Blog

Nonprofit boards often find themselves stuck in a rut, performing the same old tasks with the same agenda month after month, with little impact. This "old work," as described by board expert Richard Chait in his 1996 article "The New Board Work of the Nonprofit Board," remains highly relevant today. I had the opportunity to rediscover this valuable resource in my files, and it reaffirmed that boards have the potential to move their work toward a more impactful and relevant approach.

During the pandemic we introduced the concept of “radical stewardship”. We reinforced the necessity of lifting up, thanking and honoring those who were our most loyal friends and donors during that difficult time.

As we move into the last quarter of the year, the focus for many nonprofit organizations is on year-end fundraising. But before you ask for more, have you properly shown gratitude for all you’ve received?

Do your board members regularly ask inquisitive and challenging questions? Does your board have a culture that promotes dialogue and debate?

An often-overlooked strategy of effective boards is to create and/or nurture a true culture of inquiry. Great boards engage members in a way that truly enlists their collective skill sets, thoughts, and differences of opinion. Dialogue with debate is a great thing to have in board meetings. Open discussions that include diverse perspectives position the board to make the best choices.

Plans are important, but they’ll never work unless you take action.

This month, the DBD team will be sharing ways for you to jump start your work in 2022.

Covid-19 disrupted plans and services for non-profit organizations across the country.  Many programs had to be re-conceived and significant changes were made under pressure.  With these unprecedented circumstances, some significant lessons were learned and in some cases, opportunities occurred.  What creative problem solving arose for leaders and teams and what new community partnerships emerged?  

In the Fall Forward DBD Podcast series, Jon Simons interviews leaders about how they were able to innovate and serve their community in challenging times.

In part one, DBD Group's Jon Simons interviews Justin Ihne, CEO of YMCA Plattsburgh in New York.

Justin shares insights into how he and his team were able to choose "creation" over "crisis", pivot, and deliver exceptional service to their community.

2022 is right around the corner! As we enter the fourth quarter and begin to wrap up a challenging year, it’s an opportune time to look forward. Following are five things to consider as you think about strategic thinking and planning in this new era.

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.

What are the questions you should ask before engaging in a collaboration? 

What are the characteristics of successful - and not successful - partnerships?

In this month's episode of the DBD Podcast, Bruce Berglund, Kellie Wardman and Jon Simons discuss the opportunities and challenges that come with partnering or  collaborating with other organizations. 

This engaging 24 minute podcast will give you, your team and your volunteers a solid background to making the most of collaborative opportunities that come your way. 

The past year has been challenging for everyone. As someone who works with nonprofits, I have been impressed and moved by how these organizations have stepped up to serve their communities in new ways. They’ve managed to make a positive impact for others, even with severe constraints.

The most important resource any organization has is its staff. Many nonprofits, like their counterparts in businesses, were forced to furlough or lay off employees as revenue streams dried up during the pandemic. That means that the staff who remained were often doing the jobs of several people while also trying to identify new ways of serving that would help to keep people safer during the pandemic.

Taking care of staff is always critical, but today it is more important than ever.