Nonprofit Everything

Just two questions this week, but one of them’s juicy. Guess which one: Should we pay a professional auctioneer for our silent auction? or Is it legal to have a single-ethnicity board? As always, Stacey and Andy have opinions! Topics: Should we hire a professional auctioneer for our live auction? – 0:00 Is it legal for a nonprofit to have a single-ethnicity board? – 8:20 Episode...

A jam-packed episode! This week we explore whether the Executive Director should be present for the board retreat, how to manage a grumpy finance committee when the financials are never ready, and if a non-compete agreement is an appropriate tool to use to keep your development director from fleeing. Finally, should you be wary of joining the board of an organization that runs a budget deficit? St...

Now that everybody is working from home, we rely on guest expert Amy Sample Ward , CEO of NTEN , to help answer a question about equipment policies and data security. Also, is it time to switch over to video testimonials? Stacey has some ideas! Topics: Should we transition to video testimonials? – 0:00 How do we protect our employees and our nonprofit now that everybody is using technology a...

A listener asks if they need to convert their nonprofit to a foundation before selling it. Really. (This will be fun.) Also, what happens when board members hire their friends for paid contracts? We have opinions! And Stacy and Andy switch roles on encouraging a recalcitrant employee to fill out timesheets. Topics Do I have to convert my 501(c)3 to a foundation before selling it? How do I deal wit...

Do you *really* have to sign every single thank you note? Is it a bad idea to loan your organization money? And finally, with the zombie apocalypse upon us, is it time to rethink the threats section of the strategic plan's SWOT analysis? Stacey and Andy have opinions! Topics: Should I loan my organization money? - 0:00 Rethinking the "Threats" section of a SWOT Analysis - 9:29 Do I need to persona...

This week, we hear from guest Expert April Kemp , Integrated Communications & Social Media Manager for CIM Marketing Partners on whether or not you can post the same things to Facebook and Instagram. Stacey has some thoughts about creating a great Letter of Intent, and see if you can guess our answer on whether to hire a board member’s daughter-in-law as an organization’s first ED...

If your nonprofit has an origin story should you share it? Stacey knows! What’s the best way to manage a layoff, and for that matter, are layoffs the solution to pandemic-related cash flow issues? We have (strong) opinions! Topics: Should we use our origin story? – 0:00 What’s the best way to manage a layoff? – 7:51 Episode Sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by Imm...

It’s the greatest hits(?) episode! Here are a handful of our favorite questions from the archive. Fee for service? Cancelling a program? When the passion is gone? Cash reserves? And more! Topics: Fee for service – 0:00 Cancel Programs – 4:56 When the passion for your cause is gone – 9:02 Cash Reserves – 16:03 We just need 25k more! – 24:00 Putting your Nonprofit...

It’s intern week at Nonprofit Everything! What happens if a student worker won’t send you an invoice? And better yet — what should you do if a board member wants their child to work for you as a grantwriter over the summer? Finally, what do you do when it turns out that your new Board Member was also an ED candidate>? We have thoughts! Topics: Student worker won’t send an i...

Is there any benefit to Guidestar Platinum? We have opinions. Stacey has some thoughts on compensation directives from a national office, and we figure out what to do if a founder wants to retire to a lesser job in the organization. Topics: Is Guidestar Platinum worth it? – 0:00 What can we do if the National Office is reducing compensation? – 7:04 Should we let the Founder retire to a...

A listener asks, “Should we risk alienating donors by taking a stand on social justice issues?” Drop everything and listen to the answer from Guest Expert John Waldron , CEO of The LGBTQ Center of Southern Nevada . Topics: What do I do with uncashed checks? – 0:00 Can taking a stand on social justice issues alienate my donors? – 4:43 Guest Expert: John Waldron, CEO of The C...

What do you do when someone makes a complaint directly to your board chair? Stacey has some thoughts. Also, a board wants to keep the budget a secret from the executive director, and somebody wants to know about booking discounts for services as revenue, so (of course) Andy talks about that for what seems like hours! Topics: How do I value and book discounts? – 0:00 Someone is complaining di...

ill donors care if your Form 990 is late? We have opinions! Stacey has ideas about what to do if you have employees that don't want to return to the office, and we have a few thoughts on what to do if a grantor says you didn't make the cut because you "didn't show sufficient return on investment." Huh? Topics: How late is too late for a 990? Grantor is concerned about return on investment Should I...

This week, Stacey has some great ideas for appreciating staff! We also discuss red flags to watch out for when looking at accepting an Executive Director position, whether or not our coat drive really needs to be restricted to coats, and Andy & Stacey enthusiastically respond to, "why can't I be both Board Chair and ED and everybody on the board is related?" Topics: Idea for appreciating staff - 0...

Topics: We're budgeting, should we hide the salary section from staff? - 0:00 How to be respected as a young nonprofit employee - 10:01 How do you keep great board members active after they term off?- 20:05 Episode Sponsor: Today's episode is sponsored by the Alliance for Nevada Nonprofits job board . Your one-stop shop for the next step in your career! Searching job listings is totally free, and...

What are the tax implications of a donor buying a product from us for a beneficiary? Andy's got that one. Also, Stacey and Andy bust another round of common nonprofit myths. And finally, a doozy: Help! My organization is falling apart! (Plus, exactly zero references to Covid-19.) Topics: If a donor pays for something that goes directly to a beneficiary, is that tax deductible? Nonprofit 101: More...

The adjustment to our new reality continues with a conversation with Amy Hunter from The Simmons Group answering Pandemic related nonprofit HR questions.

How are nonprofits handling this unprecedented situation? We hear from nonprofit leaders Kate Hibbard Gaines from Three Square Food Bank, Jamie Weller-Lafavor from Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada, and Heidi Parker from Immunize Nevada. Topics: What has been your response so far? - 0:00 How are you handling the drop-off in volunteers? - 10:49 We need to cancel our fundraising event. Any str...

Should the Executive Director be on the Nominating Committee? Stacey knows! Also this week, Andy gets called out for being wrong about determination letters, and we find out all about Benefit Corporations and Certified B Corps. Topics: Should the Executive Director be on the nominating committee? - 0:00 Does the IRS still send determination letters? - 6:52 Is a Benefit Corporation a good option fo...

Can board members have staff titles? Stacey knows! This week we also hear from Guest Expert Tony Golden of Garg Golden Law Firm about what to do if an employee starts badmouthing your nonprofit on social media! And finally, probably the best question we’ve ever gotten on the podcast. Topics: Should our board members also have staff titles? – 0:00 An employee is badmouthing us on social...

Why can’t you be the ED, Board Chair and Founder all at the same time? Doesn’t that make thing easier? For once, Stacy and Andy completely agree on an answer! We also hear from Guest Expert Stacey Muse, PhD , Executive Director of Nevada Volunteers about how to handle professional volunteers turning in less than professional work. Topics: Executive Director, Board Chair and Founder, Oh...

Can you teach old volunteers new tricks (without insulting them?) Stacey knows! This week we also discuss what happens when two nonprofits are really truly in competition with each other, and hear from Guest Expert Greg Wilken about pre-employment testing for marijuana, mandatory paid time off, and whether or not you can microchip your employees! Topics: Volunteer training for long time volunteers...

Happy new year! This week, Stacey gives us around a dozen tips to make your fundraising event registration table better, Andy gets grumpy about the state of nonprofit compensation, and we find out how to get a distrustful finance committee back on your side. Topics: What’s the secret for a problem-free registration table? – 0:00 Am I maxed out on salary? – 7:29 My finance committ...

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Blessed Solstice and Happy New Year! Do you know what Stacey and Andy want for Christmas? More questions from listeners! This week, we make a former board chair feel terrible, help the ED of a small nonprofit get ahead of the game, and talk about whether or not a nonprofit should revise their budget in the middle of the year. Thanks for joining us in 2019, and we&#...

Hooray! Another Nonprofit 101 question! Is your IRS determination letter enough to not have to pay sales tax? Andy actually knows that one. This week we also find out what to do when a Board Chair won’t stand up to the scary Gala committee, and learn the difference between a sponsorship and a donation. We also discover both Stacey and Andy’s least favorite grant application question! T...