Standards for Excellence
52 Tips in 52 Weeks – To Accept or Not To Accept: A Question For Campaign Leftovers
It’s been a week since the general election and there’s still a lot to take in. So much news in our 24/7 news cycle. I spoke with someone today who announced that she deliberately turned off all news outlets from November 2nd to November 9th. I was a bit taken...
A Reflection on the 2020 Election
Maryland Nonprofits congratulates President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect, Kamala Harris. We applaud the record numbers of Americans and of Marylanders who voted in the election. Nonprofit organizations played a big role in non-partisan voter registration...
52 Tips in 52 Weeks: Take the time to check your list – and check it twice
So many lists in this time of year! Whether I’m planning out my task list for the day, planning for Thanksgiving dinner, or trying to get a jump on my holiday shopping, I find myself sitting down with pen and paper to capture my thoughts. Some days, I’ve got a...
Post-Election Space for Nonprofits: A Call to Leadership, Peace, and Counting Our Blessings
Nonprofit leaders have an important role to play in supporting our communities through times of uncertainty, advocating for voters, for peace, and for democratic institutions. Now is the time for nonprofit organizations to demonstrate the power of nonpartisanship, the power of bridging divides, and the power of caring for one another.
52 Tips in 52 Weeks: Nonprofits and Issue Related Election Day Activity
As I was filling in my mail in ballot earlier this week, I was struck by the number of ballot questions posed to voters in my county this year. Questions about funding for public schools, preservation, refuse facilities, waterways and a state constitutional amendment...
52 Tips in 52 Weeks: Keeping the Mission Statement Front and Center
While preparing for an upcoming virtual seminar, I remembered how much I like using table tents during meetings. For years, I have encouraged nonprofit boards to use these low-tech tools (just a piece of cardstock paper folded in half) to help for board members learn...
Charge-Up Collaborative Statement on Election Day
Change requires not only ideas but also tangible action. To better live up to their commitment to racial equity and social justice, many of the organizations in the Charge-Up Collaborative are adding Election Day as a paid day off for their teams. The right to vote should never be taken for granted and it is our responsibility as leaders to give our team the space to participate in this critical civic activity. Click the title to read more.
52 Tips in 52 Weeks: Charitable Giving
Good news! Charitable Giving is up in the First Half of 2020 – How will nonprofits respond to welcoming new donors? A recent report in the Chronicle of Philanthropy showed that charitable giving was up 7.5 percent in the first half of 2020 over the first half of...
52 Tips in 52 Weeks: Sustainability Planning
The Johns Hopkins University Center for Civil Society Studies recently released the 2020 Nonprofit Employment Report. In this timely report by Lester Salamon and Chelsea L. Newhouse, with the technical assistance of S. Wojciech Sokolowski, we learn that the nonprofit...
52 Tips in 52 Weeks: It’s Time to Review Your Organization’s Advocacy Policy
Advocacy efforts are front and center in these challenging times. For my colleagues who focus on advocacy efforts, 2020 has been a year with literally no downtime. I am grateful to have the opportunity to work in the midst of folks that are dedicated to the Standards...