Standards for Excellence
Developing Your Own Statement
The Standards for Excellence: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector calls for “all organizations to incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion into their work as part of their missions.” Most organizations have incorporated these principles...
Saying No to Proxy Voting on your Board
As we discussed in last week’s 52 Tips blog post, nonprofit board members are needed now more than ever. Organizations are stretched and need strong support from their governing bodies. The Standards for Excellence code offers the important tenet that “Board members...
George Floyd: Don’t Look Away (Part One)
The horrific killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis seen on video worldwide has laid bare the state of systemic white violence and oppression toward Black and Brown people in America. In not looking away, we open ourselves to taking action at a time when little things don’t seem like enough, but every step we take counts.
Public Policy Updates – June 1, 2020
Last week - the final week of May 2020 - was full of policy decisions and developments, setting the stage for more to come.
Reimagining your Nonprofit Strategy: A Reflection
Maryland Nonprofit’s webinar Pivoting for the Future: Reimagining your Nonprofit Strategy provided some ideas about thoughtful and deliberate decision-making during a volatile and uncertain time beyond crisis management. Several common themes emerged throughout the...
A Conversation with Leslie Petak: a Standards for Excellence Peer Reviewer Volunteer
In celebration of our amazing volunteers at Maryland, we sat down (virtually!) with long time Maryland Nonprofits Standards for Excellence volunteer peer reviewer, Leslie Petak on May 1, 2020. Thank you, Leslie, for sharing your story and for your service to...
Policy Updates: Paycheck Protection Program & Unemployment Costs for Reimbursing Nonprofits
Policy Updates on the Paycheck Protection Program & Unemployment Costs for Reimbursing Nonprofits.
Board Members: We Need You Now More Than Ever Before
We are living in unprecedented and uncertain times. For many of us, the normal cycle of work and life has been turned completely upside down. Nonprofits of all sizes are wrestling with more challenging and difficult decisions than they ever have before. To weather the...
Purchasing During COVID-19 Times
In these times, when we’re all in the midst of the pandemic, the purchasing needs have likely changed dramatically for a lot of nonprofits. Nonprofits are making heroic efforts to secure the items they need to have on hand to keep their staff, volunteers, and the people they serve safe. Strong purchasing policies can provide some important insight for our organizations.
Check in with your board — Update their profiles
Check in with your board—update their profiles Since the Standards for Excellence program’s inception, nonprofits have received advice about how to run their board meetings, recruit new members, and avoid conflicts of interest, just to name a few of the ways we seek...