Sam Heintz

How Should a Nonprofit Board Evaluate the Executive Director?

There are many ways to structure the evaluation of an executive director. Often the board delegates the job to a subcommittee of the board (e.g. executive team), although the whole board should have an opportunity for input. To begin the process, the board and...

read more

Are Nonprofits in Maryland Subject to the Open Meetings Act?

In Maryland, nonprofits are private entities and generally are not required to hold “open meetings” unless they were created by governmental action or unless the organization has been required to do so by a governmental entity that funds the organization. However,...

read more

3 Top Reasons to Clarify Your Messaging

  Guest blog by Associate Member, Karen Cheeks, Founder, Cheeks Communications, LLC What does your organization do? You may be thinking that this is a trick question, but it’s not. How you respond when asked that question is key in your ability to raise...

read more

Letter to Congressman Cummings: Hearing on Progress Report on the 2020 Census

May 7, 2018  The Honorable Elijah Cummings  Ranking Member Oversight and Government Reform Committee United States House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 RE: Hearing on Progress Report on the 2020 Census Dear Congressman Cummings, We commend you for...

read more

Letter to Congressman Cummings: Hearing on Progress Report on the 2020 Census

May 7, 2018  The Honorable Elijah Cummings  Ranking Member Oversight and Government Reform Committee United States House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 RE: Hearing on Progress Report on the 2020 Census Dear Congressman Cummings, We commend you for...

read more

How Should We Keep the Minutes of Our Board Meetings?

Minutes are business records of the organization. Minutes should be kept of all meetings of the Board of Directors, as well as committee meetings where the committee is making decisions on behalf of the board. Decisions of committees should be brought to the full...

read more

Funding Opportunity: Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund

The Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund is currently accepting applications for two grant programs, the Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund (MAERDAF) and the Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment...

read more

How Data Breaches at Nonprofit Organizations Impact the Communities They Serve, and the Steps Leaders Can Take to Mitigate Cyber Risks

Guest Blog by Ronnie Kurlander, Senior IT Advisor, Hartman Executive Advisors Nonprofit organizations are particularly vulnerable to breaches, mainly due to inconsistent security policies and the large amounts of sensitive data they collect and use in their daily...

read more

How Does My Nonprofit Remove a Board Member?

There are a number of reasons for removing a member of the board of directors, including non-attendance at board meetings or committees, being inactive in general, or being so obstructive that he or she keeps the board from functioning effectively. The board should...

read more

Election Year Do’s and Don’ts for 501(C)(3) Organizations

Maryland Nonprofits and the vast majority of the nation’s charitable and religious community strongly support the Internal Revenue Code’s non-partisanship rule, often referred to as the “Johnson Amendment,” that precludes us from actions that support or reasonably...

read more