March 28, 2024
December 20, 2017

That “Hello!” Moment: When Grantseeking Becomes an Imperative

I think there is a moment in every organization’s life when grantseeking is not just something that is on the list of things to consider, but when it becomes obvious that the next step in growth is to pursue grant support. Sometimes this happens as a reaction to a financial crisis, but most often it occurs because the growth of the programs and services being offered outpaces current revenue. You can count on fundraising events, […]
December 21, 2017

How to Talk about Cultural Competence

Three keys to a more powerful conversation Every organization is a language community. Its members encourage certain ways of speaking and discourage others. What we forget is that language regulates the possibilities we can imagine, which in turn constrains our behavior. As a nonprofit leader, you’re also a language leader. Your ways of speaking and writing can unleash organizational capacity—or restrict it. This is especially true with cultural competence. Cultural competence—the ability to work effectively […]
December 22, 2017

Hiring a Consultant? How to Be an Even More Savvy Consumer

In October, I published a post about hiring consultants. This piece was passed around, re-posted, and featured on other blogs, including GuideStar. If you read it and shared it—thank you! Because there’s lots more to say (and learn) about this subject, here are five more tips you can use to build productive relationships with consultants.