The Situation Yоu hаvе tеnѕiоnѕ аt thе bоаrd level. Aѕ the CEO, уоu аrе blaming internal factions. Or, уоu have high turnоvеr оf ѕtаff. You blаmе a lасk оf lоуаltу аnd incompetence. Yоur fundraising rеvеnuе iѕ ѕtаgnаnt оr dесrеаѕing and уоu blame thе fundrаiѕеrѕ. Nо оnе seems tо knоw whо уоu are аnd уоu blаmе thе mаrkеting реорlе. Sее whеrе I'm going with this? Lооk in thе mirrоr. It's not them. It's уоu. It all starts with you. Thе Exсuѕеѕ Last week I ѕроkе tо a nonprofit CE

If your nonprofit is serious about long-term sustainability, succession planning needs to be part of the overall plan for the organization. You’ve set goals, developed strategies, and trained staff to grow your presence in the community. It would be a shame to have that go to waste simply because a leader is leaving the organization. Change happens and your nonprofit should be ready. Here are eight questions to ask about succession planning to get you started on the path to l

As a grant writer, you must not only tell the nonprofit’s story and the need of your organization, but you must also understand the needs of the funders. One of our recent nonprofits stated they have three different groups of people that hold them responsible. The Clients – the nonprofit must provide quality programming and true impact for each of their clients. The Volunteers – many times the volunteers are on the front lines of serving the clients. The volunteers need to be

Volunteering for a nonprofit is not a one-size-fits-all situation. Like the volunteers that contribute their time, nonprofit organizations vary widely in scope and size, and their capacity to manage volunteers is no different. The strength of an organization’s volunteer program is dependent on many factors, such as; staff needed to direct the program, funds available for support, and the volunteer population that exists to give their time. Volunteers provide a critical role i

Whether your program year ends June 30 or at some other interval during the year, it’s important to capture your client outcomes and demonstrate the outcomes related to your mission. Two primary reasons why evaluation of nonprofit programs is so necessary, especially when applying for grants. Critique Evaluation helps your program and gives your organization critical feedback that tells you if it works, how well it works, and how to improve it. Funders Require It Whether a fo

There are two critical buckets to consider in measuring the impact of any one nonprofit: The What and The How! 1. What are we trying to change in the world? 2. How are we going to make that change? And the most important question! 3. How are we going to measure that change? The Rayvan Group helps many nonprofits appeal to corporations and foundations for financial support. But without quality impact measurements, securing funds will be a tough game. Let’s make a simple exampl

In today’s world, almost anything can seem politically charged and we’re seeing more and more social movements come out of some of society’s biggest issues. Often times, nonprofits keep their mouths closed, opinions to themselves. There is a fear that any preference on an issue will quickly result in punishment of the organization’s exempt status. We’re here to shed a little light on the world of nonprofit advocacy and provide a framework for what’s permissible and what’s not