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Organizations with a strong endowment fund generally have a story about how they got there. It's a story of two parties.

The last 18 months have both challenged some of our long-held beliefs about fundraising and reinforced many of the lessons we know to be true. 

By Brian Keel and Robyn Furness-Fallin

You probably see cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum and Dogecoin popping up on social media trends and news headlines every day.  Some are more established and widely marketable than others, but people are increasingly buying and holding cryptocurrencies for fun, for investment purposes or as a hedge against inflation.  But what is it anyway?  A recent Journal of Accountancy article defined it as “a digital medium of exchange that can be used for purchasing, selling and storing value, but it is not backed by a sovereign government.” 

The good news is nonprofit organizations do not have to understand all the theory and technology behind cryptocurrency to gain the potential benefits of accepting this form of appreciated property as a donation. 

By Brian Keel and Bruce Berglund

By Jim Mellor and Brian Keel

The board of directors is an essential component of nonprofit leadership. We seek boards that are engaged, embrace their roles and responsibilities, are committed to transparency, and value both short- and long-term planning. 

Rules vary from state to state, but every board has significant legal and ethical duties that it cannot delegate to others including legal, management, program, and financial oversight. Beyond the board there may be committees that further assist the organization. Committees have representation from the Board but are also an opportunity to engage other community volunteers to serve, especially if these members have subject matter expertise.

Whether we realize it or not, each of us has been applying data to decision-making processes since our youth. Remember that time you were selected to be the captain of the kickball team? The pressure of selecting the best team rested solely on YOUR shoulders. If you were like me, a million strategic thoughts went through your head as you tried to recruit the best team to ensure you won the game. The first step was evaluating the group of classmates staring back at me. What do I know about them? Are they a fast runner? A good kicker? A good fielder? My friend? After quickly assessing the answers to those questions, the selection process began.

As a non-profit, how can you connect with local government policy makers who share your vision to serve your community? 

What knowledge as a "boots on the ground" organization can you contribute to your collaboration with city or state government elected officials to serve your community better?

In this month's episode of the DBD Podcast, Jon Simons interviews two leaders in the Richmond, VA area who share their insights about successful partnerships between the non-profit sector and local government: Abigail Farris Rogers,  President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Richmond, and Eva Colen, Manager of Office of Children and Families for the city of Richmond, VA.

This insightful podcast will give you practical ways to engage with your local government to create partnerships that help to serve your community in deeper ways and help officials to solve problems with more efficient, informed solutions, and better policies.

A typical executive search usually takes a few months from start to finish with key steps throughout the process. As the committee does its work, it’s important to communicate the status of the process to key stakeholders and applicants. It may seem simple, but many organizations skip these basic steps. And when you don’t share your progress, both candidates and your board can be left feeling that the process is cold and disorganized.

I’m nominating Alice S. for “Fundraiser of the Year.”

In any given year, grantmaking foundations in the United States award BILLIONS of dollars to nonprofit organizations. 

If you want to increase your chances of receiving some of those funds, consider thinking of foundations as individual donor prospects.