During the overwhelming and frightening days of April 2020 — exactly a month after the World Health Organization formally declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic — I was asked by one of Cause Strategy Partners‘ Advisory Board Members if I thought interest in nonprofit board service was likely to decrease because of the risk of nonprofits going under.
CauseKit Blog
New Nonprofit Board Member Gets Active on Social Isolation Issues in Middle Schools
BoardLeader Spotlights is an ongoing series focused on demonstrating the impact of exceptional participants of the BoardLead program, and sharing stories of authentic leadership in action. Read more about BoardLead alumni, Kerri Catalano and her work on the board of Beyond Differences.
Our Statement of Solidarity and Commitment
The violence against and dehumanization of Black lives in our society is an ongoing evil that must be stopped. The recent killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery — along with countless others — underscores the terrible effects of both interpersonal and systemic racism that exists in our society. Black lives matter.
Never Waste a Good Crisis: Step Up!
One of Cause Strategy Partners‘ Advisory Board Members asked a great question: “Is there a possibility that interest in board service generally will decrease because of the risk of nonprofits going under?” She added, “I’m getting a lot of questions about the state of the sector and most folks are very pessimistic about any but the largest nonprofits making it through this time.”
Show Up: Your Role as a Board Member During a Pandemic
After a week of rapidly changing responses to COVID-19 across the country, nonprofits are feeling the effects and having to make quick decisions on how to manage their organizations in light of social distancing.
5 Questions to Consider Before Launching an Ancillary Board
In October, we shared a post on Ancillary boards, exploring these tested models for capacity building and leadership development for your organization. If one struck a chord, perhaps it’s time to consider forming your own ancillary board. Before you jump in, consider these five questions as you look to form a new sustainable, successful ancillary board: Have you defined a […]
Exploring Ancillary Boards: Tested Models for Increased Leadership and Capacity
Let’s say you’re the Board Chair of a successful nonprofit organization. Consider these three common scenarios: Scenario 1: Fundraising Fatigue It’s time to start planning for next year’s gala. While several board members have supported fundraising and planning in the past, many have expressed that the additional time commitment and fundraising asks are taxing year after year. Other board […]
A Conversation About Politics and Conflict in the Nonprofit Boardroom
It’s 7:00 pm on a Tuesday night and the Board of Directors of an education nonprofit is working their way through the meeting agenda when someone says, “I think we need to take a stance on gun reform.” Within a matter of seconds, every board member is engaged in a heated conversation over gun reform, politics, and their organization’s […]
So We’re “On Board” with Diversity… Now What?
In our work in board placement, we hear almost every day about how desperately nonprofits need to diversify their boards. Whether it be more women, greater geographic diversity, diversity of industry, etc., the need is great. Sometimes this is because the board looked around and thought… “hmm, we all look the same,” other times because a client complained that […]
The Four Markers of a Healthy Board
A few weeks ago, I shared the Five Symptoms of an Unhealthy Board that I’ve observed over the course of my career working with nonprofit boards. As a reminder: The Silent Start: Board members sit in awkward silence as they wait for the Board Chair to call the meeting to order. They don’t seem to know (or even like) each another. […]