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.

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