Category: Blog
-
Do I Need a Policy Against Ponzi Schemes & Other Stories from the Trenches
In today’s blog we discuss some unusual policies that Non Profits have implemented over the years… So in my 15 years of consulting with non profits and sitting on boards, you can assume I have seen some weird stuff. I think the weirdest was when one executive director reached out to me and asked if…
-
Why Profit is Not Dirty Word….
We have a fear in the nonprofit sector of profit, of having too much cash. Clearly, there are limits to the cash a nonprofit can make, but why are we still acting like making money is a bad thing? Let’s explore this more in depth. In my early days in the nonprofit sector, a very…
-
The Unsettling Carousel of Non-Profit Leadership
Non-Profit Leadership has turned into a revolving carousel of leadership. We are desperate for new talent yet the top layers still look incredibly white. The Unsettling Carousel of Non-Profit Leadership in Canada: High Turnover but Limited Diversity In the 15 years I have worked with the non-profit sector, as a Consultant, Partner and volunteered as…
-
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…
-
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…
-
Why Your Evaluation System Has Bias and Why That is Wrong….
When I was doing graduate school back in the dark ages, I remember taking a class called the “History of Methods” and it was an eye opening experience for me. For the first time I got to see how inherently biased traditional research methods could be. Fast forward to today, where we are so much…
-
The Operational Evaluation: Expanding Our Definitions of Non-Profit Project Evaluations
Non-Profit project evaluations always seemed to me to be a little like a science fair project. You identify your theory of change or hypothesis, and some variables that you are hoping to impact. You reference some past research. You then identify some biases, discuss your methodology, collect your data, write a report and draw some…
-
What is a Systems Evaluation and Why is it Important in the Non-Profit Sector?
Increasingly, we are told we need to design and evaluate things in systems. However, I want to take a step back this week and chat about what a system actually is and why it is important in the nonprofit context. Understanding Systems Evaluation Systems evaluations are particularly relevant in the nonprofit sector. Like putting on…
-
The Key Metrics To Should Use for Evaluating Social Enterprises
So you have to evaluate a social enterprise? In many ways these are the same as other projects, but they do have some unqiue considerations that you ought to consider. I remember the first time that I was working with a social enterprise as an evaluator and I wanted to measure the revenue generated–the executive…
-
Navigating Turbulent Times: The Crisis in Nonprofit Leadership
In the world of nonprofit leadership, the toll of burnout is a story we hear too often. Consider the case of an Executive Director, a colleague, who steered a youth-focused nonprofit from a fledgling initiative into a beacon of hope for thousands. The organization, under this leader’s guidance, became a transformative force in the community.…