Asking questions helps drive everything from program offerings and fundraising initiatives to the organization’s overall strategic mission. So, that begs the question, how can you ask better questions?
Want proof? Recently the Brooklyn Community Foundation renamed itself Brooklyn Org, undertaking a major rebranding effort, which included spending a reported $49,000 for their new domain name Brooklyn.org to accompany the change. In speaking of the rebranding campaign, their President Jocelynne Rainey explained that their primary motivation was to get away from using the “foundation” in their name because of the possible negative perceptions around using that word.
Luckily, Brooklyn Org’s rebranding campaign was purportedly aided by pro bono work from a local marketing firm. However, these kinds of changes are often quite costly even if the work is supplemented with donations of time, professional skills, and other resources. They can run upwards of 20% of an organization’s marketing budget and take months or even years to fully execute. Given that context, deciding to rebrand shouldn’t be taken lightly! The King County Sexual Assault Resource Center (KCSARC) has appointed Kate Krug as their new Chief Executive Officer. In late 2023 the former CEO, Mary Ellen Stone, announced her retirement after 44 years of leading the organization. It was then that the Board of Directors sought to fill her immensely large shoes with someone who would be just as committed to KCSARC to usher in a new chapter of leadership. Her direction for the organization will prove pivotal at a time when many public resources both federally and locally are facing severe shortfalls. A Guide for Washington Nonprofits: Navigating the Complex and Evolving Employment Landscape10/24/2023
We could probably write a full book on these topics but hope that this article helps you see the “Don’t Pass Go” signs and seek out guidance and information to support your nonprofit staff equitably and legally. Catching these issues early and proactively is the key to saving time and money, while keeping your workforce engaged and executing.
Most organizations can easily figure out if their board is getting a passing or a failing grade, but anyone who has experience in nonprofit leadership can tell you that there’s a big difference between a board getting a D and a board getting an A or B.
This is an exciting step forward that will allow us to help even more organizations as they navigate critical transitions.
We have seen it time and again – high turnover in one role because the other doesn’t want to share power and work together as equals. At one end of the spectrum, you have nonprofits that rely solely on their superstar ED to drive the organization, while at the other end you have nonprofits that give their long-time Board the keys and tell the ED to take a back seat. However, true success can only come when a nonprofit has both a strong ED and Board and the two are working together effectively to get the organization down the road.
For some context, Dr. Frankl was a psychiatrist in Vienna when World War II began. He was already an established and admired professor and author. He was invited to migrate to the US at the beginning of the war but stayed behind rather than leave his aging parents to suffer alone under the Nazi occupation. He was sent to four different concentration camps over the following three years. There, he was stripped of everything the Nazis could take. He tried to protect his work, his family, and his identity as a doctor and an academic. They took all that they could on the surface. But they couldn’t control what was in Dr. Frankl’s heart, mind, and soul.
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