association. Accusations connected with the #MeToo...