Nonprofit World

Fringe Benefits

Letters to the Editor

Do You Need D&O/Epl Insurance?

A question on the need of directors and officers (D&O) and employment practices liability (EPL) insurance is answered. In today's litigious environment, there's a greater need than ever before for nonprofits to purchase D&O and EPL insurance. Recent laws governing employment, wrongful termination, discrimination, and sexual harassment have boosted awareness of the need for such insurance. D&O insurance was created to protect nonprofit organizations and their board members against ...

A Charity Badge to Raise Dough?

Charity badges are increasing in popularity and may become more important in the future. A charity badge is a small widget (a mini-Web page), often including a picture, brief description of the organization, and link to where you can make a donation. The beauty of the charity badge is that it lets users share with one another by simply clicking on "get this badge", then copying and pasting the html code onto their Web site or blog. The most important reason to create a charity badge is to rai...

Increase Donations in a Down Economy? With Social Media, Yes, You Can!

While many nonprofits are cutting costs and programs to wait out the economic downturn, others are stepping up their outreach efforts to encourage would-be donors and gain a competitive edge. These nonprofits are "socially enabling" their Web presence to increase traffic, encourage visitors to stay longer, and open a dialogue with and between supporters. Such two-way conversations strengthen relationships, engendering loyalty to programs and causes. In the current economy, many nonprofits are...

Using a Balanced Scorecard in a Nonprofit Organization

"Balanced scorecard" has been a corporate management buzzword for about a decade. Like many management movements, it's migrating from corporations to nonprofit offices. The idea of creating a balanced scorecard is as valid for nonprofits as for businesses, but it must be modified to make it work effectively in the nonprofit world. This article looks at what a balanced scorecard is all about and how to apply the idea to your organization. If you understand the ideas behind a balanced scorecard...

New Entrepreneurial Model for Nonprofits: A Hospital Redefines Health Care

It's making some healthcare professionals very nervous. But in other corners of the healthcare industry and nonprofit sector, it's generating unparalleled enthusiasm for its revolutionary approach, and any nonprofit can benefit from its example. When Henry Ford Hospital opened in West Bloomfield, Michigan, in March, 2009, it ushered in a new way of thinking, expanding the very nature of nonprofit enterprise. Revolutionary as the innovations are, they're all related to the hospital's mission. ...

Using Technology to Advance Your Board

Technology can help a great deal when it comes to governance. No, you can't get software with artificial intelligence modules. Nice try. Seriously, though, tech can be a great help as the staff works to keep the board informed, up to speed, and acting together. If you don't already have it, put together a board-specific part of your Web site, one that is passworded only for your board members. On this part of your site, provide all kinds of information that board members can use. Regularly as...

Building a Rock-Solid Board-Ceo Partnership: Talking with Ceo Virginia Jacko

In an interview, Virginia Jacko, president and CEO of the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, talked about her governing work at the Lighthouse. According to Jacko, she sees her board as a precious asset -- a fantastic collection of knowledge, expertise, diverse perspectives, networks in the community, access to financial resources, and more. One of her most important jobs as CEO is helping her board realize its governing potential. She noted that she has made a point of get...

The Latest Trends & How to Master Them

To meet today's challenges, you must be on the cutting edge. Here are trends most likely to affect you: 1. Fundraising approaches are changing. 2. Nonprofit unionization is gaining support. 3. Reliance on consultants is mushrooming. 4. More accountability and transparency are demanded. 5. Collaboration and relationship-building are crucial. 6. Board members must live up to the highest standards. 7. CEOs need a broader range of abilities. 8. The line between nonprofit and for-profit is blurrin...

How to Run Your Organization with Free Software

For years huge software companies have dominated the marketplace while charging hefty prices for using their software. Thankfully, some software developers offer free alternatives. Open-source software is usually as good as -- if not better than -- the commercial versions. Of course, the benefit of commercial brands is their popularity. With free software, it will be harder to find people with whom you can share experiences and troubleshoot. But if you're a pioneering sort, unafraid to strike...

Nonprofit Sector Growing Pains

Over the past few decades, the nonprofit sector has become one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy. Most of them have assumed that such growth is something to celebrate -- a sign that nonprofits are showing increasing influence. That's not the real story, however. Some of this growth is unnecessary and counterproductive, highlighting weaknesses at the heart of the nonprofit sector. Today's weak economy is bringing the problem into full light. Regrettably there are, at present, no tr...

Board Diversity: Your Biggest Challenge

Diversity can enhance a board's effectiveness, creativity, and commitment. Diverse boards are better able to expand capacity and weather tough times. They are also more appealing to funders. Yet few US organizations have reaped the benefits of an economically arid ethnically diverse board. And only a few reflect the diversity of the populations to which they provide services. One side of the "diverse board coin" is recruiting and preparing people of color and people of modest income to serve ...

Four Ways to Detect Threats Before It's Too Late

Innovation at the Verge of Differences

Moving From Thoughts to Action

Benchmarking to Become More Effective

Where Does Online Giving Fit in Nonprofit Plans?

How to Design a High-Performance Team

Fundraising in a Sluggish Economy

What Questions Will the Irs Ask?

Scanning the Periphery

Peripheral Vision, by George S. Day and Paul J. H. Schoemaker, is reviewed.

Decision Screens Vital in Choosing Board Members