FRIDAY FIVE: August 10, 2018

DID YOU KNOW? In October 2014, Malala Yousafzai became the youngest person to win a Nobel Peace Prize. Yousafzai was born in Mingora, Pakistan, on July 12, 1997, and grew up attending the school for girls run by her father. When her village was taken over by the Taliban soon thereafter, the extremist leaders implemented strict social practices, including banning girls from attending school. As a young girl growing up in this remote Pakistani village where violence and oppression were commonplace and fear was endemic, Yousafzai surely had the odds stacked against her. Yet her love for education prevailed. She quickly became an advocate for girls’ education and spoke publicly and with inexplicable bravery about a girl’s right to access a safe, quality education. This soon made Yousafzai, still just a young girl herself, a target of the Taliban. On October 9, 2012, a member of the Taliban followed 15-year-old Yousafzai, stopped the school bus she was on and shot her in the side of the head. Yousafzai miraculously survived, and after being treated in a hospital in the U.K., continued her fight for a girl’s right to receive an education. In 2013, her autobiography, I Am Malala, became an international bestseller. After establishing the Malala Fund and the Malala Fund’s Gulmakei Network, an organization designed to promote girls’ education in developing countries across the world, Yousafzai was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in December 2014. She is currently studying philosophy, politics, and economics at Oxford University, and her dedication to education activism and women’s rights has only since deepened. But before you start planning your path to becoming the next Nobel laureate, check out these five nonprofit headlines from this week’s news.

1. Is the Nonprofit World for You?

Making the switch to the nonprofit sector is no simple task. Myths and misconceptions about the nonprofit world are all around us. So, before making the leap from the private sector, consider beginning with self-reflection, targeted research, and nonprofit exposure. According to Forbes, assessing why you are considering a move to the nonprofit sector can be a vital first step to determining if this switch is right for you. For more tips on how to make a successful and smooth transition from the private sector to the nonprofit world, take a look at the link above.

2. Community Inclusion in Decision-Making

It is obvious you should take into account the opinions of top strategists and researchers when considering how your nonprofit’s project should be carried out. What is much less obvious, and often far more difficult, is including the opinions of those you are attempting to represent. According to Nonprofit Quarterly, the “saviorism mentality” that has been adopted by too many organizations has forced marginalized communities’ voices to the periphery in the nonprofit decision-making process, instead of the center, where they belong. There is something to be said about recognizing knowledge that is gained through experience rather than that from a printed page. Check out the link above to see an example of how Historic Boston Incorporated, a Boston-based nonprofit, used community opinions and support to purchase and plan the redevelopment of the St. James African Orthodox Church.

3. Nonprofit Diversity: Fact or Fiction?

The Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, recently surveyed over 200 nonprofit CEOs about their thoughts on diversity as a key to their organizational goals. The study found that while the majority of leaders agreed that diversity is crucial to achieving organizational goals, the emphasis on diversity in gender identity, sexual orientation, and disabilities tended to lag far behind other forms of diversity in both priority and practice. Prioritization of diversity among staff members also tended to decrease when assessing higher levels of leadership. To learn more about common diversity disparities in nonprofits and how your organization can interact most effectively with funders surrounding diversity objectives, visit the link above.

4. Grants: Tracking Down the Best and Avoiding the Unlikely

Every nonprofit has experienced the time-consuming and often unfruitful task of researching and applying for grants. Before using costly grant research tools, the National Council of Nonprofits recommends first ensuring that you are connected to your state association of nonprofits, which may offer support through educational programs, grant databases, and discounts to access further research tools. Another recommended first step is checking your regional association of grantmakers for potential funders. For more information about grant research tools that best fit your organization’s needs and a chart compiled by the National Council of Nonprofits that assesses the strengths of different grant research databases, click the link above.

5. New Tax Regulations on Nonprofit Employee Benefits

The federal tax bill signed last December included a cryptic yet significant measure that changes how nonprofits and churches are taxed regarding employee benefits. Sometimes called the “parking tax,” this provision requires any nonprofit that provides transportation benefits to its employees to categorize such expenses as “unrelated business income” and pay a 21% UBIT tax on the amount of the benefit. The vague nature of the language in the new tax measure has caused confusion and resistance from nonprofits. Organizations like CalNonprofits and the National Council of Nonprofits are pushing the IRS and Treasury Department to delay changes to the UBIT, at least until this language can be clarified. To learn about how this “parking tax” might affect your nonprofit, and what steps you can take to pressure your legislators to repeal it, check out the link above for tips from the California Association of Nonprofits.

That’s it for this week’s Friday Five! Here’s hoping that more of the “Malala Yousafzais” of the nonprofit world get the recognition they deserve! See you next week!

Can’t get enough of the Friday Five? Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. We’ll be back next week!

FRIDAY FIVE: August 3, 2018

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed on February 2, 1848, ended the Mexican-American War started by President James K. Polk, and added an additional 525,000 square miles to United States territory. Included in this expansion are Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Mexico also agreed to give up all claims to Texas and set the Rio Grande river as America’s southern boundary.

DID YOU KNOW? Trump’s family separation policy, which has faced much public backlash and been challenged in the courts, brings to mind the impact of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo on Hispanic residents in the San Luis Valley in Colorado. Though these residents were legally granted U.S. citizenship overnight, many were treated as squatters and were evicted from their land after being unable to prove their property ownership to the satisfaction of the land speculators who purchased the properties from afar and arrived hoping to discover gold. This disrupted and dismantled communities that had long settled in the area. Families were broken up, as some residents were forced to purchase their lands while others moved away. Land disputes ensued into the early part of the next century.

Let’s be grateful for the insight that history can shed on current events as we dive into this week's nonprofit news below!

1. Use governance best practices to leverage the best from your board

One best practice your organization can implement is to ensure each board member understands his or her role on the board. All members of your nonprofit board should have a clear vision of how their efforts help to support the organization. Included within this is a clarification of each board member's role, which can range from strategy and marketing to fundraising.  Board members in particular should know exactly how their contributions shape the nonprofit so there is less confusion about overlapping responsibilities in the future. Don’t be afraid to designate formal roles and responsibilities for each board member, including the creation of a quarterly schedule of responsibilities.

Also, consider the types of support you feel the organization needs. If you need assistance in adding talent to the organization, then utilize your board members by asking for feedback and sharing their personal and professional networks. Leveraging the strengths of your board members may surprise you; they can ideally provide support on finance and legal issues, succession planning, leadership advice, etc.

As a reconnection tactic, consider holding regular board meetings each year to focus on reassessing results. Doing so will provide an excellent opportunity for your organization to formalize future strategies and priorities as well as help your board members reconnect and offer insights and opinions on each other’s performance.

For more reading, check out the link above.

2. Promoting Gender Diversity

The Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) in Cambridge, MA surveyed 205 nonprofit CEOs and found that 52% of respondents identified gender identity diversity as organizationally relevant. In comparison, 68% found diversity among individuals with disabilities to be important and 82% believed racial diversity to be relevant.

If you’re looking for impact, try out foundation funders as an option for potentially driving diversity. According to a 2018 Georgetown University report, utilizing foundation support can fund additional staff and professional development opportunities, convene trainings with equality focuses, and help identify and encourage investment in building career-propelling pipelines for diverse groups to navigate traditionally homogenous networks.

Click the link above to read on.

3. Helping donors to achieve their goals

If you’re having trouble attracting money from tech donors like the Boys & Girls Club of the Peninsula (BGCP) did, then try talking like a start-up.

In 2018, the BGCP found that their biggest Silicon Valley donors tended to favor “effective altruism,” a philosophy that espouses evidence and careful analysis as the best methods for philanthropists seeking to identify worthy causes. As an answer to this, Peter Fortenbaugh, the Executive Director of BGCP, started sending donors an “Annual Report to Stakeholders” with detailed data about impact and an analysis of their current efforts compared to previous years. Fortenbaugh even launched a “Shark Tank” event where employees and students could pitch to wealthy Silicon Valley donors about certain programs and outline the equity that donors would receive on those programs. This approach, which assures donors that BGCP’s cost per student was lower than that of competing programs, has been remarkably effective in bringing in donations. Last year, BGCP raised $2.7 million in 45 minutes from donations.

Want to read more about Fortenbaugh’s winning donation strategy? Click the link above to learn more!

4.  Did you know that your 501(c)(4) no longer has to disclose its donors on Schedule B of the 990?

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) had, until recently, required tax-exempt groups to disclose to the IRS some donor information on Schedule B of their annual 990 returns. This included the disclosure of donor names, addresses, and donation amounts over $5,000.

                Currently, the Treasury Department and the IRS no longer require such donor disclosure for certain types of 501(c) organizations, excluding 501(c)(3) public charities and 527 political organizations. Several factors influenced this decision, including the accidental release of confidential Schedule B information by the IRS in the past. Despite public criticism of this change in the past few weeks, the IRS frames the move as a good faith attempt to increase public trust and reinforce donor confidentiality. Continue down to number 5 to find out what some critics of the change in donor disclosure policy have said.

Want more details? Check out the link above. For the flip-side view of this recent development, check out the summary below.

5. How the IRS’s Stance on Donor Disclosure Corrupts the Nonprofit World

Now that funding sources for advocacy groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Rifle Association no longer need to be disclosed, what could go wrong?

For starters, some fear that foreign nationals wishing to illegally intervene in U.S. elections will have an easier time doing so now that disclosure of donor information is not required. Secondly, donors to political action committees (PACs) and super PACs are no longer public information, thus potentially increasing the risk for corruption. Add to this the risk of improper use of charitable donations for political purposes, and you have a smorgasbord of reasons for why the public could lose trust in nonprofits.

Want more reading? Click on the link above.

That’s it for this week’s Friday Five! We’re all set for a great weekend ahead. See you next week!

Can’t get enough of the Friday Five? Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. We’ll be back next week!

FRIDAY FIVE: July 27, 2018

Emma Lazarus is well-known for her Petrarchan Sonnet "The New Colossus," inscribed on a plaque of the Statue of Liberty's pedestal.

Did you know?

Though many have quoted excerpts of Lazarus' iconic sonnet to speak to the merit of diversity in recapturing America's identity, many may not know the origins of her writing this poem. Recognized for her prose pieces that eloquently captured the worldview of newly arrived exiles and refugees’ in America, she was approached to submit a poem for a fundraising auction to raise money for the building of the Statue of Liberty pedestal. Now you know of The New Colossus's fundraising roots and how it came to be. Check out this week's nonprofit news below!

1. Want more of a social media presence for your nonprofit? Try out Tumblr.

Tumblr is a social media platform/blog site that is great for using hashtags (#saywhat!). It’s also functional for search-engine optimization (Read more about SEO below).  Tumblr is user-friendly especially for those Twitter users and is appealing to the under 35 demographic (millennium impact!). Taking these points together with the fact that Tumblr has around 80 million blogs adds up to fantastic marketing potential!

For more tips, check out the link above.

2. Is your organization up to date?

Cryptocurrency has been making headlines lately, but how should nonprofits handle a cryptocurrency gift? For starters, it’s good practice to set policies in order for your organization to better handle this volatile commodity. Some questions to start the conversation would be: Can my bank handle it directly or do I need a separate crypto wallet?; Should I convert the currency to dollars or keep it as an investment?; Are there any implications I should be made aware of by the bank or by my financial advisor?  Knowing how to accept cryptocurrency donations and convert them will likely increase overall donations.

                Does your organization still contact donors on their landline? If so, frustration may build up, since most families nowadays either do not have a landline to call or are only gathered near the landline for some family time and would be annoyed at the phonathon intrusion. Instead, nonprofits should take advantage of the mobile phone, and call donors directly during the day. This route would be less annoying to some donors who prize family time around the dinner table and don’t want to be interrupted during the occasion.

Click the link above to read on.

 3.  A look at Nonprofit Organizational Design

The Architecture of Humanity, an international group that championed humanitarian designs in the aftermath of crises, experienced a financial crisis and eventually closed its doors after 16 years. (Quick tidbit: They helped to redesign schools in Haiti after their catastrophic earthquake that hit in 2010.) In its place, birthed a phoenix of an organization in 2016 known as the Open Architecture Collaborative (OAC), whose core purpose was participatory design and longer-term relationships with community. Garrett Jacobs, the executive director of the organization, explained that the renewal was in response to redefining the mission so that it fit the issues of the present, and helped to authentically build trust with communities affected by trauma. Their case is an excellent example of an organization that redesigned itself from a one-off project framework to a more sustainable design that seeks to find system issues within communities and create projects that promote resiliency within those communities. Essentially, the OAC design was created in response to the Architecture of Humanity’s failed retroactive project approach, and in its stead, embraced a proactive, more sustainable approach.

Want more details? Check out the link above.

4. Want more followers and donors? Try search-engine optimizing your blog content.

Search-engine optimizing (SEO) a website allows you to drive more people to your website by linking their keyword search content to your web page/blog. Use the following SEO tips and see what a difference in effective traffic it makes: Add search-relevant keywords to visible areas of your webpage (title, headers, URL, etc.); Don’t overuse similar keyword tags, because search engines (e.g. Google, Yahoo) may penalize your website for duplicate content; Use free Analytic Report tools to analyze the efficacy of the key words for drawing in customers to your webpage (e.g. Google’s Search Console).

Want more tips? Click on the link above.

5. What the "H" is a 501(c)(3)?

Before the involvement of the government with 501(c) legal descriptions, voluntary organizations were places for people to join in order to aid their less fortunate neighbors. Some examples found in early communities are volunteer fire and militia groups, women’s societies and church aid societies, which all helped to make life more equitable for all.

                After the Revolution, philanthropy took a turn and became more institutionalized. Women’s societies played a pivotal role here, and were deemed as “soften[ing] men’s obdurate hearts” to procure donations. By the end of the 19th century, philanthropy became the hallmark of the wealthy. Trusts and foundations were established, and many of these became the 501(c)s we know today. During the 20th century, the government introduced changes to its dealings with businesses and nonprofit organizations. Congress passed laws that regulated taxes and established tax-exempt status for nonprofits. Tax deductions were also introduced in the Revenue Act of 1918, producing incentive for the wealthy to donate. Later laws established the tax codes as we know them today as well as lobbying and member inurement restrictions. Now, the 501(c)(3) part of all this history actually comes from the Revenue Act of 1943, which requires that all nonprofits file a Form 990 to report sources of income, assets, and liabilities. This code section was later revised to require public access to 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations’ Form 990 data. In other words, 501(c)(3) refers to the section and subsections from this part of the Internal Revenue Code.

So, now you know what the “H” a 501(c)(3) is. Click the link above to learn more.

That’s it for this week’s Friday Five! We’re all set for a great weekend ahead. See you next week!

Can’t get enough of the Friday Five? Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. We’ll be back next week!

Friday Five: July 20, 2018

FRIDAY FIVE: July 20, 2018

DID YOU KNOW? The Rosetta Stone was found in 1799 by one of Napoleon Bonaparte’s soldiers during their campaign in Egypt.

Though several scholars have tried to crack the code found on the Rosetta Stone, a French Egyptologist named Jean-Francois Champollion was the one who ultimately deciphered the hieroglyphics using his knowledge of Greek as a helping guide. His contribution gave way to new insight on Egyptian culture and language and brought hieroglyphics back to life – a language thought dead for nearly 2,000 years. Now that you’ve been inspired by this story of how discovery led to a bringing-together of the cultures, let’s check out these five timely nonprofit headlines from the news this week.

1.  Leveraging the Pro Bono Business Model for your Nonprofit

People are happy to volunteer their time if they know that doing so will give them a sense of purpose. A nonprofit may encounter some unique challenges in seeking to leverage a pro bono business model though. For example, how do you ensure people honor the commitment they make? Effective leaders should tap into their employees’ emotional intelligence and use positive reinforcement where needed in order to provide a platform for their working-for-free employees to thrive. In order to create an operational system to facilitate the work, nonprofits should focus on finding the right people, such as business-minded people who value the cause and dedicated people who want a more authoritative position in order to create a larger impact. Burnout and attrition among volunteers must be tackled as well though. It is important to maintain a strong sense of community, ensure that time off and breaks are taken, and celebrate victories while taking into account individuals’ needs. Learn more by clicking on the link above!

2. Current news on suggestions for 501(c)(4) reformation

Section 501(c)(4) has, at times, undermined provisions of section 501(c), leading to statutory changes for veterans’ organizations, homeowners’ organizations, amateur sports, and credit counseling. As a result of these negative impacts, Ellen P. Aprill has written an article with suggestions on how to reform the 501(c)(4). She makes the case for possible taxation of investment income and predicted growth of the subsector in light of 2017 tax legislation that increased the standard deduction and limited certain itemized deduction. Check out her article by clicking the link above.

Want more information connected to 501(c)(4)s engaged in political activity? Want “More About 501(c)(4)s Than You Ever Wanted to Know? Check out this link.

3. What is a 501(h) election?

Do you have 501(c)(3) status and want to learn more about the effects of lobbying on your nonprofit? A 501(h) election may help you.         All charitable nonprofits may freely engage in legislative lobbying as long as those activities remain an insubstantial amount in comparison to the nonprofit’s other activities. A 501(h) election is a consideration for those nonprofits who may be worried whether their legislative lobbying activities will interfere with their tax-exempt status. Essentially, it is a form that nonprofits can file in order to elect to be measured by an “expenditure test.” In other words, it serves as insurance for nonprofits who may otherwise overstep their tax-exempt status into IRS no-no land.

Table of Limits specified in section 4911.

Organizations with an interest in filing 501(h) election should submit Form 5768 at any time during the tax year for which it is to be effective.

Learn more by clicking the link above for more info.

4.  How to counteract workplace toxicity

Though nonprofits do great work, it should not be taken for granted that they are great places to work. Are your organization’s values and cultural norms explicitly stated? If not, create an explicit values statement. Are there accountability policies in place? Start with incorporating questions about values and culture into the board’s annual performance assessment. (Check out the National Council on Nonprofits for helpful resources in this area.) Have members reflect on their overall performance in light of the organization’s mission, values, and goals. Have in place a 360-degree feedback process to provide employees perspective on their achievements. To this end, managers should use a survey tool or confidential interviews from peers.

Does your organization have policies in place to support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at all levels? With the help of strong human resource policies, nonprofits can develop a culture of belonging in which employees can thrive. Does your revenue model take into account fair and equitable employee compensation? It is clearly bad practice to overwork and underpay your employees, and attracting and retaining talented staff involves fair compensation. Make the case to your funders that your budget must include the full cost for delivering great programs. Don’t forget other employee benefits, such as sabbaticals, wellness or self-care programs, and professional development opportunities as well! Click on the link above to read more.

5.  How to handle customer disappointment

Nonprofits provide important services, and complaints inevitably crop up. However, customer complaints are often preventable. A mantra for your organization to live by:

1)       Open communication lines with customers.

2)       Set good/feasible expectations with customers.

3)       Maintain high commitment to customer service.

a.        This will help prevent issues before they become problems.

Research shows that resolving a customer complaint in a positive manner will lead the customers to

1)       recommend the business to others

2)       return as repeat customers

Top Customer Complaints:

1)       Product Disappointment

a.        Customers will often leave negative reviews of the product and business on Yelp and Google, which can then result in businesses responding in a manner that worsens the situation.

                                                               i.      Remedy: Have an excellent Quality Control department and Customer Expectation Management.

1.       QC- Is it the right color/size/etc. for the order? (Don’t have a QC dept.? You, the owner, can fill this role and be your own quality control member.)

2.       Customer expectations- share important product details with the customer before purchase so reasonable expectations are set.

2)       Poor Service

a.        Bad service experiences can lose customers to the competition. Reports of employee rudeness/knowledge/speed

b.       Customers need the assurance they’ll be treated with courtesy, and that their issue will be resolved in a timely and satisfactory manner.

                                                               i.      Remedy: Breed a culture of service within the team. Every team member (including those not directly involved with customer service) should exemplify customer respect.

3)       Negative Atmosphere

a.        Think dirty restrooms, uncomfortable seats, horrible temperatures, and aggravating music.

b.       A lack of transparency that allows for customers to find what they need can also contribute to the problem.

                                                               i.      Remedy: Be honest when you answer this question: Is your establishment user-friendly? The physical grounds are an extension of the business and play a part in representing the whole of the establishment.

1.       Open communication lines à Dirty restroom – Call this number and leave feedback. Thank you for your time! (It’s super important to catch these issues in real time!!!)

4)       Poor Communication

a.        (E.g. Product is no longer available; There was a mistake in the order; Can’t deliver as promised.) Hey, mistakes happen. Don’t fret, just communicate. Companies should be more up front with customers about issues that have popped up. Secondly, have a game plan in hand for when an issue arises, and communicate with the customer about it. Make sure a game of phone tag doesn’t ensue and allow for follow-up with the customer so that the issue doesn’t stay unresolved.

                                                               i.      Remedy: Be upfront, clear, and always available. Even if there’s bad news, deliver it to the customer.

5)       A Lack of Information

a.        Customers want to know the services your business provides.

                                                               i.      Remedy: Share important details about your business.

1.       Clear, easy to find contact information with phone, email, and mail options

2.       Directions and parking options

3.       Menus or prices

4.       Service details and amenities available

5.       Testimonials or reviews

6.       Options for giving feedback

Want more top customer complaints? Click on the link above. 😊

That’s it for this week’s Friday Five! We’re all set for a great weekend ahead. See you next week!

Can’t get enough of the Friday Five? Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. We’ll be back next week!

Friday Five: June 29, 2018

Spike Lee’s third feature film, Do the Right Thing, was released on June 30, 1989 in theaters across the United States. The racially charged, thought-provoking drama focuses on the hottest day of the year on one block within the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn—a block that is home to the only white-owned business in the black-majority neighborhood, Sal’s Famous Pizzeria. The story unfolds as the cast of memorable characters circulates around Sal’s. Rising tensions lead to an eventual breaking point that results in violence and catastrophic consequences. Upon its release, the film caused quite a stir due to its provocative depiction of race relations, which included explicit references to recent notorious events in New York. Lee’s Do the Right Thing was nominated for two Oscars (Best Supporting Actor and Best Original Screenplay) and was later dubbed “culturally significant” by the U.S. Library of Congress. Today, it stands as one of Hollywood’s most noteworthy depictions of race relations in America. But before you login to your Netflix account to see if its available to stream, check out these five nonprofit headlines from the news this week.

1.  Tips for Effective Storytelling

Behind every brand is a story. According to Forbes, creating the right narrative—especially in the nonprofit world—is crucial for driving engagement and garnering support for an organization’s mission. And it’s not just the story nonprofits are telling, but the way they tell it that can make all the difference when connecting with potential donors. While mastering the art of storytelling may seem like a huge feat, there are techniques that one can use to facilitate the creation of marketing content strategies. Want to better engage donors through storytelling? Click on the link above to discover six effective techniques for fine-tuning your organization’s narrative.

2.  Leadership Gaps in the Nonprofit Sector

Nonprofits are not just a “feel good” sector—they are a necessity to local and international communities alike. Organizations within the nonprofit sector, however, are suffering from a leadership gap. A gap that, according to Quartz, stems from a lack of investment in leadership development. In a recent study of approximately 1,200 nonprofit leaders, only 20% are confident they have the abilities to enable their team to achieve its goals. And only 20% of the leaders stated that they had a formal succession plan in place at their organization. So, what does leadership training entail and how can it benefit your organization? Learn more by checking out the link above.

3.  Strategic Reserves and Financial Sustainability

For nonprofit organizations, endowments represent the apex of ideal funding streams—a fantastic notion of being able to fund everything from organizational infrastructure to workplace coffee, all without having to shave dollars from each and every contract. But with the scarcity of such funding, most nonprofits are forced to find alternatives, alternatives that are scantily described or discussed. A recent webinar from the Nonprofit Quarterly, however, showcases an emerging trend among funders and their grantees: funder strategic reserves made available for long-term use in the pursuit of nonprofit missions. Follow the link above to discover how a reserve grant program can impact your financial sustainability.

4.  Considering Social Enterprise? Read This

Oftentimes nonprofit leaders look to social enterprise as a means to diversify funding sources and drive sustainable revenue. But what about social enterprise’s ability to impact an organizational mission? By selling a service or product, nonprofit organizations utilize a market-driven approach to address unmet, rudimentary needs—and help to solve social and environmental problems along the way. In this way, according to Forbes, social enterprise can become a substantial accompaniment to current operations of any charitable organization. Before you choose to strengthen your nonprofit with social enterprise, check out the link above for three things to consider.

5.  How Does Your Nonprofit Self-Identify?

The last 35 years have seen a shift in the nonprofit sector and self-identity. Once seen as the “volunteer sector,” nonprofits now insist on being recognized as a sector of paid professionals. According to Stanford Social Innovation Review, this unintentional aftereffect of a focus on professionalism has led to the dismissal of all-volunteer nonprofits. Movements—contrary to professional and expert-led organizational initiatives—arise from those most directly affected by a problem. Recognizing the democratic process that gives both respect and authority to non-experts, perhaps the nonprofit sector should reclaim its identity as the “volunteer sector.” Learn more about the inherently democratic identity of the nonprofit sector by clicking on the link above.

That’s it for this week’s Friday Five! We’re all set for a great weekend ahead—“And that’s the double-truth, Ruth!” See you next week!

Can’t get enough of the Friday Five? Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. We’ll be back next week!

Friday Five: June 22, 2018

The Statue of Liberty, a gift of friendship from France to the United States, arrived in New York Harbor on June 17, 1885. Shipped across the Atlantic in more than 200 crates, the 350 individual copper and iron pieces of the dismantled Lady Liberty would—collectively—become a world-renowned, enduring symbol of freedom and democracy. The statue, meant to commemorate the American Revolution and a century of camaraderie between France and the U.S., was designed by French sculptor Frederic-August Bartholdi with the assistance of Gustave Eiffel (the man who would later develop the iconic tower in Paris that would bear his name). The statue, which cost France approximately $250,000 (more than $5.5 million today), was completed in Paris in the summer of 1884 and then taken apart for shipment to the States. After her reassembly, the robed, female figure holding a torch in an uplifted arm was officially dedicated On October 28, 1886 during a ceremony presided over by President Cleveland. At the time of her dedication, the Statue of Liberty was taller than any structure in New York City. During the time Ellis Island served as America’s chief immigration station, Lady Liberty stood watch over the more than 12 million immigrants sailing into New York Harbor. Today she remains a symbol of America’s proud history as the land of opportunity. And now that you’re well-versed in your trivia of one of America’s most famous landmarks, check out these five nonprofit headlines from the news this week.

1.  "Culture of Philanthropy"

Building a “culture of philanthropy” within a nonprofit is to integrate all aspects of the organization. Instead of isolating grant writers, each person within the organization—from the receptionist to individual board members—plays a vital role in the philanthropic life of the nonprofit. According to Nonprofit Quarterly, fundraising should not be seen as a necessary evil, but should act as only a part of an organization’s philanthropic culture and fund development plan. Grant-writing goals should be integrated with fundraising goals and should be based on reasonable and well-researched data. How is your organization’s “culture of philanthropy? Click on the link above to discover why resourcing your mission is as important as ensuring good strategy.

2.  Four Common Mistakes Made by New Nonprofits

Much like starting any for-profit business, establishing a nonprofit organization has many challenges—challenges that extend beyond securing tax-exempt status. Unfortunately, there are far fewer resources for nonprofit entrepreneurs than their for-profit counterparts. That said, when it comes to formation and the first few years of navigation, emerging nonprofits are more likely to make mistakes that cost them in the long run. Is your nonprofit in its infancy? Learn to differentiate between growing pains and potential deep-seated issues. Check out the link above from Forbes for four common mistakes made by newly established nonprofits and how to avoid them.

3.  Creating a Nonprofit Exit Checklist

Nonprofit leaders often talk about designing exit strategies, but few organizations are able to successfully phase out their work in a way that provides sustainability to the communities they are leaving. More often than not, nonprofit program exits arise from implausible timelines and scarcity of funds—rather than results. According to Stanford Social Innovation Review, nonprofits must rethink how they design and implement exit strategies. Instead of focusing on money spent and timelines, organizations should place an emphasis on sustainability and impact. Through simple and flexible checklists—used in transparent and consistent ways—nonprofits can depart from projects all while minimizing mistakes and maximizing impact. Need to rethink your program exit strategies? Follow the link above to discover how to create a nonprofit exit checklist.

4.  Experiments in Fundraising

whether big or small, world-renowned and local organizations alike find fundraising is arguably the biggest challenge for in the entirety of the nonprofit sector. With thousands of nonprofit organizations tottering on the edge of stagnation or collapse, far too many noble ideas for solving social problems are falling through the cracks or are unable to be applied at the scale they deserve. While traditional advice suggests that diversification of funding sources is the key to meeting fundraising goals, there may not be a one-size-fits-all strategy for success. According to the Harvard Business Review, new generations of social innovators are demonstrating that experimentation may be the best way to mollify risk with regards to developing funding streams. If conventional formulaic diversification isn’t working for your organization, check out the link above to read more.

5.  Social Impact Company? Start Here

In the business world, it should be acknowledged that the phrase “doing good” is open for interpretation. Newly-formed entities on the hunt for funding as well as established entities pressed for resources may take on the guise of socially conscious start-ups as a means to appeal to both investors and customers. But they do not always live up to their promises. This disparity between actions and words can have a profoundly negative impact on the idea that business can be a force for good. So, what should you do if your company genuinely values social impact? Click on the link above from Entrepreneur to learn how to balance the goals of for-profit work with those of community-oriented resources.

That’s it for this week’s Friday Five! We’re thankful for the gift of Lady Liberty and all she has come to represent. See you next week!

Can’t get enough of the Friday Five? Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. We’ll be back next week!

Friday Five: June 15, 2018

On June 12, 1942, a young Jewish girl named Anneliese Marie Frank received a diary for her 13th birthday. Just a month later, Anne Frank’s family went into hiding from the Nazis. Hidden in the attic apartment behind her father Otto Frank’s business in Amsterdam, Anne kept a diary for two years. The Franks and four other families were fed and looked after by Gentile friends as they lived in constant fear of being discovered. Life for the eight people living in the small apartment (which Anne dubbed the Secret Annex in her diary) was tense and required complete silence during daytime hours in order to avoid detection. In an effort to pass the time, the diarist chronicled her daily observations and feelings in her diary. In entries to an imaginary friend named Kitty, Anne would write about her loneliness, lack of privacy and typical teenage issues such as arguments with her mother and resentment toward her sister. She also displayed acute insight and maturity with regards to issues of humanity, war and her own identity. On August 4, 1944 the Secret Annex was discovered by the Gestapo after an anonymous tip. Anne’s parents were taken to Auschwitz while she and her sister were transferred to another camp. It was there, at Bergen-Berlsen, that Anne would succumb to typhus one month before the war ended. After having survived his time at the Nazi concentration camp, Otto Frank published his daughter’s diary in 1947 as The Diary of a Young Girl. Today, the book has been translated into 70 languages in more than 60 countries. Now that you’ve been reminded of the resilience of the human spirit, check out these five nonprofit headlines from the news this week.

1.  Nonprofits and the Millennial Mindset

It appears as though Millennials have the odds stacked against them: mounting student debt, soaring costs of living and limited job opportunities. Yet, somehow, Millennials have been able to achieve what generations before them could not. Through the creation of a global community, this generation promotes connectivity and networking and demonstrates the interconnectedness of social change and startup culture. According to Forbes, Millennials have become one of the most powerful generations of our time working to diminish boundaries and create new dimensions within the nonprofit sector. Is this generation better suited for creating impactful change within the philanthropic stratum? Click on the link above to discover three attributes of the Millennial mindset that your nonprofit can leverage to generate greater and more effective reach.

2.  Where Have All the Donors Gone?

Whether it’s economic swings, demographic changes, "new" philanthropy or the plethora of ways to support a cause—no one knows for certain what’s causing our country’s decline in giving. The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s special report, “The Disappearing Donor,” examines this issue further with new data that shows a decline across all demographics (age, income, education, marital status and religion), even among donors that are typically staunch nonprofit supporters. In an attempt to reckon with this narrowing base of support, fundraisers within the nonprofit world are throwing ideas at the wall—with the hope that something will stick. As your organization begins to reassess its fundraising strategies, check out the link above for a more in-depth analysis of America’s shrinking donor base.

3.  U.S. to Receive Poor Report Card in Issues of Poverty

Philip Alston—United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights—is scheduled to present his findings from a 12-day fact-finding tour on poverty in the United States to the United Nations Human Rights Council on June 21st in Geneva, Switzerland. Alston’s final report, published a month ago, focuses on poverty and stereotypes surrounding it as well as racism, voting rights, income inequality, health care, and even mass incarceration. While Alston will be giving the U.S. a poor report card in front of the international community, he also offers five policy recommendations as a helpful step in implementing change. Follow the link above from Nonprofit Quarterly to discover key insights unveiled by Alston’s report and his recommended changes in U.S. policy.

4.  Giving and Volunteering and Workplace Turnover

Fostering a workplace culture that emphasizes goodness and engagement proves exponentially beneficial to employers. According to a new report from Benevity, Inc., a social-responsibility and employee-engagement software provider, the turnover rate for employees that both donate money and volunteer their time is 57% below that of unengaged employees. Not only do charities benefit, but employees are happier and more engaged—making for a more productive and stable workplace. Want to learn more about employee-centric giving programs and how they may benefit your organization? Check out the link above from The NonProfit Times to read more.

5.  Artificial Intelligence for Good

According to Stanford Social Innovation Review, many mission-driven organizations will look to artificial intelligence (AI) to amplify their work, stretch philanthropic dollars and expand impact. This sort of “mission-driven AI”—dubbed “AI for good”—will apply AI to solve ecological and societal challenges as machine-learning techniques help to streamline operations and enhance programming within social enterprises and nonprofit organizations. Want to know how recent breakthroughs in the world of AI would benefit your nonprofit? Click on the link above to learn more about the opportunities AI presents to the social change sector.

That’s it for this week’s Friday Five! We’re dusting off an old copy of Anne Frank’s diary and diving in. See you next week!

Can’t get enough of the Friday Five? Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. We’ll be back next week!

Friday Five: June 8, 2018

Born in India and educated in England, Mohandas K. Gandhi traveled to South Africa in 1893 as a young Indian lawyer. During a one-year contract to practice law, Gandhi was exposed to racism and subjugated to South African laws that restricted the rights of Indian workers. In a moment he would later recall as his “moment of truth,” Gandhi was removed from a first-class railway compartment and ejected from a train after he refused to comply with racial segregation rules. Upon the expiration of his work contract, he decided to remain in South Africa—determined to fight injustice and defend his rights as an Indian. Gandhi went on to launch a campaign against legislation that would deny Indians voting rights and form the Natal Indian Congress. These actions helped to shine a global spotlight on the plight of Indians in South Africa. But when the Transvaal government sought to further restrict Indians’ rights, Gandhi was compelled to organize his first act of mass civil disobedience—satyagraha—on June 7, 1893. After seven years of protest, a compromise with the South African government was finally made. In 1914, Gandhi returned to India where he lived an abstinent and spiritual life. Always nonviolent, he was revered for his philosophy of peaceful and passive resistance. Known as Mahatma—the great-soul—his persuasive methods of civil disobedience influenced and inspired leaders of human rights movements around the world. Are you feeling inspired? We wouldn’t blame you! But check out these five nonprofit headlines from the news this week before planning your next peaceful protest.

1.  Want to Change the World? You'll Need These Two Things:

The world we live in today is nearly unrecognizable from that of past generations. To keep up with the times, nonprofit organizations are ever-evolving in their efforts to facilitate change. But advancements in society do not arise from disconnect and lack of insight. According to Forbes, sweeping change and large-scale progression depend on two components—a big vision and effective collaboration. As both are essential to tackle the difficulties faced by nearly every sector, merging multidisciplinary efforts can help to implement organizational visions. Is your nonprofit’s vision hindered by a disjointed team? Click on the link above to discover how your organization can leverage collaborations in order to advance your mission.

2.  Want to Start a Nonprofit? Read this:

After battling an eating disorder, ADD and other learning disorders as well as meth addiction, Concetta Mantinan got sober and devoted herself to starting her first business—now, she is launching her third. A recent article from Entrepreneur focuses on the story of this social entrepreneur and the lessons she’s learned regarding how to establish, fund and run a nonprofit organization. Are you contemplating turning your passion into a nonprofit? Check out the link above to read more about Mantinan’s journey and three tips for a successful business strategy.

3.  Nonprofit and For-Profit: Can They Work Together?

Public for-profit companies and private nonprofit organizations have always behaved as rivals. Treating the other as polar opposite in both composition and intention, for-profit and nonprofit sectors are constantly competing for attention, recognition and funding. Because both have such distinct characteristics, is it possible to align the two sectors on a path toward mutual success? According to Forbes, both sectors can generate great, lasting change through collaboration. Want to know how your organization can achieve mutually beneficial success with a for-profit collaborator? Follow the link above to learn how to form partnerships for a greater cause!

4.  White Space in the Nonprofit Sector

In the days of viral videos and social media newsfeeds, the narrative and counter-narrative with regards to race in the United States is becoming increasingly predominant and hard to ignore. Nonprofit organizations, acting as overseers of the public space, should examine the ways in which “white space” plays out within its own sector. According to the Nonprofit Quarterly, our country is experiencing a shift from implicit bias to explicit violence—this shift is crucial to the nonprofit sector as its own narrative, for the most part, echoes a narrative of racial inequity. How are your organization’s leaders approaching and addressing the issue of race? Check out the link above to read more about the nonprofit sector as white space and its role in bringing systems change.

5.  Is Your Collaboration on the Outs?

Successful collaborations between organizations accomplishes more than either entity could on its own. But because power is the “secret sauce” of nonprofit collaborations, a power imbalance left unaddressed could result in an ugly and counterproductive situation. According to Stanford Social Innovation Review, collaborations fail when collaborative parties don’t discuss power and its implications. If you’re considering walking away from a collaboration because the other entity is seemingly too uncollaborative, consider whether power is the underlying problem. Click on the link above for suggestions on how to properly address power dynamics and leverage strengths for successful collaboration.

That’s it for this week’s Friday Five! We’re feeling grateful for another reminder that lasting change is possible. See you next week!

Can’t get enough of the Friday Five? Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. We’ll be back next week!

Friday Five: June 1, 2018

Quintessentially British. Located at the top of the renamed Elizabeth Tower—rising 320 feet above Westminster, London—the famous clock known as Big Ben began to tick on May 31, 1859. After a fire ravaged much of the Palace of Westminster (the British Parliament headquarters) in October 1834, a design for the new palace was set forth. A standout feature of the project was to be a large clock atop a tower. Sir George Airy, the royal astronomer, wanted the clock to have pinpoint accuracy, a feat that many clockmakers at the time dismissed as impossible. But with the help of Edmund Beckett Denison, a barrister and expert of horology—the science of measuring time, Airy succeeded in producing a clock that is now famous for its accurate timekeeping. Big Ben’s accuracy is achieved by the steady movement of the clock's hands, guaranteed by a stack of coins placed on the clock’s gigantic pendulum. During nighttime, all four of Big Ben’s clock faces (each 23 feet in diameter) are lit, and a light above the clock is illuminated to indicate to the public when Parliament is in session. There are two competing narratives as to how the clock got its name. Some theorize it is nicknamed for a 19th century boxing champion, Benjamin Caunt, while others argue it is named after a Welsh engineer who oversaw the rebuilding of the Houses of Parliament after the 1834 fire, Sir Benjamin Hall. Now that we’ve got you browsing flights to London for the next three-day weekend, check out these five nonprofit headlines from the news this week.

1.  "Othering" Language and the Nonprofit Narrative

Two types of language most commonly used for nonprofit and mission-based narratives are identity-first language and person-first language. Identity-first language defines individuals by their conditions—for example, a “homeless person,” while person-first language identifies the person first then adds a characteristic –for instance, a person experiencing homelessness.” Both languages are most frequently seen in donor- and funder-targeted materials and are used to evoke an emotional response that will lead to gifts. According to Nonprofit Quarterly, this type of “othering” language does a disservice to the individuals serviced by nonprofits. Have you examined the language used by your organization? Click on the link above to discover how your nonprofit can rewrite its narratives to empower, not victimize or dehumanize, individuals.

2.  Number of Nonprofit Organizations Nears 1.8 Million

The number of nonprofit organizations in the United States is now approaching 1.8 million, as more than 93 percent of tax-exempt applications were approved last year by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). With fewer than 100 out of 91,975 applications rejected by the IRS in 2017, the nonprofit sector is becoming increasingly saturated. Drastic steps taken by the IRS to expedite the tax-exempt application process with the shortened form 1023 and the high rate of approvals may be indicative of both resource constraints as well as budget stress. How will the high-rate of approvals for tax-exempt status impact your nonprofit? Check out the link above from The NonProfit Times to read more.

3.  Adaptive Strategy is Adapting

Through its work with foundations and nonprofits, the Monitor Institute by Deloitte has focused on the concept of “adaptive strategy.” This concept stems from the idea that organizations must do more than set a destination in its crosshairs—it must also execute and adjust over time. According to the Stanford Social Innovation Review, advancements in the disciplines of execution management, data science and innovation are influencing the way nonprofit leaders approach strategy and have created new opportunities to increase impact. Want to know how your organization can adapt by integrating insights from these fields? Follow the link above to find examples and start turning strategy into a verb!

4.  Effective Grant Writers Are ________________.

Grant writing is unlike any other type of writing as it requires a nuanced, specialized skill set that melds personable and analytical writing. Because nonprofit organizations need supplementary support while putting together grant proposals, grant writers are now in high demand. But what traits make a candidate stand out when applying to fill a grant writing position? Before considering your next hire, click on the link above from Forbes to discover nine traits of effective grant writers.

5.  Why Don't College Students Want to Volunteer?

More than three-quarters of students entering college feel as though it is their duty to help those in need. While this sentiment has grown steadily in the past few years, only 26 percent of all college students actually volunteer—a number lower than high school students. According to Fast Company, this is troubling as the college set is thought to have a more flexible schedule and to be more affluent and better educated than high-schoolers. Additionally, those who do not volunteer as college students, do not go on to volunteer as adults either. So what can your organization do to encourage volunteerism from students in higher education? Check out the link above for real-world examples of programs focused on encouraging students to get involved, both entrepreneurially and philanthropically.

That’s it for this week’s Friday Five! We’re contemplating grabbing a pint at the pub after work—if we can’t be in London, that seems like the next best thing. Cheers!

Can’t get enough of the Friday Five? Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. We’ll be back next week!

Friday Five: May 25, 2018

The Golden Gate Bridge, a spectacular artistic and technological feat, spans the Golden Gate Straight at the entrance to the San Francisco Bay and connects San Francisco with Marin County, California. Prior to its construction, the concept of the bridge was so controversial that it took engineer Joseph Strauss 16 years to persuade doubtful city officials and others who opposed the project. After public opinion began to sway in favor of the undertaking, design plans were set and financing secured. Construction for the Golden Gate Bridge began in 1933—when the economy had reached bottom as a result of the Great Depression. Strauss and his workers endured many challenges throughout the bridge’s creation, including frequent storms, heavy fogs and tumultuous waters from the straight—strong tides that constituted grave dangers for the necessary underwater construction. After just over four years of construction and eleven casualties, the Golden Gate Bridge opened to the public to great acclaim on May 27, 1937. On opening day, dubbed “Pedestrian Day,” some 200,000 people showed up to marvel at the 4,200-foot-long suspension bridge—the longest bridge of its kind in the world at the time. At its unveiling, the Golden Gate Bridge stood as a symbol of triumph and progress amidst economic hardship. After 80-plus years of operation, the bridge stands today as one of the world’s most recognizable architectural achievements. Now that you’ve added some facts to your trove of trivia, check out these five nonprofit headlines from the news this week.

1.  Hope, Not Rage, Driving Donations

According to a recent survey from Edge Research, approximately one in five people who made at least one donation in 2017 gave in reaction to a social or political shift that encroached upon their principles. While the press has begun to label these gifts as “rage donations,” findings from the above-mentioned report indicate that rage was not in fact the prime motivator for donating. Instead, hope (63%) and empowerment (58%) were the top two key drivers for reactive giving—with anger (26%) ranking fifth on the list overall. According to Nonprofit Quarterly, understanding what stirs donors to action is vital for fundraising, especially for nonprofits fighting regressive policies. Want to know more about emotionally driven charitable donations? Click on the link above to discover an in-depth summary of the study’s noteworthy findings.

2.  Franchise Organizations Serving Their Communities

Because of the unique structure of franchise organizations, individual owners are able to create a huge impact in the communities they serve. Through collaboration, shared technology platforms, buying power and pooled marketing dollars, networks of entrepreneurial business owners can give back and provide boots on the ground support to local initiatives. Most franchise owners are encouraged by their brands to participate in community efforts and some even have formal programs to streamline efforts. Want a snapshot of the types of initiatives taking place in the current marketplace? Check out the link above from Entrepreneur for three examples of franchise organizations providing much-needed resources to those in need.

3.  New Nonprofit? Avoid these Fundraising Mistakes

According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics, there are more than 1.5 million (and growing) tax-exempt organizations in the United States. That said, it can be a challenge for nonprofits to gain their share of charitable giving. This is especially true of newly-formed organizations that have not yet established recognition or a reputation amongst donors. A recent article from Forbes states that younger organizations oftentimes act too quickly in attempts to appeal to donors—leading to desperate measures that may cause long-term damage. Follow the link above to read about thirteen common fundraising errors to avoid in the infancy stages of your nonprofit.

4.  Donor-Advised Funds: The Basics

Donor-advised funds (DAFs) can be described as a personal charitable savings account. Donors create accounts and make contributions such as cash, stock, or other assets (artwork, real estate and the like) that are eligible for an immediate tax deduction. DAFs are controlled by nonprofits, referred to as sponsoring organizations, that manage the account and invest to charitable organizations according to donor wishes. While the use of DAFs is but a small part of philanthropy, their popularity has flourished in recent years. Because DAFs account for billions of dollars (and are seeing continual growth), people have are a lot of questions with regards to how these funds function. Want to learn more about DAFs? Click on the link above from The Chronicle of Philanthropy for the basics.

5.  Philanthropy Meets Advocacy

The widening rift between Democrats and Republicans is continually highlighted in headlines. Whether it is with regards to issues of race, immigration, the environment, or other serious issues, gridlock at the congressional level hinders elected officials' ability to solve our nation’s challenges. That said, Americans have begun to look to the nonprofit sector to address policy issues and take up the torch for causes they care about. According to the Stanford Social Innovation Review, philanthropists can, and should, engage the public and policy makers and step up their advocacy work. But how should they proceed? Check out the link above for five questions philanthropists should work through to build and execute advocacy campaigns.

That’s it for this week’s Friday Five! We’re wishing everyone a wonderful and safe Memorial Day Weekend. See you next week.

Can’t get enough of the Friday Five? Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. We’ll be back next week!

Friday Five: May 18, 2018

In 1896, the Supreme Court ruled that “separate but equal” railroad car accommodations conformed to equal protection guaranteed by the 14th Amendment. This ruling, Plessy v. Ferguson, was further used to justify the segregation of all public facilities, even schools. It wasn’t until the historic case of Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 that the federal tolerance of racial segregation was brought to an end. Because of the color of her skin, Linda Brown had been denied entrance to her local elementary school in Topeka, Kansas—a school that was miles closer to her home and far superior to her black alternative. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) rallied around Linda and her case. The case made it before the Supreme Court with Thurgood Marshall, African American lawyer and future Supreme Court justice, at the forefront of Brown’s legal team. On May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a unanimous decision that racial segregation of children in public schools was unconstitutional. This ruling was a major civil rights victory that ultimately led to the abolishment of racial segregation in all accommodations and public facilities. Now that you’ve had your history lesson for the day, check out these five nonprofit headlines from the news this week.

1.  Nonprofits, Keep Your Partners Happy

Nonprofit leaders invest a lot of time fostering relationships with their organization’s partners. In this sense, charitable organizations operate just like any other business—with partners expecting a return for the time, services or financial investments they make to your organization. Because the support of these agencies often plays an integral role in the advancement of your nonprofit’s mission, it is important to show them exactly what they’re getting out of the relationship. How does your nonprofit maintain mutually beneficial relationships? Click on the link above from Forbes to discover 11 tips for sustaining successful partnerships.

2.  Social Responsibility and Your Small Business

The business sector is continually changing. This is due in large part to the fact that business operations are based on cultural, technological and generational changes. Because we are in an era of social impact, a large number of businesses have shifted to a more socially responsible company platform. Do you want to attract talent and investors and help them feel good about what type of company they are committing to? Check out the link above from Entrepreneur and consider five reasons smaller businesses could benefit from following a social responsibility business model.

3.  Help Your Board to Spot Red Flags

There has been a disheartening amount of news coverage lately with regards to nonprofits facing insurmountable financial challenges. Whether it is critical audit reports, back taxes, cancelled federal grants, or unpaid bills, one has to wonder if members of these nonprofit boards missed the red flags. With the gift of hindsight, it is easy to look at the evidence available now and wonder how these issues could have gone unnoticed. Because most board “best practices” advise against micromanaging, problems may go unresolved as a result of governance vs. management. So what can be done to ensure your organization’s operations stay on the up-and-up? Follow the link above from Nonprofit Quarterly to learn how your board members can spot red flags.

4.  Is Your Nonprofit Ready to Expand Globally?

After having perfected service to its local (and perhaps even regional) area, it is natural for a nonprofit organization to consider global expansion as part of its growth strategy. While the organization may believe outward is the next step, how can leaders be sure their nonprofit is truly ready to take the leap? Because replicating service offerings on a global scale is not always a simple feat, there are steps organizations must take before expanding. Is your organization considering transitioning from a national platform to an international stage? Click on the link above from Forbes to find out how to expand deliberately with a solid strategy.

5.  Building Capacity in Times of Disruption

Nonprofit leadership is no walk in the park. Even before the 2016 US election, nonprofit work has been at the mercy of a myriad of factors such as technology, increasing inequality, globalization, and social and political movements. In recent years, it has become clear that for change to endure, leaders must understand what is happening on the frontlines and what nonprofits must do to do their work effectively. According to Stanford Social Innovation Review, funders must also embrace the same tenents that nonprofit leaders are charged with. If funders are as adaptive as they ask their grantees to be, the social sector may be able to achieve change at the scale of the problems it faces. Check out the link above for suggestions for building capacity during times of disruption.

That’s it for this week’s Friday Five! With more knowledge of the past, we’re feeling even more appreciative for the present. See you next week.

Can’t get enough of the Friday Five? Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. We’ll be back next week!

Friday Five: May 11, 2018

For years, many athletes tried (and failed) to run a mile in less than four minutes. So many were unsuccessful in the feat that the concept of the four-minute mile was thought to be physically impossible. In 1945, the world record for the fastest mile was set by Gunder Hagg of Sweden at four minutes and 1.3 seconds. In the 1950s, perhaps lured by the elusiveness of the task, several runners devoted themselves to being the first to finish within the three-minute time zone. It wasn’t until May 6, 1954 that a medical student named Roger Bannister accomplished the impossible by becoming the first person in recorded history to run a mile in under four minutes. After having broken track and field’s most famous barrier at three minutes and 59.4 seconds, Bannister paved the way for many athletes to follow. The once impossible task continues to be achieved, and the record for fastest mile lowered. But before you lace up your running shoes, check out these five nonprofit headlines from the news this week.

1.  New IRS Tool Provides Greater Public Insight into Exempt Organizations

Earlier this week, the Internal Revenue Service introduced a new online tool on IRS.gov that is meant to provide expanded access to information on exempt organizations. With quicker, easier access than its predecessor (EO Select Check), the new Tax Exempt Organization Search (TEOS) will allow greater insight for taxpayers considering donations to charitable organizations. Key features of TEOS include images of newly-filed 990 forms—made available to the public for the first time ever—as well as the ability to search for favorable determination letters. Additionally, the tool has been optimized for mobile use and can be accessed through tablets and even smartphones. Before making your next donation, give the new TEOS tool a try. Click on the link above to discover what information is now available to you.

2.  Politics and Philanthropy

In an effort to understand what factors allow philanthropy to flourish or flounder, the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IUPUI conducted the 2018 Global Philanthropy Environment Index (GPEI). The study evaluated 79 economies on a five-point scale across five key factors in order to evaluate the level of ease with which philanthropic organizations can operate. This year’s report examined how governing laws and socio-cultural and political environments either incentivize or hinder giving efforts around the world. Want to know how your region faired on the latest GPEI? Check out the link above from The NonProfit Times to learn how politics is affecting philanthropy in areas throughout the world.

3.  Follow Your Passion Without Losing Your Salary

According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics, there are more than 1.5 million registered nonprofit organizations in the United States. With that many organizations striving to bring about positive change, there are numerous opportunities for those wanting to turn their passion into something more valuable. As set forth in a recent article from Entrepreneur, passion and profitability do not have to be mutually exclusive. If you’re considering the switch from the for-profit to the nonprofit sector, consider the ways in which you may be able to parlay your corporate experience to achieve quantifiable results as part of a nonprofit organization. Socially meaningful investments made by nonprofits serve those in need as well as provide a return to social impact financial partners. Follow the link above to learn more about how to pursue your passion without sacrificing an important business role (or a paycheck).

4.  Issues of Inequity and Affordable Housing

On the day after Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, President Johnson pleaded with congressional members to enact legislation that would prohibit discrimination in housing sales, rentals and financing. As a result, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Fair Housing Act. While the law was a step in the right direction, affordable housing continues to be unattainable for many—as millions of families across the U.S. today still struggle with housing insecurity. According to Stanford Social Innovation Review, finding a solution to the affordable housing crisis means addressing issues of inequity—whether issues of race, age, class or gender. So how can we spark a conversation and adjust the public viewpoints encumbering better, quality housing for all? Click on the link above for a look at two ways to change the story told about housing in America.

5.  Nonprofit Website Design Mistakes

According to Internet Statistics Live, there are more than 1.8 billion websites—a number that continues to grow. With that amount of competition, it can be a challenge to create a website that excels in both content and design. This is especially true for nonprofits wanting to ensure that donors look to them when they are ready to give. Want to ensure that your website is user-friendly and attractive to viewers? Check out the Forbes article linked above for the seven most common web design mistakes and how your nonprofit can avoid them.

That’s it for this week’s Friday Five! We’re feeling motivated and ready to tackle the impossible. See you next week.

Can’t get enough of the Friday Five? Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. We’ll be back next week!

Friday Five: April 27, 2018

William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon is believed by historians to have been born on April 23, 1564 and to have died on the exact same day 52 years later. In approximately one million words written over the course of 20 years, Shakespeare managed to capture the full spectrum of human emotion with a precision that allowed his works to remain relevant even 400 years later. His plays—which are suspected to be the most widely read works in the English language—are being read and performed with more frequency and in more countries than ever before. During his lifetime, Shakespeare was the principal dramatist of Lord Chamberlain’s Men (later the King’s Men), a popular theater group that constructed and operated London’s world-renowned Globe Theatre in 1599. The theater company performed such Shakespeare classics as Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. With a stake in ownership of the Globe, he was able to make enough money to purchase a large home in Stratford in 1597. In the years leading up to his retirement in 1610, Shakespeare is said to have produced such masterpieces as The Tempest, Macbeth, Othello and King Lear, not to mention the 154 sonnets attributed to the playwright. Now that the nostalgia for your high school drama class has worn off, check out these five nonprofit headlines from the news this week.

1.  Keeping up with the Times

Nonprofit executives are all too familiar with the balancing act—the organizational dilemma of striking an equilibrium between daily tasking and long-term strategic planning. According to Forbes, a critical part of strategizing is keeping close tabs on market trends. This in and of itself can create hurdles for executives too busy to keep their finger on the pulse of the outside world. Maintaining an awareness of the trends in your industry, however, doesn’t have to be a time-consuming or stressful undertaking. Want to know how to stay informed and balance your hectic schedule? Click on the link above to discover six effortless ways to keep up with industry trends.

2.  #NextGen Giving

A recent study issued by the Blackbaud Institute for Philanthropic Impact, “The Next Generation of Giving Report,” suggests that generational changes should be accommodated by shifts in fundraising. While most fundraising departments have set their sights on Millennials, data shows that GenXers will most likely step in as top donors once Boomers decline. In addition to charitable giving by generation, the report shares its findings with regards to the various channels by which donors choose to give. Could your fundraising team benefit from an in-depth synopsis of this study? Check out the link above from The NonProfit Times to learn how a focus on generational giving can improve fundraising.

3.  How Funders Often Hurt, Not Help, Nonprofits

In pursuing positive change in the world, nonprofit organizations encounter a lot of unexpected, mission-crippling threats. These threats can be filed under Acts of God, destabilization of government, devaluation of currency, and even organizational misfortune. But what happens when positive change is torpedoed by the very organizations that are trying to enact it? The biggest, and possibly most surprising, threat to nonprofit impact is filed under “funder-created obstacles.” This is demonstrated by last-minute funder strategy changes, inflexible policies and delayed disbursements. According to an article in Fast Company, funders—in their pursuit of impact and return on investment—have become their own enemy. Follow the link above to learn more about (and how to avoid) funder failures.

4.  The Value of PSOs and Funder Collaboratives

Philanthropy is a multi-faceted sector that encompasses funding institutions, philanthropy-serving organizations (PSOs) as well as funder collaboratives. While PSOs support learning and networking with regards to specific issues and populations, funder collaboratives work to align grant-makers with specific priorities. Both were created by funders who, until the controversial 2016 election, questioned the value and continued support of these entities. According to the Stanford Social Innovation Review, PSOs and funder collaboratives have provided a means for philanthropy to adapt during politically challenging times. Click on the link above for a look at three ways PSOs and funder collaboratives have demonstrated their value to funders this past year.

5.  Give Your Next Crowdfunding Campaign a Boost

Before a nonprofit can get to work on projects that will advance its mission, it first needs to secure funding. Crowdfunding is generally a great tool for financing new ventures as it makes use of vast social media networks and websites to connect investors and charitable organizations. According to Forbes, crowdfunding campaigns aren’t necessarily foolproof methods of fundraising, however, and nonprofit organizations may need to adjust their strategies along the way. Whether your organization has employed one or ten campaigns, consider the six tips linked above before jump-starting your next fundraiser.

That’s it for this week’s Friday Five! We’re going to spend the rest of the afternoon with a cup of green tea and a copy of Hamlet. See you next week.

Can’t get enough of the Friday Five? Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. We’ll be back next week!

Friday Five: April 20, 2018

According to legend, Rome was founded by Remus and Romulus—twin brothers and sons of Mars, the Roman god of war. The orphaned infants were ordered to be drowned in the Tiber River by the king of nearby Alba Longa, Amulius, who feared their birth would jeopardize his claim to the throne. The infants survived, however, and washed ashore where they were rescued and suckled by a she-wolf. The brothers grew up to become shepherd warriors, and, after having learned their true identity, defeated Amulius and founded their own city on April 21, 753 BC. From that small town in central Italy along the Tiber River, grew Ancient Rome—an empire that at its peak was comprised of most of continental Europe, Britain, northern Africa, the Mediterranean islands and much of western Asia. Today, Rome’s legacy is evidenced in the widespread use of Romance Languages, the Western calendar and alphabet, and Christianity as a major world religion. Now that you’ve had your history lesson for the day, check out these five nonprofit headlines from the news this week.

1.  "Plannual" Giving

Fundraisers too frequently associate planned gifts with older donors, but this type of thinking may lead to missed opportunities for charitable organizations. According to The NonProfit Times, fundraisers shouldn’t wait for donors to age before asking them about planned gifts. By that stage in donors’ lives, most have already decided which charities will be included in their wills. Has your fundraising team honed its gift planning approach? Click on the link above to discover how your organization can employ “plannual” giving messages in an effort to optimize outcomes.

2.  Choosing the Best Fundraising Counsel

Some nonprofits hire the right consulting firm the first time around. However, those that choose the wrong partners end up wasting countless time, energy and precious resources only to fall short of their fundraising goals. Partnering with a consulting firm is a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly—taking the time to properly vet and research companies will save a lot of time (and even dollars) in the long run. Is your organization looking to hire a third-party fundraising counsel? Check out the link above from Forbes for seven tips for considering the right fundraising consultant for your organization.

3.  Glassdoor Ratings and Your Nonprofit

Most jobseekers are familiar with Glassdoor—the website that enables employees (past and present) to rate their employers. While one cannot verify anonymous reports made through such third-party forums, nonprofits would be remiss not to take heed of negative ratings. According to the Nonprofit Quarterly, ratings become entwined in the public’s view of any given organization and inform their understanding of its workplace culture. While less than stellar ratings may deter a nonprofit’s access to high-quality candidates, it may also negatively impact an organization’s relationship with donors. Follow the link above for a real-life example of a foundation that has been affected by damning ratings.

4.  Nonprofit Boards and the Merger Conversation

As organizations look to scale their impact with regards to their mission, they may consider inorganic means of growth. Whether this growth is through mergers, acquisitions or other strategic alliances, nonprofit boards may find themselves at a loss for ways to broach the subject. A recent survey from BoardSource states that nearly two-thirds of boards are open to mergers. Does this ring true for your organization’s board? If so, click on the link above from Stanford Social Innovation Review to learn about the six moments in every organization’s business cycle that are ripe for discussing mergers and alliances.

5.  Creating Impact Through Social Media

The world is more connected today than ever. Information and content know no bounds yet a large part of society is either unaware or impartial to many of the social and environmental issues the world faces. According to Forbes, nonprofits have the power to influence people and disseminate awareness through their everyday actions. Social media has enabled organizations to alleviate challenges and generate positive change through their fingertips. Is your organization impact-driven? Got a social media account? Click the link above to learn five tips for building an engaged community that can help you shift public awareness.

That’s it for this week’s Friday Five! We’ll be brushing up on our Italian for the remained of the day. See you next week. Ciao!

Can’t get enough of the Friday Five? Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. We’ll be back next week!

Friday Five: April 6, 2018

Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Johnson on April 4, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri. When she was three years old, her parents divorced, and she and her brother went to live with their grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas. When Angelou was just eight years old, she was raped by her mother’s boyfriend. When exposing the truth of what happened led to the brutal murder of her assailant, the young Angelou—terrified by the power of her own tongue—did not speak another word for the next five years. From this bout of silence emerged a woman who danced, sang, recorded poetry, and aspired to be in professional theater. Her plans were put on hold at age 16, however, when she became pregnant. Angelou moved to San Diego where she worked as a waitress in a nightclub, got mixed up with drugs and prostitution, and danced in a strip club. Ironically, it was the strip club that led to her being discovered as an artistic powerhouse. Today, she remains one of America’s leading contemporary poets—having achieved much in the fields of acting, writing, theater and as a member of the Civil Rights Movement. Despite her iniquitous and turbulent youth, Maya Angelou provided a positive message of hope, humanity and love. And before you start searching for her multi-volume autobiography to order on Amazon, check out these five nonprofit headlines from the news this week.

1.  Are Your Management Decisions Based on Values?

When it comes to making management decisions within a nonprofit, the values of the organization should be considered. While this may sound like a no-brainer to many of us in the nonprofit sector, a great deal of recent news coverage illustrates the contrary. According to the Nonprofit Quarterly, when a nonprofit mission does not guide internal practices in the same way it governs impact on the community, a misalignment occurs that could be detrimental to an organization. Want to ensure your nonprofit’s publicly stated values align with private managerial decisions? Click on the link above to discover real-world examples of alignment and misalignment of nonprofit values.

2.  Facing #MeToo Incidents in Nonprofit Workplaces

Thanks to the vast reach of social media and news headlines, the #MeToo movement has become a world-wide phenomenon. Highlighting systematic issues of harassment and sexism in nearly every major industry—including the nonprofit sector, the movement has left many employers wondering how to deal with accusations, should they arise. If you are a nonprofit leader faced with claims of harassment or abuse in the workplace, it is pivotal that the situation be handled with the utmost grace and dignity. Check out the link above from Forbes for six suggested steps when addressing a #MeToo incident.

3.  Crowdfunding Meets Humanitarian Aid

Rola Hallam was a practicing doctor in the UK in 2011 when war broke out in her home country of Syria. Over the course of four years, Hallam volunteered with several Syrian-based organizations to help set up hospitals and deliver medical aid. Inspired by her on-the-ground experience in Syria, Hallam launched CanDo in 2016—a platform that enables the public to directly fund humanitarian projects carrying out work within their own communities. To read more about the TED Fellow and how her platform is reconfiguring humanitarian funding, follow the link from Fast Company above.

4.  Is Your Nonprofit Scale-Ready?

The ever-growing needs that nonprofits strive to meet are enormous. These vast, unmet needs—when paired with the effect of economies of scale—make expansion of social impact increasingly important. Many nonprofits, despite best efforts to expand, remain small, and others manage to grow in size but fail to grow in impact. According to the Stanford Social Innovation Review, the nonprofits that do succeed in expanding their impact are those that are scale-ready and meet the seven essential elements of nonprofit performance. Has your nonprofit earned the right to scale? Find out by clicking on the article linked above.

5.  Workplace Issues as Agents for Change

Nonprofit leaders hoping to strike a healthy balance of staffing and support within their organization must approach change in a way that diffuses potentially volatile situations and allows for progress. If issues that arise in the nonprofit workplace are recognized as change agents, leaders can capitalize on opportunities for growth. According to Forbes, it is not enough to point out problems—leaders must also focus on proper engagement within the workplace culture as well as crafting clear solutions. Is your organization running into walls when it comes to tackling issues head-on? Click the link above to learn three tools for diffusing issues and turning them into wins.

That’s it for this week’s Friday Five! We’re spending the rest of the afternoon captivated by an old, beat-up copy of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. See you next week!

Can’t get enough of the Friday Five? Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. We’ll be back next week!

Friday Five: March 30, 2018

In 1889, Paris hosted the Word’s Fair (L’Exposition Universelle) to commemorate the centennial of the French Revolution. In anticipation of the international event, the French government held a design competition for a monument that was to be built on the Champs-de-Mars in central Paris. More than 100 artists submitted their designs, but the selection committee chose Gustave Eiffel’s plan for an open-lattice wrought-iron tower—a monument that, once constructed, would be the world’s tallest man-made structure standing almost 1,000 feet above Paris. Eiffel’s great tower, completed after two years of construction, opened to the public on March 31, 1889 to much skepticism. Many believed it was structurally unsound, while others complained it was an “eyesore in the heart of Paris.” Today, the Eiffel Tower—remaining largely unchanged—is now regarded as an architectural masterpiece that is synonymous with the heart and soul of the City of Lights. Before you start daydreaming about a trip to Paris, check out these five nonprofit headlines from the news this week.

1.  Before You Make Your Next Donation . . .

Charitable giving is a year-end practice for many of us. But the hustle and bustle of the last few months of the year can leave donors feeling overwhelmed and charities hard-pressed to meet fundraising goals. According to Forbes¸ donors can have more control of their giving by spreading contributions evenly throughout the year. Avoiding the last-minute scramble to donate allows for a more thorough vetting of charitable organizations. Want to take control of your giving efforts? Click on the link above to discover three benefits of making donations throughout the year.

2.  National Geographic's Self-Examination of Racism

Highly respected for its writing and world-renowned for its photography, National Geographic has a 130-year-long history—a history that came under careful examination in the April 2018 issue of the magazine. Editor-in-Chief Susan Goldberg titled her introduction to the issue, “For Decades, Our Coverage Was Racist. To Rise Above Our Past, We Must Acknowledge It.” This admission of the publication’s history of racism is the first step toward changing a long history of reporting the world through a narrow, white and elite Western lens. According to the Nonprofit Quarterly article linked above, this type of public acknowledgment of a past streaked with racism reveals valuable lessons for nonprofit leaders. A self-examination may raise questions as to how your nonprofit may err on the side of historically white perspective.

3.  Why Good Employees Quit

Hiring managers know how rewarding it is to onboard a candidate that is a perfect fit for their company. And while nothing is better than hiring an employee that is exemplary in their work, there is nothing worse than a valuable member of the team handing in their two weeks’ notice. According to Emplicity, exit interviews help gain insight for the future but are not enough to bring an esteemed employee back once they’re headed for the door. Is your organization struggling with employee retention? Consider the ways in which your organization manages its employees and check out the link above for five insights into why good employees quit.

4.  Corporations and Social Good?

While operating within the bounds of market-based capitalism, is it possible for corporations to inspire social good? According to a model developed by Jay Coen Gilbert’s nonprofit, B Lab, corporations can contribute to culture and improve the environment all while maximizing their bottom line. Gilbert’s team created a scorecard—the B Impact Assessment—for measuring a company’s social good along a 200-point scale. To date, B Lab has certified approximately 2,500 B Corporations (B Corps) which are expected to create quantifiable positive impact in conjunction with continual financial return. Check out the above link from Stanford Social Innovation Review to learn more about B Corps and how they demonstrate using the power of markets as a means to do good.

5.  #MeToo and the Nonprofit Sector

Taking its cue from national news headlines, a recent webinar from The NonProfit Times directed its focus to the #MeToo movement. Leaders from the legal, risk management and fundraising sectors were convened to discuss the movement and its impact on the nonprofit world. However unpleasant to address, the topic of sexual harassment in the workplace is one with which even nonprofit leaders are familiar. The webinar discussed systematic issues relating to harassment and measures leaders can take to prevent problems from occurring. Are you a nonprofit leader that could have benefited from the webinar? No need to worry. Click the link above to listen to the hour-long program in its entirety.

That’s it for this week’s Friday Five! We’re browsing last-minute flights as we long for a glimpse of the Parisian skyline. See you next week… or not!

Can’t get enough of the Friday Five? Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. We’ll be back next week!

Friday Five: March 23, 2018

Protestors worldwide are preparing their signs for the March for Our Lives taking place this weekend. The march, spearheaded by the survivors of last month’s school shooting in Parkland, FL, is a protest advocating an end to gun violence and mass shootings in schools. On Saturday, March 24, the March for Our Lives will provide an opportunity for kids and families to speak out as the collective voice of a movement that demands change—change that protestors hope comes in the form of a comprehensive bill, brought before Congress, that addresses gun issues. The Washington, D.C. rally is expected to bring as many as 500,000 people to march on Pennsylvania Avenue, with at least 838 marches and events synchronously scheduled across the globe. Before you start searching for details of the events taking place in your city tomorrow, check out these five nonprofit headlines from the news this week.

1.  Considering Third-Party Fundraising Help?

It is no secret that nonprofit organizations rely heavily on donations to stay afloat. Staff members and volunteers often take charge of fundraising endeavors, but some campaigns require more people-power to meet their goals. According to Forbes, nonprofits looking to enlist the help of an outside agency should not take the decision lightly. The choice to outsource a fundraising campaign can result in saving, or wasting, precious time and resources depending on the partnership. Is your organization considering an extra push to meet fundraising goals? Click on the link above for six factors to consider when hiring a third party to assist with fundraising.

2.  Parents Teaching Philanthropy

Is charitable giving a learned behavior? A recent study entitled “Women Give 2018, Transmitting Generosity to Daughters and Sons” from the Women’s Philanthropy Institute (WPI) at Indiana University seeks to answer this question. The study examines the relationship between parents that give to charity and potential influence on their adult children. The study suggests that children growing up in a household with parents that donate to charitable causes are more likely to give when they enter into adulthood. The report’s data also shows that adult daughters tend to absorb philanthropy lessons at a quicker rate than sons. Want to know how this data may be impacting charitable giving to your organization? Check out the link above from The NonProfit Times to discover more of the study’s key findings.

3.  Shaking up Board Diversity

It is a long-standing criticism of nonprofit boards that they tend to be homogenous. The University of California, Davis’s Women in Leadership Club, however, is looking to address head-on the lack of diversity that make up nonprofit boards. With their Board Fellowship Program, the club has designed an experiment that places carefully vetted and trained MBA students on nonprofit boards. According to the Nonprofit Quarterly, the benefits for both the students and the nonprofits have been significant. While students gain valuable leadership and management insights, boards are infused with fresh perspectives and new enthusiasm. Could your board benefit from a program like this? Follow the above link to learn more.

4.  Tap into Impact Investing

Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) are a small—but continually growing—sector of mission-driven organizations that strive to create equity in underinvested communities. But as funding dwindles and the disparity gap continues to widen throughout the U.S., CDFIs and nonprofits are forced to make hard-hitting decisions about how and where to focus their efforts. According to an article from the Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR), impact investing may offer new hope as well as access to capital. Is your mission-driven organization looking to develop new revenue streams? Check out the article linked above for a list of seven recommendations for tapping into the impact investment market.

5.  Traits of an Ideal Nonprofit Hire

Hiring great employees in the nonprofit sector can prove more difficult than in the for-profit world—a world that generally offers higher compensation for comparable positions. While this may be the case, nonprofit hiring managers should not be any less rigid when it comes to the expectations they have of any potential job candidate. When money is an issue, however, managers should consider the benefits of bringing someone with a less extensive resume on board and grooming them for a position. Want to increase your nonprofit’s chances of making quality hires? Follow the link for three traits to look for in potential candidates, despite relative inexperience.

That’s it for this week’s Friday Five! We're feeling inspired by the students who are leading the charge on gun control and we're wishing everyone participating in the March for Our Lives a safe, productive and peaceful protest. See you next week!

Can’t get enough of the Friday Five? Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. We’ll be back next week!

Friday Five: March 16, 2018

The first Saint Patrick’s Day parade, named for the patron saint, bishop and national apostle of Ireland, took place not in Ireland, but in the United States when Irish soldiers, serving in the British army, marched through New York City on March 17, 1762. The dramatic increase of Irish settlers to the American colonies contributed to the popularization of the celebration, and as years went on, the parades became a symbol of unity and strength for Irish-American immigrants—many of whom were indentured servants. The revelry spread overseas in 1995 when the Irish government launched a large-scale campaign to market Saint Patrick’s Day as a means of boosting tourism. Today, March 17 is an international day of celebration with millions of people around the world (even those with no Irish heritage) drinking beer, toasting to the luck of the Irish—all while wearing green! But before you don your green gear and prepare for your pub-crawl, check out these five nonprofit headlines from the news this week.

1.  Operate Your Nonprofit Like A For-Profit Business

While there may be countless differences that exist between nonprofit and for-profit businesses, there are a few operational strategies that prove effective for both types of ventures. According to Forbes, it is imperative that nonprofit organizations meet their yearly revenue goals. While it is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day operations, nonprofits owe it to their donors to operate in a way that is independent of donations. By operating nonprofits like for-profit businesses, charitable organizations can avoid unnecessary expenditures and ensure they are fiscally successful. Want to learn more? Click on the link above for 12 effective tips for running your nonprofit like a for-profit business.

2.  AFP Launches New Initiative

In an effort to highlight and address issues women face within the fundraising workspace, the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), has launched its Women’s Impact Initiative (WII). WII is the first of a series of new initiatives by AFP that will focus on research, education, training, support and awareness—all aimed at engaging various demographic groups within the fundraising sector. The WII initiative, which launched on International Women’s Day last week, combines public awareness, studies of gender-based wage equality and sexual harassment in the workplace. Are you a woman in the field of fundraising with insights to share? Check out the link above from The NonProfit Times to discover more information regarding AFP’s newest WII initiative and how you can take part.

3.  Creating an Organization's Data Culture

One may argue that the most pivotal practices of successful nonprofits cannot be measured: ideas such as believing in the greater good and working toward making a difference. But according to an article from the Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR), all organizations, no matter how big or small, have the capacity to create a data culture—a culture that is essential to an organization’s social impact. Nonprofits that are able to make good use of their data can better track program results. How comfortable is your organization using metrics to maximize social impact? Follow the above link for four suggestions for improving (or creating) a data culture within your nonprofit.

4.  Seven Deadly 'Sins' of the Nonprofit World

Even in the most altruistically-focused sector, bad things can happen. Putting religious law aside, the transgressions, or ‘sins,’ that continue to occur within the nonprofit world can result in the public’s loss of faith in institutions. According to the Nonprofit Quarterly, philanthropy as a whole should strive to be more transparent, engaged and forthcoming where its power and privilege are concerned. By examining the worst sins of the foundation sector, nonprofit leaders can take steps toward understanding how to respectfully support social change within their communities. Check out the article linked above for a list of philanthropy’s seven deadly sins and possible ways to absolve, so to speak, the nonprofit sector of these issues.

5.  Startups, Succeed in Fundraising!

According to the Business of Giving podcast, roughly two-thirds of charitable organizations are unable to break through the $500,000 revenue barrier. Even in instances where the nonprofits are making a difference and positively impacting their communities. Once organizations hit their wall, they are unable to optimize their full potential. Kathleen Kelly Janus, a social entrepreneur, author and Stanford University lecturer, set out on a journey to uncover best practices for startups to succeed in fundraising. After five years, Janus shares her experiences and research findings on the above linked podcast. Follow the link for five fundraising strategies to help your nonprofit surpass its revenue threshold and optimize its fundraising potential.

That’s it for this week’s Friday Five! Enjoy your St. Patty’s Day festivities and remember that no matter your heritage, “everyone’s Irish on March 17.” See you next week!

Can’t get enough of the Friday Five? Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. We’ll be back next week!

Friday Five: March 9, 2018

The reason for daylight saving time is based around energy conservation. The idea is that daylight hours should match the times when most people are awake. The first application of daylight saving was in 1916, during World War I, when Germany and Austria coordinated a one-hour clock shift as a means of conserving the electricity needed for the war effort. The United States followed suit two years later in 1918 but repealed the time adjustment just one year later in 1919. Daylight saving was seen as a wartime act by most Americans as it was reinstated in 1942 during World War II. Daylight saving became customary and continued even after the conflict ended, and the Uniform Time Act—passed by Congress in 1966—standardized daylight saving across the country as well as its start and end times (March and November). As you prepare to reset your watches and kitchen appliances, check out these five nonprofit headlines from the news this week.

1.  Delegating Tasks to a Small Team

Running a small nonprofit company can have its advantages—team members, who thrive in the “startup culture” of a small organization, often feel instrumental to their nonprofit’s development, growth and success. According to Forbes, small nonprofit teams are passionate about their organization’s mission and are willing to pitch in whenever (and wherever) necessary to reach company goals. While employees of a bootstrapping organization are expected to be flexible and adaptable, executives should be careful not to delegate tasks in a way that may overwhelm their team. The link above provides seven effective tips for splitting up your small organization’s workload.

2.  Top Trends Facing Nonprofits

Trends in technology, economy, communications and even demographics can affect nonprofits in many ways. External influences shape both the decisions made by nonprofit leadership and those who invest in charitable organizations. According to the National Council of Nonprofits, an awareness and understanding of the trends influencing the nonprofit sector is helpful for developing foresight for strategic planning. Want to know what trends are affecting your organization? Check out the link above to discover the top three trends facing nonprofit organizations and a listing of resources to stay up to date with trends as they arise.

3.  Does Your Nonprofit Need a Brand Refresh?

Today’s changing communication landscape has made way for what has become a prominent shift to values-driven brands and marketing strategies. According to Stanford Social Innovation Review, this is because millennials, now the largest generation of consumers, tend to interact with and purchase from brands that reflect their values. While a variety of for-profit companies have updated their brands to connect with younger audiences, nonprofits—whose work benefits people and strive to create change—should take note. How well does your nonprofit articulate its values? Click the above link for three questions to determine if the time is right for a brand refresh.

4.  Advancing Causes Through the Arts

It is not unheard of for the work of artists and the nonprofit sector to overlap. Especially when artists find themselves advocating for policy change or engaging in projects that call attention to social issues. According to Nonprofit Quarterly, nonprofits seek the attention of artists and the arts community in general as a means of telling their stories through a different lens. In addition to reaching new donors, nonprofits assist artists in finding new audiences. Want to know more about how your organization can advance its cause through the arts? Follow the article linked above to learn about four nonprofits that partnered with artists or arts groups to successfully advance social causes.

5.  Building a Great Board

If you are a nonprofit leader, your executive board is one of your most vital resources. Members of a nonprofit board assist leaders to tackle challenges, stay on track and reach their nonprofit’s goals as well as shining a light on the organization’s successes and opportunities for growth. But according to Forbes, the board is only as useful as the advice it provides—the success of a nonprofit may be hindered if honest and valuable feedback is not given. Want to build a great board while encouraging honest input? Check out the link above to read eight tips for fostering good relationships with your board.

That’s it for this week’s Friday Five! We’re looking forward to spring but not to the spring forward on Sunday morning. See you next week!

Can’t get enough of the Friday Five? Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. We’ll be back next week!

Friday Five: February 23, 2018

The Olympic Games originated in ancient Greece more than 3,000 years ago—with the first written records dating back to 776 B.C. The Games, which legend has it were founded by Heracles, were held every four years in Olympia from the 8th century B.C. to the 4th century A.D. The ancient Olympics occurred between August 6 and September 19 during a religious festival meant to honor Zeus—the presiding deity of the universe and ruler of the skies. Before long, the Games had become the most famous of all Greek sporting festivals, and it is believed that their influence was so great that ancient historians measured time by the four-year intervals in between each Olympics—these were known as Olympiads. In A.D. 393, however, the Christian emperor Theodosius I banned all “pagan” festivals leading to the end of the ancient Olympic tradition. It wasn’t until 1896 that the Games would rise again when the first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece. Since 1994, the Winter and Summer Olympics have been held separately, alternating every two years. Eager as you may be to resume watching the events of the 2018 Winter Olympics unfold, take a moment to check out these five nonprofit headlines from the news this week first.

1.  Six Steps to Smart Spending

Most businesses strive to keep their spending to a minimum. This is especially true for nonprofit organizations that, rather than relying on traditional sales, depend on grant money and donations to keep operations running smoothly. While balancing your nonprofit’s budget may seem challenging, practicing the right financial strategies can help you keep your organization afloat. The above link from Forbes provides six practical tips for controlling overhead and keeping operating expenses low.

2.  Avoiding Collaboration Pitfalls

Different foundations bring harmonizing perspectives, strengths and communities to the partnership table. Because of this, foundation collaboration is favorable in most circumstances. Why then do partnerships between foundations remain so rare? According to The Chronicle of Philanthropy, this is because efforts to create and preserve alliances, despite the obvious benefits of working together, can run into major obstacles. Check out the link above to learn how to avoid the common pitfalls of foundation collaboration.

3.  SDGs and Community Foundations

Community Foundations are playing an increasingly larger role in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDGs are a list of 17 goals adopted by the UN in 2015 to address issues such as poverty, gender equality, environmental sustainability, hunger, and quality education. According to Nonprofit Quarterly, the power of foundations to organize as well as the fact that their missions relate directly to the improvement of the social fabric of their communities are what make community foundations ideal partners. If your foundation is not already focusing on SDGs, click the above link to learn 10 steps on how to get started.

4.  The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and its Effect on Nonprofits

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) was passed by Congress in December of 2017 and took effect on January 1 of this year. Under the new law, nonprofit organizations are among the most negatively impacted. According to an article published on NOLO, the main provisions that are expected to affect nonprofits include the fact that far fewer taxpayers will benefit from giving charitable contributions as well as the likelihood that more nonprofits will have to pay unrelated business income tax (UBIT). Want to know more about how your organization may be impacted by TCJA? Follow the article linked above to learn about the changes under the new tax reform.

5.  Mind the (Pay) Gap

According to Exponent Philanthropy’s 2018 Foundation Operations + Management Report, women outnumber men in executive, grantmaking and support roles within foundations. And while there is greater positional equality as compared to the for-profit sector, women are still reporting less income than their male counterparts (84 cents on the dollar). In addition to the gender pay gap, this year’s report featured insights on topics such as board size, diversity, payout rates, and succession planning. Want to gain a better understanding into issues that may be affecting your nonprofit organization? Check out the link above from The NonProfit Times to discover key findings from the report.

That’s it for this week’s Friday Five! In a bout of inspiration, we’re considering signing up for ice-skating lessons, but perhaps we’ll settle for watching the Olympics instead. See you next week!

Can’t get enough of the Friday Five? Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. We’ll be back next week!