American Management Association Scholarship Program
Managers and executives in the
nonprofit social sector can benefit from a scholarship program developed in
partnership between the American Management Association (AMA) and the Leader to
Leader Institute. AMA is providing up to 75 scholarships administered by the
Leader to Leader Institute to qualified recipients. Scholarship recipients will
select and receive admission to an AMA seminar as well as a one year membership
to each organization. To apply, go to:
www.leadertoleader.org
August
17 - 23, 2008
The Evaluation Exchange
The Evaluation Exchange
is the Harvard Family Research Project's evaluation periodical, The Evaluation
Exchange, addresses current issues facing program evaluators of all levels, with
articles written by the most prominent evaluators in the field. Designed as an
ongoing discussion among evaluators, program practitioners, funders, and
policymakers, The Evaluation Exchange highlights innovative methods and
approaches to evaluation, emerging trends in evaluation practice, and practical
applications of evaluation theory. It goes out to its subscribers free of charge
3–4 times per year. Go to:
gseweb.harvard.edu
August
10 - 16, 2008
EEO Compliance Resources
The Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (EEOC) is the enforcement body that will challenge an employer's
hiring or employment practices when a discrimination complaint is lodged by an
employee, a former employee or an applicant. According to attorney Jennifer
Chandler Hauge, the EEOC is also in the business of helping employers avoid
acting in a discriminatory manner. In this way, the EEOC can be seen as a
nonprofit's risk management partner. Guidelines and fact sheets published by the
Department of Labor and available on the EEOC's Web site are very helpful. Among
the most helpful information recently made available is the EEOC's 2006
Compliance Manual. Published in April 2006, the manual describes common pitfalls
and best practices for employers striving to avoid discriminatory practices. Go
to:
www.eeoc.gov
August
3 - 9, 2008
Leverage Points Newsletter
Leverage Points, a free
e-bulletin from Pegasus Communications, spotlights innovations in leadership,
management, and organizational development. This newsletter is the best resource
on systems thinking systems thinking and related disciplines. For a free
subscription, go to:
www.pegasuscom.com. An archive of all issues of the newsletter is
available at
www.pegasuscom.com
July
27 - August 2, 2008
Audio Screencast: Effective Organizations Achieve Superior
Results
A few years ago, Bridgespan began
surveying clients' senior leadership teams about their organizations' strengths
and weaknesses. There are now 30 nonprofits of varying sizes in the Bridgespan
database, as well as a comparison set of data for more than 500 for-profits,
which was developed at Bain & Company. Analysis of these databases demonstrates
that high performing nonprofits think about organizational leadership, they
identify the decisions that really matter, they develop the people necessary for
success, they pay attention to work processes, and they create a
high-performance culture. This presentation summarizes findings, and discusses
barriers that commonly prevent many nonprofits from building effective
organizations. It also outlines approaches that nonprofits can use to increase
the effectiveness of their organizations. To view the audio screencast, go to:
www.bridgespangroup.org
July
20 - 26, 2008
Root Cause Solutions E-Newsletter
Root Cause
Solutions is a bi-monthly e-newsletter covering key issues and topics facing
problem solvers working in nonprofits, corporations, foundations, and government
agencies. It includes leading-edge strategies for building enduring solutions to
our most pressing social problems, drawn from our work with our consulting
clients and our social enterprises. In addition, each issue provides our
recommendations of other important articles and tools on the featured topic.
Root
Cause is a nonprofit organization that accelerates enduring solutions to social
and economic problems by supporting social innovators and educating social
impact investors.
To subscribe
to the newsletter, go to:
www.rootcause.org
July
13 - 19, 2008
SmorgasBoard Newsletter
The
SmorgasBoard Newsletter is published by BoardWalk Consultants. A sampling of
bits and bytes on boards and leadership in nonprofits, foundations and the
institutions that champion them, SmorgasBoard offers essays, practical tools,
client developments, publications and other items of interest for trustees,
executive directors, and those who care about the causes they serve. For
subscription information and copies of past editions, go to:
www.boardwalkconsulting.com
July 6 - 12, 2008
Everyone Ready Professional Development Program in Volunteer
Management
Everyone Ready® is a professional
development program in volunteer management delivered via Online Seminars,
electronic Self-Instruction Guides, interactive discussion boards, and other
online resources. It's designed to engage you in a year-long learning community,
with all resources available 24/7 at your convenience. You get 12 new topics a
year, alternating in presentation through 6 online seminars and 6
self-instruction guides. An expert trainer is available to respond to e-mailed
questions at all times, so you can get attention and the clarification you need.
The online seminars are provided in Flash® format, giving you a
professional-quality program that you can access over and over. And there are
always handouts, links to additional resources, and discussion questions. To
learn more about this innovative approach to training, go to:
www.energizeinc.com
June
29 - July 5, 2008
Handbook on Citizen Engagement
The Canadian Policy Research
Networks (CPRN) has released a Handbook on Citizen Engagement, a resource useful
for those working in community development. The report, written by Amanda Sheedy
and released in March 2008 describes citizen engagement as the belief that
people should have and want to have a say in the decisions that affect their
lives. The handbook is “intended to whet the appetite for citizen engagement for
those new to citizen engagement, and for those with experience to deepen the
analysis behind citizen engagement projects and provide a synthesis of the field
and a concise reference tool. The long term vision is to contribute to the
closing of the gap between governments and citizens, to allow public servants
and politicians to reconnect with citizens’ needs, priorities and values.” To
download the Handbook on Citizen Engagement from the CPRN website as a .pdf
file, go to:
www.cprn.org
June
22 - 28, 2008
KIDS COUNT Data Center
A service of the Annie E. Casey
Foundation, KIDS COUNT Data Center is an online database that features more than
100 indicators of child well-being for the 50 largest U.S. cities. You can
select a state or city to find a range of major indicators of child well being
such as child poverty rates, health insurance coverage, etc. You can also
compare specific data across states or cities. Results can be viewed as a
ranking, map, or trend line. Go to:
www.kidscount.org
June
15 - 21, 2008
CharityChannel Re-launched
CharityChannel, one of the oldest
and most comprehensive resources for nonprofits has re-launched. CharityChannel
was founded in 1992 by Stephen Nill who saw a need for colleagues to connect,
share and discuss pertinent challenges and issues. It was started as one
email-based discussion forum – CHARITYTALK – which is still one of the more
active discussions communities of CharityChannel. As the professional community
grew, so did CharityChannel. With well over 100,000 participants, CharityChannel
rolled out its new web site in March, 2008. The new site, built atop the
CharityChannel framework™, is designed to enable nearly instant creation of
features and content sections according to the rapidly expanding needs of the
CharityChannel professional community. The site includes articles, book
reviews, newsletters, training resources and much more. Go to:
charitychannel.com
June
8 - 14, 2008
The Mission-Based Management Newsletter
Peter
Brinckerhoff of Corporate Alternatives, Inc. publishes an excellent monthly
newsletter. Each issue includes the following features: Sites of the Month,
Management Tip of the Month, Recommended Publications, and Marketing Tip. Also
included are links to all past issues over the last five years. Go to:
www.missionbased.com
June 1
- 7, 2008
Professional Practice Statements
Founded in 1916, the Association
Forum of Chicagoland today serves 47,000 Chicago area association professionals
whose efforts serve 37 million members and 9 million donors. In 1996 the
Association Forum Board of Directors approved what is believed to be the first
professional practice statements ever adopted by a professional society of
association professionals. The collected practice statements can be adapted by
other nonprofits as appropriate. Topics covered by the practice statement
include:
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Achieving Diversity in
Associations |
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Facilitation of Effective
Board Decision Making
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Ethical Behavior of
Association Leaders
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Volunteer Leader and Staff
Relationship |
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Evaluating the Performance of
the Association Chief Executive Officer
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Recruitment and Retention of
Quality Staff |
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Strategic Alliances
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Association Strategic
Governance |
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Role and Function of an Audit
Committee |
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Role of the Chief Executive
Officer in the Nomination Process
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And more |
To view the practice statements,
go to:
www.associationforum.org
May
18 - 31, 2008
EPA Grant-Writing Tutorial
This interactive software tool
walks the user through the grant-writing process and helps them learn to write
more competitive grants. While the focus is on EPA grant applications, the
resource will be useful for grant writing in general. The program includes:
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Detailed information and
tips on writing a grant proposal |
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How to complete a grant
application package |
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Program-specific
sections on three EPA grant programs |
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Examples of good,
complete grant packages |
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References and a
glossary of terms |
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Resources and contacts
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A mock grant-writing
activity where the user is able to compare their results to a successful
grant application |
Go to:
www.purdue.edu
Week: May
11 - 17, 2008
Use of Due Diligence in Board Recruitment
Frank L. Kurre, national managing
partner, in Grant Thornton’s Not-for-Profit industry practice Section, describes
in the increasing use of due diligence by nonprofits when recruiting new board
members. Some of the due-diligence procedures which nonprofits are using include
the following:
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Require the candidate to
complete and submit the organization’s conflict-of-interest statement
and to disclose any potential conflicts or certify that no conflicts
exist prior to election.
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Require the candidate to
authorize the organization to perform a full background check. This
background check typically includes a search of public documents for any
legal judgments, IRS or state liens, negative media, publicity and a
criminal check. This check would be especially important for youth
serving nonprofits.
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Request that the
candidate provide three references from individuals not affiliated with
the organization.
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Request that the
candidate briefly discuss (verbally or in writing) his or her approach
to serving on the board. Topics to be addressed include commitment to
the organization’s mission, willingness to participate in committee
assignments and the expectation to attend a majority of board and
committee meetings.
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Assess whether the
candidate has any relationships with existing board members, management
or other individuals which could lessen the candidate’s ability to be
objective and independent. |
Less
we think that such a list of procedures is overdone, let’s remember that were
talking about recruitment of the board of directors whose members wield
considerable authority and influence. For the full list of procedures including
additional guidance, go to:
www.grantthornton.com
May
4 - 10, 2008
A Cure for Founderitis
This article
addresses the symptoms, causes and treatment of “founderitis”. The term "founderitis"
or "founder's syndrome" refers to the unhealthy condition that afflicts many
nonprofits whose founders maintain a stranglehold on organizational leadership.
While many nonprofits owe their success — and in fact their very existence — to
their founders, those same individuals can create chaos that ultimately leads to
the organization's collapse. The challenge to founding CEOs and boards of
directors is to take steps to change conflict and chaos into opportunities for
growth. The article appearing in the Center for Association Leadership website,
was authored by Maryll Kleibrink, CFRE, the director of development at the
Center for Health, Environment, and Justice. Go to:
www.asaecenter.org
April
27 - May 3, 2008
Online Advocacy Resources
The Center for Lobbying in the
Public Interest has assembled an extensive collection of online resources for
advocacy. The links are organized in six categories: web based advocacy tool
kits, organizations strengthening nonprofit lobbying, advocacy, public policy
engagement and sites with lobbying & advocacy resources - by state, public
policy web portals, take action on public policy issues and track bills web
sites, and nonprofit sector and civic infrastructure organizations. Go to:
www.clpi.org
April
20 - 26, 2008
Blue Avocado
Blue Avocado is a new online
magazine whose aim is to engage and support the people of community nonprofits.
Blue Avocado will publish on the 1st and 15th of every month—and is delivered
via email newsletter, website, and RSS feed. Future issues will include
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Board Cafe for nonprofit
board members |
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Personal Finance column:
making it work on nonprofit salaries |
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Ask Rita in HR: A
nonprofit-specific human resources advice column
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Consumer reviews of
products |
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Word on the Street . . .
nonprofit people on the frontlines report on the sustainability
movement, human services, funding for films, and more
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Strategies for Financial
Sustainability, and more |
The magazine is available at no
charge. To subscribe, go to:
www.blueavocado.org
April
13 - 19, 2008
Resources for Organizational Sustainability
The US Department of Labor’s
Center for Faith-based and Community Initiatives has complied an extensive list
of web-based resources on various aspects of organizational sustainability. The
resources are organized in the following categories: Building a Sustainable
Initiative, Collaboration and Identifying Stakeholders, Leadership and Board
Development, The Business Plan for Nonprofits: Creating A Case, and Additional
Resources. Go to: www.dol.gov
April
6 - 12, 2008
Google for Nonprofits
A new portal, called Google for
Nonprofits, is now available that provides nonprofits access and guidance on how
to use a variety of tools and resources that Google offers. The portal offers
such programs and features as:
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The Gmail email system
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An online donation
collection and processing program |
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A system for sharing and
editing documents online |
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An analytics program to
determine how often people go to your website and how they use the
information that it provides |
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An online grant search
engine |
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A dynamic, interactive
maps program to visually illustrate the work of a charity
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Blogging software |
For each service, Google for
Nonprofits also offers instructions (with video tutorials) on how to use the
program, as well as guidance as to how nonprofits can get the most benefit out
of each. Use of each of the services is free of charge. The site also features
examples of how some nonprofits are already using the various tools to further
their mission. None of the programs offered through the portal are new. They
have all been previously offered by Google, but the Google for Nonprofits portal
is the first time the company has proactively marketed many of them to the
nonprofit community. Go to:
www.google.com/nonprofits
March
30 - April 5, 2008
Nonprofit Management Toolkits
The McKnight Foundation has prepared a set of nonprofit
management toolkits. Each toolkit provides a variety of selected online
resources in nonprofit management, linked by topic area. These selected online
resources are provided as a service to the staffs of nonprofit organizations.
Access toolkits on the following topics:
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General: Basic information to address a range of
general needs for nonprofit management. |
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Communications: Develop your key messages, and then
share those messages with the media, the public, and policymakers.
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Evaluation: Capture ongoing assessments of all
outcomes—successful and otherwise—to help inform future work.
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Fundraising: Raise funds effectively through successful
grantwriting and other funding opportunities. |
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Technology: Develop, or simply take control of, your
organization's computers, network, and online presence. |
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Volunteers: Recruit and use your most powerful
workforce wisely, with an eye toward screening, evaluation, legal risks, and
more. |
Go to:
www.mcknight.org
March
23 - 29, 2008
Nonprofit Genie
Nonprofit Genie is a collection
of FAQs on topics such as board development, consultants, databases, social
entrepreneurship, Federal Form 990, financial management, fiscal sponsorship,
fundraising insurance, Internet and telephone systems, strategic planning,
technology planning and volunteer management. Go to:
www.genie.org
March
16 - 22, 2008
Nonprofit Fundraising Web Resources
Hosted by the Michigan State
University Libraries, this collection pf resources compiied by Jon Harrison, is
intended as a starting point for those who are interested in learning more about
foundations, fundraising, proposal writing, philanthropy and philanthropists,
corporate philanthropy, international philanthropy, government funding,
nonprofit organizations, nonprofit organization administration, planned giving,
prospect research, and voluntarism, but only want to look at resources available
on the web. Go to:
www.lib.msu.edu
March
9 - 15, 2008
What is the Role of an Attorney on the Board?
The latest issue of Board Café,
published by CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, includes a brief article with
excellent advice on structuring the role of an attorney on your board of
directors. The article includes a listing of the advantages and disadvantages of
having an attorney on the board and concludes with three tips for working
effectively with an attorney on the board:
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Do reference checks with
boards on which the attorney has served before. Does the attorney bring
the best of the profession to the board room? |
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When recruiting attorneys
as board members, consider which types of issues your organization
regularly confronts, and seek an attorney with expertise in that area.
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Give the attorney (and
the board chair) a copy of the Board Café article! |
To view the full article, go to:
www.compasspoint.org
March
2 - 8, 2008
An Introduction to Information Design
Visualizing Information: An
Introduction to Information Design is a booklet written and designed to
introduce advocacy organizations to basic principles and techniques of
information design. It’s full of examples of interesting design from groups
around the world in a variety of media and forms. It has tips, exercises, and
even recommended free software packages to help polish up your graphics. This
manual offers an introduction to information design. It is intended to provide
NGOs with a useful and powerful tool for advocacy and research. The manual was
written and designed by John Emerson, Principal at Apperceptive LLC. To download
the full booklet as a .pdf file, go to:
apperceptive.com
February
24 - March 1, 2008
Nonprofit Information Technology (IT) Staffing Resource
Staffing the information
technology (IT) function is frequently a challenge for nonprofit organizations.
Financial resources are typically limited, and hiring managers often feel
overwhelmed and under-educated when it comes to IT. Determining where IT should
fit into the organization, how many IT staff people are needed, and what those
people should be spending their time doing can be difficult decisions. In order
to shed some light on these questions, the Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN)
and the Nonprofit Times teamed up to create the Nonprofit IT Staffing Survey.
The results of this survey will be presented in three parts. The first report,
"Staffing Levels, Recruiting, Retention, and Outsourcing" focuses on the nature
of IT staff and departments in nonprofits. Future reports will cover Salaries &
Budgets and IT Management & Planning. To download the first report for free, go
to:
nten.org/research
February
17 - 23, 2008
Planned Giving: A Board Member’s Perspective
The purpose of this resource is
to provide board members with an overview of the fundamentals of planned giving.
Board members are critical to the success of a planned giving initiative, as
they often can help set the stage with donors and support the staff in executing
agreements. In fluid economic times, with volatile stock markets and income
streams making unexpected swings, more organizations may rely on planned giving
programs for meeting their financial goals. The need for maintaining and
increasing the endowment ranks high on the agenda of most organizations. Few
programs support this objective of long-term financial stability more
effectively than planned gifts. To preview as a .pdf file, go to:
www.grantthornton.com
February
10 - 16, 2008
Risk Management Advice
The Nonprofit Risk Management
Center was established in 1990 to provide assistance and resources for
community-serving nonprofit organizations. The Center offers online advice,
free technical assistance and risk management consulting. You can check out the
Risk Management Resource Center for fact sheets on a range of risk management,
liability and insurance topics. You can also email your question using an online
form. In addition to free technical assistance to nonprofit organizations, the
Center also offers affordable risk management consulting assistance and risk
assessments. Go to:
nonprofitrisk.org
February
3 - 9, 2008
Free Grantseeking Basics Webinar Series
The Foundation Center offers a
webinar series on grantseeking basics at no charge including:
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A one-hour overview of the
funding research process for nonprofit organizations seeking grants from
foundations, corporations, and grantmaking public charities |
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Introduction to Finding
Funders: This session provides an introduction to one of the key online
tools for finding funders, Foundation Directory Online Professional |
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Introduction to Fundraising
Planning: This session will introduce participants to strategies for
devising a fundraising plan that best reflects their organization’s needs
and resources |
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Special Webinar Series for
Nonprofit Startup Organizations: A special five-part webinar series for
those considering starting a nonprofit organization or working for a
nonprofit startup |
Go to:
foundationcenter.org
January
27 - February 2, 2008
Nonprofit Policy News
The Nonprofit Policy News, published by the National
Council of Nonprofit Associations, is a free, monthly e-newsletter featuring
federal & state legislation that impacts nonprofits. Each issue includes updates
on federal and state policy issues that impact all 501(c)(3) organizations.
Issues include budget concerns, advocacy rights, and oversight and
accountability. There are also links to excellent advocacy and public policy
resources. To view the most recent issue and to subscribe, go to
www.ncna.org
January
20 - 26, 2008
The Evaluation Exchange
The Harvard Family Research
Project's evaluation periodical, The Evaluation Exchange, addresses current
issues facing program evaluators of all levels, with articles written by the
most prominent evaluators in the field. Designed as an ongoing discussion among
evaluators, program practitioners, funders, and policymakers, The Evaluation
Exchange highlights innovative methods and approaches to evaluation, emerging
trends in evaluation practice, and practical applications of evaluation theory.
It goes out to its subscribers free of charge four times per year. Go to:
www.gse.harvard.edu
January
13 - 19, 2008
New Online Fundraising Resource
The mission of Network for Good’s
new online Learning Center is to provide nonprofits with free access to the best
available web-based fundraising and nonprofit marketing resources. The Learning
Center features hundreds of articles in six areas: Online Fundraising, Social
Networking, Website 101, Email 101, Donor Database, Nonprofit Marketing and a
weekly newsletter entitled Online Fundraising & Nonprofit Marketing Tips
Newsletter. Much of the content comes from nonprofit professionals, coaches,
trainers, bloggers, and consultants who are working everyday to improve
fundraising and marketing effectiveness. Go to:
www.fundraising123.org
January
6 - 12, 2008
50-State Policy Wizard
The Policy Wizard creates custom
tables with information about state and federal policies that assist low-income
families and children. In designing a table, you can select from a set of 14
policy dimensions. The 50-State Policy Wizard is maintained by The National
Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP), the nation’s leading public policy center
dedicated to promoting the economic security, health, and well-being of
America’s low-income families and children. Go to:
www.nccp.org
Resource of the Week: December
30, 2007 - January 5, 2008
Nonprofit Law Resource Library
The Nonprofit Law Resource
Library is maintained by Hurwit & Associates, a law firm based in Newton,
Massachusetts. The firm represents over four hundred nonprofit and philanthropic
organizations based in twenty-three states and sixteen countries. This law firm
has a national specialty in nonprofit governance. The Nonprofit Law Resource
Library has links to all states' charity oversight divisions and the rules for
working in those states. There is also an excellent collection of templates for
by-laws and articles of incorporation, sample organizational charts, board
policies and more. Go to:
www.hurwitassociates.com. The Nonprofit Law Resource Library can be
found at the left margin.
To view 2007 Resources of the
Week, click here. To
view 2006 Resources of the Week, click here. To view 2005
Resources of the Week, click here. To view 2004 Resources
of the Week, click here. |
