“Strategic Planning” – Articles

Board of Directors Responsibilities (Post Covid)

Board of Directors Responsibilities (Post Covid)

What should the role of your board of directors be, post Covid? As the Covid crisis begins to ebb, it's likely time for your nonprofit board's role to shift as well. Board of directors responsibilities should switch from survival mode, day-to-day focus, and to how to...

Strategic Planning Post Covid: Moving Forward in Your Organization

Strategic Planning Post Covid: Moving Forward in Your Organization

Planning Post Covid: How Should You Move Forward? Between fundraising uncertainties, fear among staff getting sick, volunteers getting bored to tears, and staff feeling exhausted from the demands placed on them for the last 14 months, it’s hard to know how to plan for...

Four Ways Board Training Can Help Your Nonprofit

Four Ways Board Training Can Help Your Nonprofit

Why do some boards demonstrate a culture of excellence year after year, while some seem to struggle with getting directors to show up for meetings or to make important decisions?  Why do some agencies have a waiting list of board candidates, while others (maybe yours)...

5 Tips for Bringing Your Strategic Plan to Life

5 Tips for Bringing Your Strategic Plan to Life

Every nonprofit agency has a strategic plan, somewhere. Maybe in a file cabinet, on a credenza, on its website, but they have one. It's there, you just have to search it out. The problem is, you'd never know it by the way so many just keep doing the same things over...

Want Your Agency to Make a Bigger Impact?

Want Your Agency to Make a Bigger Impact?

Create a Tighter, More Focused Strategic Plan  Have you ever asked yourself, with all the hours and hard work your team puts in each week at your agency, why you don't have more to show for it? More progress, more impact, more revenue, more client successes? Or worse...

How to Set Up Your Nonprofit Board for Success in 6 Easy Steps

How to Set Up Your Nonprofit Board for Success in 6 Easy Steps

As a young boy, I always enjoyed watching parades in “The Loop”, the heart of downtown Chicago. Bright colors, shiny instruments, and a snappy pace. So impressive and memorable. If you’ve seen the movie The Music Man, you know what I mean. I was so impressed every...

Could a New Strategic Plan Make This Year Better?

Could a New Strategic Plan Make This Year Better?

Does your agency really need a Strategic Plan this year? You might be on the fence about dedicating the time and energy needed to formulate a strategic plan for your nonprofit. Like most organizations, you have limited time and resources. So it's important to make...

5 Hidden Reasons Your Strategic Plan is Failing

5 Hidden Reasons Your Strategic Plan is Failing

Planning is great, but execution wins the game. College and professional football teams will go into every one of their games this Fall with a solid game plan. Run first, to set up the pass; pass first, to set up the run; keep the football away from the other team's...

5 Nonprofit Challenges and How to Fix Them: #1 — Your Board

5 Nonprofit Challenges and How to Fix Them: #1 — Your Board

Challenge #1: The Failing Board   I offer advice to many nonprofit leaders and board members each week. Over time, several common nonprofit challenges have surfaced from those discussions. This week, we will be taking a look at five of the most common challenges...

Nonprofit Trends 2017: Is Your Agency Future-proof?

Nonprofit Trends 2017: Is Your Agency Future-proof?

Since 2014, we have seen the volunteer rate drop nearly 13%. Nearly 50% of nonprofit leaders report their organization has no strategic plan, yet nonprofit giving has increased over the last 4 years, and continues to grow. Nonprofit Trends 2017 -- What do these...

Where is Your Nonprofit Going?

Where is Your Nonprofit Going?

Understanding the key role Mission, Vision, and Values play in moving an organization forward. These elements are probably some of the most important in your organization, yet they are often the most overlooked. They help guide decision-making, budgeting, and...

Even “Perfect” Strategic Plans Usually Overlook This Component

Even “Perfect” Strategic Plans Usually Overlook This Component

One of the most frequent assignments I am asked to take on when asked to work with a nonprofit board or its CEO is to help them get back on track, to help them get things going again. They contact me because they feel bogged down and unable to break through the...

Presenting at CLA 2015 Outcomes Conference

Presenting at CLA 2015 Outcomes Conference

Last week I led two workshops at CLA's Annual Conference in Dallas and was one of the authors signing books in the book store. It was a "kick" and I am grateful to CLA for putting on this event and allowing me to be part of it. I spoke with a lot of members about...

Your Greatest Enemy: Today’s Success

Your Greatest Enemy: Today’s Success

Vijay Govindarajan is one smart cookie. He is the Earl C. Daum 1924 Professor of International Economics at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. I was fortunate to participate in a retreat he lead for our company when I was in the business world a while...

True Confessions in the Board Room

True Confessions in the Board Room

Are your board meetings getting a bit routine and boring, especially as you negotiate through next year's goals and budget? Do you wonder if you are getting full and complete feedback and "best possible" thinking from your board of directors? Here's a quick way to put...

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