Nonprofit Everything

Is it possible to convince a resistant board that a merger is necessary to save the nonprofit from a “long, slow death?” Stacey and Andy have some thoughts. Also this week, a Board Chair faces a tough ethical and financial conflict: A major donor’s substantial pledge is contingent on replacing the CEO/ED! What’s the right move when the board already has performance concerns...

When you’ve spent years crafting your vision for the successful nonprofit you’ve founded, how do you prevent future boards and leaders from screwing it all up? Predictably, Stacy and Andy have a few thoughts. Also this week, we talk about whether or not fractional CFOs are a smart idea, and how they might be best used. Thanks for joining us this week, and don’t forget to (please)...

How should you respond when a board member prospect declines your offer? Is there anything to learn from that experience Join us this week as Stacey and Andy tackle that topic. Also, we talk about how small nonprofit shops get up to speed on all of the posssible planned giving options, and prove that we’re not above bribing people with the promise of a picture of a cat. Thanks for joining us...

Is there anything you can you do if your organization has trouble hanging on to volunteeers? Stacy and Andy have some thoughts! Also this week, we talk about whether or not the executive director should have a seat on the board, and go really deep on fair market value, exchange transactions and why silent auctions always underperform. Thanks for joining us this week and be sure to send your questi...

What is the best way to get staff to recognize that they’re ambassadors for the organization? Stacey and Andy have some thoughts. Also this week, we talk about how to get an underperforming employee back up to scratch. Thanks for joining us this week, and don’t forget to send your questions to Questions@NonprofitEverything.com! Topics: How do we get our staff to be ambassadors for our...

What can you do when cash runs out and you can’t even make payroll? Andy and Stacey have some thoughts. Also this week, we find out if it’s possible for an executive director to effectively run a nonprofit by remaining in the background, and have a quick chat about outsourced HR. Thanks for joining us this week, and please, please, please, please, please send any nonprofit related ques...

How do you get funder site visits just right? Stacey and Andy have some thoughts! Also this week, we talk about budgeting for grant revenue, and have an interesting discussion about managing end user fraud (and whether it’s something you should be worried about at all!) Thanks for joining us this week, and don’t forget to send that question that you wish someone else would ask to Quest...

Nonprofits are “business on hard-mode,” and sometimes this can take a toll on board members and staff. Is there something we can do about burnout in this high-stress environment? Stacey and Andy have some thoughts! Also this week, we talk about good ways to preserve our organization’s stories, and discuss the tightrope-walk that is determining the first executive director’s...

How do nonprofits get better at talking to the media about our mission, programs and needs? Stacey joins guest expert Linda Bridges , Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at SafeNest for the answer. Thanks for joining us this week! If you have any time between saving the world and pulling your hair out, please send your questions to Questions@NonprofitEverything.com. Topics: How does our gra...

How do you create a fundraising budget from scratch — is that even possible if you have no past history? Andy and Stacey sure seem to think so! Also this week, we talk about how to officially wind down a nonprofit organization, and if it’s possible to convert from a nonprofit to a for-profit. Thanks for your commitment to making the world a better place (and for joining us!) Oh, we als...

Is it possible (or ethical) to raise unrestricted funds at a program focused event? Stacey and Andy have some thoughts! Also this week, we discuss how a small membership organization can start to raise some cash, and we find out the three things about being a CFO that Andy wants everybody to know. (There weren’t three – we counted.) Thanks again for joining us this week, and please don...

How do we know which state’s benefits apply to our remote workers? Andy joins guest expert Randy Marsh , Interim Chief Financial & Operations Officer for the nonprofit ANet to get the answer. Also this week, Stacey has some ideas about how to quiet down a rowdy crowd at a gala. Thanks for joining us this week, and please send any and all nonprofit related questions to Questions@Nonprofi...

Two of the members on one of our board committees can’t stop fighting with each other… who should deal with this? We’ve definitely got a few ideas. Also this week, Stacey and Andy explore some options for smaller organizations to recognize and help out remote employees. Thanks for joining us this week, and please send your questions to questions@NonprofitEverything.com. Topics: H...

Everybody should have an endowment, shouldn’t they? Not so fast — Andy and Stacey have some thoughts. Also this week, are restaurant marketing fundraisers a good way to make a little money? Thanks for joining us this week, and please, please, please send any and all nonprofit-related questions to questions@NonprofitEverything.com. Topics: Do we need an endowment? – skip to this q...

Are there any special things we should be considering when former clients want to come back to volunteer? Stacey and Andy have thoughts. Also this week, we discuss whether an organization should have an “overhead target” and if it’s appropriate for a financial auditor to suggest a specific number. Thanks for joining us this week, and be sure to send any and all questions (or sugg...

We get a lot of requests for one-day corporate volunteering projects, but they take so much effort. How do we make these worth our time? Stacey and Andy have some thoughts! Also this week, we talk about how to manage a founder who has retired to the board, how to politely decline gifts that we shouldn’t accept, and whether or not it’s a good idea to hire in an executive director from o...

With so many options available, what strategies should we use to maximize our marketing efforts — especially if we don’t really have the capacity in the first place? Stacey joins guest expert Lisa Nelsen , Owner, Nonprofit Brand Designer & Copywriter at Coruzzi Communications for a comprehensive answer! Thanks for joining us this week, and don’t forget to send your questions...

What’s the best way to condense the massive impact our organization has into a easily digested social media clip? Stacey and Andy have some thoughts! Also this week, we (kinda) talk about how to find an easy to use accounting package for nonprofit organizations and dig into an uncomfortable story about a board overreacting to a personnel issue. Thanks for joining us this week, and please tak...

Isn’t it a huge waste of effort to be a nonprofit once you consider the compliance, reporting and donor rules? For an organization just starting out, couldn’t we serve our mission more efficiently if we didn’t have to bother with all that? Stacey and Andy definitely have some thoughts on this! Also this week, we talk about whether Event Planners are important when designing a fun...

Are there fundamental differences between the board responsibilities of an arts nonprofit and a regular old charitable one? This week Andy is joined by guest expert and author of Scene Change Alan Harrison to get this question answered properly. You might need to listen twice, because this episode goes deep — court cases clarifying nonprofit law, the patronage system, and whether “art...

How do you keep from being the subject of a negative news story? Stacey and Andy have some thoughts. Also this week, we talk about what a better set of nonprofit financial statements looks like. Thanks for joining us this week (and this entire year!), and please send your questions to questions@NonprofitEverything.com. Topics: Avoiding negative news stories – skip to this question Are there...

How do we attract and retain younger board members? Stacey and Andy have some thoughts. Also this week, we talk about how to engage with new pro sports teams (or any new companies) coming to your town. And finally, we share some tips for making sure you don’t have a bad experience when working with a consultant. Thanks for joining us this week, and please send your questions to questions@Non...

Are there things we need to know when bringing in our first ever board? Stacey has thoughts. Also this week, we talk about internal controls for an organization with one staff member, and whether or not to submit a report for a grant that doesn’t actually require one. And finally, Andy gets tricked into answering a question about gala auctioneers. Thanks for joining us this week, and please...

How do you encourage donors to fund capacity building and not just programs? Stacey and Andy have some thoughts! Also this week, we talk about whether or not there is a best practice around reserve spending, and share some ideas about inspiring high school students to join us in our nonprofit missions. Thanks for being here this week, and don’t forget to send your questions to questions@nonp...

Is there a difference between a nonprofit’s “story” and its “elevator pitch?” Stacey has some thoughts. Also this week, we talk about criteria for a recognition wall, and a really big one: how the heck do you get boards to ask more (intelligent) questions!? Thanks for joining us this week, and please send your questions to questions@NonprofitEverything.com. Topics: St...