We’re just six days away from Thanksgiving, so we’re pondering all the reasons we have to be thankful (one of which is turkey). Have you picked out your turkey or tofurkey yet? We have! Here are five reads from the world of nonprofits that will have you counting your blessings:
1) We can be thankful for allies and the work we do together. The New York Times brings us some thoughts on how charities can decide whether or not to merge. Among the questions asked: is a merger the best way for a smaller family foundation to preserve its future? How can an organization avoid acquiring the liabilities of the organization it’s merging with? What’s a good way to encourage board members to be flexible? Get the big picture:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/05/your-money/when-should-charities-throw-in-together.html
2) Something else to be grateful for? Robert Grimm, Jr. and Nathan Dietz report that volunteering among the oldest Americans (age 65 and up) and youngest Americans (ages 16-19) has increased dramatically. As researchers at the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), Grimm and Dietz have been tracking volunteering data for more than a decade. Nonprofit Quarterly has the details:
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2016/11/17/good-young-old-forty-years-american-volunteering/
3) While one can predict the future, the Chronicle of Philanthropy has a non-paywalled article about nonprofits’ financial world post-election. Turns out there are still things to be thankful for: while proposed budget cuts in health and education could lead to significantly greater pressure on nonprofits, some nonprofits have seen a spike in donations since the election. Find out more here:
https://www.philanthropy.com/article/Nonprofits-Worry-About/238355
4) We can also be thankful for throwdowns: Darren Walker, the president of the Ford Foundation, posed a challenge about privilege. Transformation, the blog of Open Democracy, reports on Walker’s inspiring untangling of privilege and its complexities in “The Privilege of Being Privileged.” Interested in what the Ford Foundation’s leader has to say?
https://www.opendemocracy.net/transformation/michael-edwards/privilege-of-being-privileged?platform=hootsuite
5) Although uncertainty can be challenging, dramatic changes can be a good opportunity for nonprofits to take stock and reassess their activities and outreach. Ruth McCambridge, editor-in-chief of NPQ, generated a list of ten important questions for boards to ponder. One that jumped out: “Do you have strategic connections with local and state networks so your organization is first in line to receive critical information and get an audience for advocacy?” Learn what all ten are:
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2016/11/16/turbulence-ahead-10-questions-nonprofit-boards-urgently-ask-answer/
That’s it for the Friday Five. Aside from turkey, we’re grateful for the wonderful clients we have the opportunity to represent every day. Here’s hoping this Thanksgiving finds you with many reasons to be thankful!
As always, if you want more nonprofit information, follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook page. Send us your nonprofit questions at info@b-alaw.com, and see you next week!