Why even be a nonprofit?

Isn’t it a huge waste of effort to be a nonprofit once you consider the compliance, reporting and donor rules? For an organization just starting out, couldn’t we serve our mission more efficiently if we didn’t have to bother with all that? Stacey and Andy definitely have some thoughts on this! Also this week, we talk about whether Event Planners are important when designing a fundraising event, and find out how to deal with a board member who has gone MIA. Thanks for joining us this week, and don’t forget to send your questions to questions@NonprofitEverything.com.

How are nonprofit arts organizations different? with Guest Expert Alan Harrison

Are there fundamental differences between the board responsibilities of an arts nonprofit and a regular old charitable one? This week Andy is joined by guest expert and author of Scene Change Alan Harrison to get this question answered properly. You might need to listen twice, because this episode goes deep — court cases clarifying nonprofit law, the patronage system, and whether “art for arts sake” qualifies as a charitable mission. Thanks again for joining us this week! Please send us your questions and check out the show notes at NonprofitEverything.com.

Attracting Younger Board Members

How do we attract and retain younger board members? Stacey and Andy have some thoughts. Also this week, we talk about how to engage with new pro sports teams (or any new companies) coming to your town. And finally, we share some tips for making sure you don’t have a bad experience when working with a consultant. Thanks for joining us this week, and please send your questions to questions@NonprofitEverything.com.

What does a new board need to know?

Are there things we need to know when bringing in our first ever board? Stacey has thoughts. Also this week, we talk about internal controls for an organization with one staff member, and whether or not to submit a report for a grant that doesn’t actually require one. And finally, Andy gets tricked into answering a question about gala auctioneers. Thanks for joining us this week, and please send your questions to questions@NonprofitEverything.com.

Getting the Board to Ask More Questions

Is there a difference between a nonprofit’s “story” and its “elevator pitch?” Stacey has some thoughts. Also this week, we talk about criteria for a recognition wall, and a really big one: how the heck do you get boards to ask more (intelligent) questions!? Thanks for joining us this week, and please send your questions to questions@NonprofitEverything.com.

Donor Advised Funds

Are donor advised funds good or evil? That’s a big question, and Stacey and Andy definitely have some thoughts. Also, we talk about strategies for filling vacant committee leadership positions (it’s tough!) and Stacey has some tips for getting a geographically dispersed board all on the same page. Thanks for joining us this week, and don’t forget to send any and all nonprofit questions to questions@nonprofiteverything.com!

Founding Executive Director is Resistant to Change

We’ve got a really nice balance of questions this week! Is it possible to get a founding executive director to embrace change? Stacey and Andy have some thoughts on that! Also this week, we brainstorm about how to get new people to come to the same old gala, and talk through a couple of options when your revenue comes in all in the same month. Thanks for joining us this week, and don’t forget to send any and all nonprofit questions to questions@nonprofiteverything.com!

Do you need a strategic planning consultant?

Just two questions for Stacey and Andy this week, but they’re biggies! When creating a strategic plan is a consultant really necessasry, or can we spare that expense? Also this week, a technical question about calculating liquidity gets unexpectedly philosophical really fast. Thanks for joining us, and be sure to send us any nonprofit topic you want us to cover to questions@NonprofitEverything.com.

What Committees Should Be Board Run?

If there’s something more terrifying than having to tell a grantor that they’re wrong, we haven’t heard of it. Is it even possible to push back on a state agency interpreting a federal grant incorrectly? Stacy and Andy have some thoughts! Also this week, we talk about when it’s appropriate for the board to lead committees, and Andy goes off on a tangent about needing to get three bids for things. Thanks for joining us this week, and please don’t forget to send your questions to questions@nonprofiteverything.com.

Politics and Nonprofits

This week Stacey and Andy delve into the Nonprofit Everything archive to bring you a thematically consistent series of previously aired questions. Which is a fancy way of saying “Hey! It’s a clip show!” From episode 79, we talk about how to handle a board member that’s publicly off mission. From episode 103, we hear from a nonprofit with a board member in the newspaper for the wrong reasons. From episode 89, a board member asks the ED to record a campaign ad for her. Thanks for joining us this week, and please send your questions to questions@nonprofiteverything.com.