Jack Kerouac’s On the Road was published 60 years ago this week on September 5, 1957. Regarded as a testament of the Beat movement of the 1950s, Kerouac’s novel reads like a diary of sorts—an autobiographical narrative that recounts the epic cross-country wanderings of Sal Paradise (a Kerouac-like protagonist) and his buddy Cassady-Dean Moriarty. Along their journey the two friends experience various encounters with free love, drugs and the burgeoning counterculture of the Beats—a cohort of young people who, in the Cold War-era, had become disillusioned by conformity, militarism and materialism. The book, which became an instant classic, was written on a 120-foot scroll, which consisted of sheets of tracing paper that had been taped together. While the first draft took just three weeks to write, Kerouac spent six years revising the manuscript before it was published. Before you start reminiscing about the good old days of the fabulous ‘50s, check out these five nonprofit headlines from the news this week.
According to Valerie M. Grubb’s “Clash of the Generations,” 25 percent of the workforce will be age 55 and older by the year 2020—many with no plans to retire anytime soon. That being said, today’s workplace is one that may be described as a clash of generations. This characterization requires an innovative management approach within today’s age-diverse culture. A culture that, according to The NonProfit Times, can be beneficial to the workforce in many ways, including enhanced efficiency and productivity. Are you managing in a way that encourages inclusion and supports innovation from employees, regardless of age? Take a look at the linked article above for six considerations for managing effectively in the new workplace.
Nonprofit HR’s latest study, the Nonprofit Employment Practices Survey, found two notable problems the nonprofit sector must address in order to attract high-quality candidates. The study states that 64 percent of nonprofit organizations have no formal strategy for recruiting employees and that 81 percent have no retention program. While limited budget restraints account for a large piece of these challenges, nonprofits now more than ever need to create a plan to appear favorable to potential employees. According to Nonprofit Quarterly, high staff turnover in a nonprofit is costlier in the long-run than investing in employees. Is your nonprofit looking for ways to develop initiatives that offer workers what they want? Click on the link above to discover more data from the study that your nonprofit can use to better steward potential team members.
Donor and volunteer support have always been a life source for nonprofit organizations. But in today’s competitive age there exists a need for more innovative ways to reach out to people for backing. The movement known as crowdsourcing arose from this very premise—leveraging people who want to do their part in assisting others. Because nonprofits are continually striving to find ways to do more with less, crowdsourcing can be an indispensable strategy for the nonprofit sector to employ. Interested in crowdsourcing for your organization but not sure where to start? Check out the Forbes article linked above to learn six ways your nonprofit can use crowdsourcing to leverage the ideas and talents of the public.
According to the Blackbaud Index, Santa and his helpers put in a bit more work this year for Christmas in July. The index measures giving in three-month intervals and tracks approximately $23 billion in charitable giving in the U.S. For the three-month period ending in July, the index reported an increase of 4.3 percent in overall giving, including a 10.4 percent spike in online giving compared to 2016 numbers. While small organizations saw more growth in overall giving as compared to online, large organizations experienced converse results with online giving outpacing overall growth. Want to know how your sub-sector fared? Follow The NonProfit Times link above to see a more detailed breakdown and analysis of the index and its results.
5. How-to Guide to Nonprofit Borrowing
Nonprofits are founded with the desire to make positive, mission-based changes in their communities and cities. While operated with a different mindset than that of a for-profit business, nonprofits possess many characteristics that are akin to the business sector, including having income, expenditures, employees and facilities. Similar to for-profit companies, nonprofit organizations sometimes look to loans as a means to effectively operate programs. Savvy board members and nonprofit directors understand that loans can be an advantageous tool for the development and success of their organization. Considering a loan for your nonprofit? The above link from the Nonprofit Quarterly provides a guide to borrowing that addresses everything from how to use the funds wisely to knowing when and how to borrow.
That’s it for this week’s Friday Five! We’re off to find ourselves a cozy little spot to snuggle up with our tattered, old copy of Kerouac’s classic. See you next week!
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