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As the year draws to a close, I reflect on what worked (and what didn’t) on my blog. Your clicks made these posts my top five for 2012: 8 tell-tale signs of a grantwriting rookie – New to grantwriting? Are you sending signals that you are a newbie? Behind the foundation curtain - About my […]
November 28, 2012
Did you participate in Giving Tuesday? A coalition of nonprofits launched the campaign to encourage giving back. It follows Thanksgiving Thursday, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, (no-name Sunday) and Cyber Monday. My first reaction to Giving Tuesday was applause. I like the idea of an official start to the giving season. After days of feasting […]
November 15, 2012
The night before our family volunteered at Feed My Starving Children (FMSC), my eight-year-old daughter couldn’t sleep. She couldn’t wait to go. During our entire two-hour shift, she bounced with excitement. She’s not alone. I’ve been there with groups from work, church and the neighborhood. No matter how old they are or how many times […]
November 1, 2012
Even philanthropy has a dark side. Certain topics feel too risky to discuss, like these 4: 1) The relationship is inherently unequal. There are many similarities between grantwriters and funders. But those of us in the industry know it’s not exactly equal. When I left a nonprofit and started working for a foundation, I noticed […]
August 21, 2012
A partnership school breaks the mold of traditional education. It’s not a public, charter or private school. So new and different, the State of Illinois passed legislation to create it. In the fall of 2014, Aurora University will welcome elementary students to the first STEM Partnership School in the U.S. What’s unique about it? STEM […]
July 27, 2012
Ever search for a volunteer opportunity for a kid, age 10 and under? It’s not easy. But it’s oh-so-important for tomorrow’s nonprofiteers. Common suggestions for kids include visiting a senior living home or cleaning up a local park. Worthy endeavors. But if Little Johnny is afraid of old people or he won’t pick up his own toys […]
February 1, 2012
Common wisdom suggests teamwork is the best way to solve problems and generate new ideas. But anyone who’s served on a committee knows that some groups are more successful than others. Jonah Lehrer takes a closer look at “Groupthink” in his recent article in The New Yorker. He summarizes excellent scientific research on the subject. […]
January 16, 2012
It’s hard to pick just one quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. — there are so many good ones. In honor of his birthday, many choose to serve others. And so I share this one: “Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t […]
December 5, 2011
According to a recent study, more than 12 million baby boomers would like to start new nonprofits in the next decade. If they succeed, by 2020 there would be about 12 new charities for every 1 in existence today. Nonprofit sector activist and scholar, Mark Rosenman, responds with alarm in his blog post, Do We […]
December 23, 2012
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