Author: Carmen Reis
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Maximizing Insights: Harnessing the Power of Data Collection Systems for Informed Decision-Making
Some of us, like me, love data. We are the quiet ones in the corner, with our tea on a coaster, running numbers all day, and emerge periodically to share our exciting findings, only to crawl back into our dark corners because no one seems to get as excited about data as we do. Data…
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The Transformative Power of Data and Storytelling for the Nonprofit Sector
Do you remember the last time that you were enraptured by a number? Neither do I. How about the last time a fact moved you to tears? Likely, also no. We are seldom moved by the black and white. The beauty and impact in the nonprofit sector comes from the shades of grey that fill…
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Making the Case for Better Wages in the Non-Profit.
Non-Profits need to pay better wages, specifically to their female employees. I know in the last month or so, the buzz has been around overpaid nonprofit leaders. I would argue, like so many, that these wages are very much needed and reflect the difficulty in leading large organizations. Further, I want to argue that we…
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What’s the Difference? Exploring Business Cases, Feasibility Studies & Business Plans…
One of the things that always frustrated me as a consultant and that I spent a lot of time educating clients on, was understanding the nuances between a business case, business plan, and feasibility study. It never ceased to amaze me, that people would blindly ask for one (or all of these), interchangeably, without understanding…
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Why Non-Finance People Can Make the Best Treasurers…
So you can’t get a CPA or a finance person for your Board Treasurer position. Now what? In the realm of non-profit organizations, the role of a treasurer carries significant weight in managing financial affairs. Historically, Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) have been favored for this position due to their finance expertise. However, in recent years,…
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Winning Your Next Grant Application With Numbers…
So there is a new grant coming out and you think your non-profit has a great chance at winning. I want to let you in on a little secret. For years, my team and I wrote grants for non-profits. We got them so much money. Considering it was not the primary focus of our business…
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Why is Running a Non-Profit so Hard?
Non-profits employ over 7% of the global workforce, and closer to home in the USA, they represent over 5.7% of US GDP. They earn annual revenues of $2.62B, and yet, nearly every non-profit worries about the state of operations, cash flow, and ensuring they have operational continuity year to year. Uncertain Government Funding How does…
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Moving Non Profits from a Fixed to Growth Mindset
A colleague on LinkedIn recently posted about the challenges of participating in discussions online with those who work in the nonprofit sector. The experience he had in an online community, caused him to vent that the sector was in many ways, its own worst enemy. We are negative, we view “change” as distrustful, we “poo-poo”…
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The danger of the “Well-Meaning” but Toxic Board Member or Volunteer….
From the title you knew who I was talking about didn’t you? You know, that volunteer or board member who “means well”, the “I have a little extra time on my hands”, or the “I am a specialist in “X” and I see we are not doing this as an organization. Perhaps I can help?”…
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Can I Pay My Non-Profit or Charity Board Directors?
Entering into the murky waters of this question always makes me very nervous. In truth, there is no clear answer to this question and it very much is a case of “it depends”. I am going to write this article from the point of view of someone living in Ontario Canada as these are the…