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 The United States followed suit two years later in 1918 but repealed the time adjustment just one year later in 1919.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.
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!
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