With a year of data and experience under its belt, the Nonprofit Utopia community is poised to go to the next level of its development. In so doing, the community is surveying its members and stakeholders to create better value for the nonprofit sector. Nonprofit Utopia is is asking nonprofit stakeholders to complete a survey to get a sense for what a typical work day is like; their aspirations and challenges. The results will be kept confidential. Respondents will get free admission to an upcoming paid webinar of their choice and a chance to win a $50.00 Amazon gift card. More.
You have just been invited to join a board of directors of one of the hottest local nonprofits in the city. What should you do before accepting?
- Do some self-reflection. Being a member of a board is serious business. Unlike other volunteer assignments, being a board member carries with it fiduciary responsibilities. As such, the board is responsible for adopting sound, ethical, and legal governance and financial management policies, as well as by making sure the nonprofit has adequate resources to advance its mission. (Council on Nonprofits, 2018). Are you willing to commit the time, financial resources and access to your networks to contribute to the organization’s success? Realizing that you cannot be rewarded financially for your service to the organization, what are the benefits of joining the board? Are there additional leadership and management skills you can learn?
Vivien Hoexter and Linda C. Hartley, principals of H2Growth Strategies LLC, will be guests on the Nonprofit Utopia podcast on Monday, on Monday, September 24, 2018, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., CST. The Nonprofit Utopia podcast is an online forum where nonprofit stakeholders can discuss the latest developments in the sector and increase their capacity to serve their clients and build sustainable communities. Valerie F. Leonard, the Founder of Nonprofit Utopia, is the host.
Hoexter and Hartley will discuss their new book, Big Impact: Insights & Stories from America’s Non-Profit Leaders. The book highlights nonprofit leaders from the U.S. and abroad who have found solutions to some of the world’s most vexing societal problems. Hoexter and Hartley will also share insights on how these change-makers are implementing solutions in their communities, the qualities these leaders possess, and lessons learned that maybe useful to emerging nonprofit leaders.
September is Compliance Month for the Nonprofit Utopia community. In the runup to #GivingTuesday, we want to make sure that no member of Nonprofit Utopia is in a position in which his/her organization has successfully executed a year-end social media fundraising campaign, but can’t collect because their paperwork is not in order. We are devoting the month of September to nonprofit compliance so that, come November, your organizations will be in a position to receive their proper due from #GivingTuesday efforts. More
The Nonprofit Utopia community will be hosting 2 free webinars to help nonprofit professionals strengthen their community assessment skills. Facilitated by Valerie F. Leonard, the community’s founder, the webinars will provide an overview of the community assessment process and help participants demonstrate need, even in communities that seem to be over-resourced.
It’s August, 2018, and #GivingTuesday is November 27th. What should you be doing right now to ensure that your campaign is successful? Here is a timeline of recommended activities from the Complete Toolkit published by #GivingTuesday. Visit the GivingTuesday website to register for #GivingTuesday and to download the toolkit and other valuable resources. If you are an Illinois nonprofit, also register at #ILGive here. You should also review their timeline and download their resources.
Don’t worry if this is the first you’ve heard of #GivingTuesday and the calendar of activities. It’s not too late to catch up.
Although #GivingTuesday is not until November 27th this year, there are a number of things we should be doing right now to get ready. I will be making a series of posts in the community about #GivingTuesday and #ILGive from now until November 27th. This first article is an introduction to #GivingTuesday and #ILGive. Please, take the time to register for both so that you may be included in the international, national and statewide movement.
#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving.
When we talk about nonprofit capacity building, we typically refer to ways we can strengthen our organizations’ leaders and internal systems so that we can make a stronger impact to our clients and communities. We usually look at factors like board development, human resource development, financial management, networking ability, impact, and program management.
What about using thought leadership as a tool for nonprofit capacity building? Thought leadership is a long-term strategy, but, if used effectively, it may be leveraged to attract more funding; influence policy to create a more favorable environment for nonprofits; encourage funders to be more responsive to community needs; attract strong board members and community partners, and the list goes on. When organizations become thought leaders in their particular areas of expertise, life gets better for everybody involved. We will explore the various perspectives on thought leadership, what it is, and how to get there.
Nonprofit Utopia recently launched as a community of emerging nonprofit leaders, designed to provide a safe environment in which members can innovate, speak candidly about the issues and concerns they face on a daily basis, and share ideas and resources. Mighty Networks is a professional networking platform that provides a safe alternative to Facebook and LinkedIn groups.
“Baby Boomers are retiring, and Millennials now make up the largest segment of the workforce”, said Valerie F. Leonard, the Founder of Nonprofit Utopia, LLC. There’s still a lot of work to be done in our communities, and we can’t afford to have a leadership void in the nonprofit sector”.
A graduate of the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Leonard is a consultant to nonprofits. She teaches operations management for the UIC Certificate in Nonprofit Management program, and hosts the Nonprofit Utopia podcast on BlogTalkRadio. “We need a seamless transition of knowledge from one generation of ethical leaders to the next. I will do my share by training 50,000 emerging nonprofit leaders over the next 15 years”, Leonard said.