It is my deep-rooted belief that a nonprofit board of directors is the anchor for thriving nonprofit organizations that make a difference. As a first step, nonprofits need to invest in strong board governance training to ensure adequate oversight and risk management of the enterprise.
Moving towards an uncertain horizon has begun and nonprofit leaders need to have the courage to aggressively lead their organizations forward.
As we move forward as a sector, nonprofit organizations need to embrace honesty, leadership, and relationships more deeply than ever. The community is counting on us.
I believe that our country is resilient and strong as we build upon our common experience. We are strong when we seek to intentionally connect not only with those like us but those different than us. We succeed as we create a strong social fabric and weaving that fabric is the unique role of nonprofit and philanthropic organizations. In the days to come, may we strengthen our resolve to live up to our obligation.?
It is time for nonprofit leaders (and their boards) to be intentional about developing and implementing a public policy agenda alongside program and service delivery. It requires investment, commitment, systems thinking, and action. Nonprofit organizations in a leadership role recognize this and invest accordingly.
While I doubt that I would give nonprofit collaboration the highest marks possible, as a whole, the nonprofit leaders I know rise above the mediocrity that the capacity survey authors suggest is “universal.” Let’s stop promoting the mythology of mediocre nonprofits. Rather than haranguing on nonprofit deficits, I would like to suggest four investments related to collaboration that nonprofits can make in order to build even more effective at collaboration.
Nonprofits on the leading-edge and those making the greatest difference, are the ones who are constantly asking themselves “where do we need to invest to make a greater impact.” Investing in your management systems is often the difference between staying stuck where you are today and achieving more tomorrow.
Clearly it is not a lack of knowledge that leads to underperforming boards but it a lack of intentionality and investment in cultivating a high preforming board. To break the cycle, nonprofits need to make investments in developing the strength, performance, and contribution of their boards of directors.
Today, thinking and acting strategically, making investments, are the required attributes of high performing nonprofit organizations and this reality makes investing in building your workforce essential.
Nonprofits Need to Invest in Research and Development (R&D) As I continue my journey of helping nonprofits design and deliver strategies that help them achieve greater impact, I am increasingly convinced that nonprofit organizations need to intentionally invest in Research and Development (R&D). At the same time, I am surprised at how few nonprofits are […]
