Federal Grants

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Join us this week for a discussion about common questions on federal grants with guest expert Lisa Ruiz-Lee. Also, is there a way to get my Board to use the… read more

Preserving Culture During Expansion

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Should we follow up with a potential board member who expressed interest and then vanished? Stacey has opinions! Also, this week we talk about managing third-party fundraisers, whether there are any benefits to not paying down debt, and how to maintain an awesome work culture during a big expansion.

Should we be applying for federal grants?

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There’s just one question this week, but it’s an important one. Guest expert Miles Dickson of Nevada GrantLab joins us to talk about why Nevada nonprofits should be seeking out and applying for federal grants.

All Finance Questions Special

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If you always skip the finance and accounting questions, maybe take a couple of weeks off! This week, Stacey talks with guest expert Jessica Sayles, CPA, Managing Principal at HRC about reporting in-kind donations on Form 990, and Andy is of the shocking opinion that the internet is not a good place to learn nonprofit accounting. Finally, we reach all the way back to Episode 13 to answer a question about projecting cash flow.

Are Ratings Agencies Really Important?

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Is there really a difference between getting five stars and four stars with a ratings agency? We have opinions! Also, this week Andy has some thoughts on how to manage a check approval process in a tiny organization, and Stacey knows what to do when people keep connecting you to other people via email.

Board chair wants to be CCd on every email!

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“Should we write an MOU or a renter’s contract for use of our space?” We have opinions! Also, this week Stacey has some thoughts about dealing with a board chair who wants to be CCd on all the ED’s emails, and we share some tips on starting a scholarship program.

Ransomware

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This week, Andy and Stacey have some potential solutions for bringing on new staff members that you can’t pay very much. And Stacey talks about ransomware with guest expert Francis Johnson, Managing Director of Technology Services for Tech Impact.

Board Member Insulting Nonprofit Workers

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How do you handle a board member who thinks that people work for nonprofits because they can’t hack it in the “real world?” This one makes Stacey use her angry voice. Also, a listener asks if we think starting a podcast is a good idea, and Andy takes far too long explaining the differences between various flavors of financial audits.

Board Member’s Troublesome Tweets

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Should an organization switch from a 501(c)4 to a 501(c)3? Stacey and Andy have thoughts! This week we also talk about who should own consultant-developed content, and what to do when a board member’s social media posts don’t reflect the values of the organization.

What Does Our Fundraising Staff Do?

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What should other staff know about the development function? A lot! Also, this week, Stacey and Andy tackle a topical question about the appropriate way to express sympathy for a death in a donor’s family.

Forcing the ED to Take a Raise

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Can a board force an ED to accept a raise? And is a 3-month interim budget problematic for funders? We have opinions! Also, this week we answer a great nonprofit 101 question about whether staff members can be on the board.

Using Donor Screening Services

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It’s our 75th episode, so we’ve supersized it for you! This week, guest expert Brad Stith, Principal at Philanthropy Development Associates, joins Stacey to answer a listener question about the utility of screening existing donors for interest in an organization’s mission. We also have opinions on how an interim executive director should manage a whiny staff, and Andy and Stacey attempt to answer a question about impostor syndrome without using any irony at all.

Founder Retires but Wants to Stay Involved

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Is there anything scarier than the finance person leaving? Yes, there definitely is (and Andy has some thoughts on how to manage the transition). Also, we have some advice for a founder considering leaving but not really leaving, and Stacey has some great tips on how to make the periodic bylaw revision process not the absolute worst, most boring thing ever.

Y U HATE GALAS?!

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Why, oh why, do you hate galas so much? After 72 episodes of dropping unsubtle hints, Andy and Stacey finally got someone to ask the question they’ve been dying to answer. As you can imagine, they have opinions. Also, a complicated conflict of interest question turns out to have a pretty straightforward answer, and Stacey has some thoughts on how to say “no” to new program ideas.

Joining Other Nonprofit Boards

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Should a nonprofit pay their employees’ dues when they serve on other nonprofit boards? Stacey has thoughts. Also this week, we talk about contract employees wanting to join the board, and Andy resorts to a sports analogy to make a point about multitasking. Finally, we get some well-earned listener feedback from Girls on the Run ED, Kate McLaughlin.

Building an Event Sponsor List from Scratch

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This week, Stacey has tips on how to build an event list from scratch, and we answer questions about paying for rights for recorded music at a gala, and *yawn* cash vs. accrual accounting. And should we keep our bank account number secret? Andy has opinions!

Should we ask a donor why another nonprofit got more?

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Do nonprofits (in Nevada) need to pay sales tax on fundraising items? Andy knows! What if we know a corporate funder gave a much larger amount to another nonprofit? Should we ask about that? Stacey has an opinion! And finally, what trends do we think we’ll see for the nonprofit sector in 2021?

Shift to a Fee for Service Model

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It’s a super-sized New Year’s episode this week! This week we find out if a nonprofit needs to file tax returns in every state. Stacey and Andy weigh shifting to a fee-for-service model. And finally, “Help! The ED edits all my work!”

Managing Volunteers During a Pandemic

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Stacey has a wide-ranging and fascinating conversation about volunteering with guest expert Jacob Murdock, Manager, Volunteer & Community Partnerships at the Mob Museum. And be sure to check out Wild & Free: A Battle Born Podcast, that Jacob co-hosts. (Andy is a regular listener and recommends it!)

Both Christmas Card and End of Year Letter?

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Should we send both an end of year letter and a Christmas card? Stacey knows! (Andy doesn’t). What should we do if a board member applies for a staff position? And Guest Expert Greg Wilken, CEO of Endunamo Consulting helps us figure out whether an executive director should keep her own employee file.

Is it Legal to have a Single-Ethnicity Board

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Just two questions this week, but one of them’s juicy. Guess which one: Should we pay a professional auctioneer for our silent auction? or Is it legal to have a single-ethnicity board? As always, Stacey and Andy have opinions!

Selling My Nonprofit

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A listener asks if they need to convert their nonprofit to a foundation before selling it. Really. (This will be fun.) Also, what happens when board members hire their friends for paid contracts? We have opinions! And Stacy and Andy switch roles on encouraging a recalcitrant employee to fill out timesheets.

The Threats Section of the SWOT Analysis

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Do you *really* have to sign every single thank you note? Is it a bad idea to loan your organization money? And finally, with the zombie apocalypse upon us, is it time to rethink the threats section of the strategic plan’s SWOT analysis? Stacey and Andy have opinions!

Social Media

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This week, we hear from guest Expert April Kemp, Integrated Communications & Social Media Manager for CIM Marketing Partners on whether or not you can post the same things to Facebook and Instagram. Stacey has some thoughts about creating a great Letter of Intent, and see if you can guess our answer on whether to hire a board member’s daughter-in-law as an organization’s first ED.

Layoffs

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If your nonprofit has an origin story should you share it? Stacey knows! What’s the best way to manage a layoff, and for that matter, are layoffs the solution to pandemic-related cash flow issues? We have (strong) opinions!

Greatest Hits(?)

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It’s the “Greatest Hits(?)” episode! Here are a handful of our favorite questions from the archive. Fee for service? Canceling a program? When the passion is gone? Cash reserves? And more!

A Grant Writing Intern

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It’s “intern week” at Nonprofit Everything! What happens if a student worker won’t send you an invoice? And better yet — what should you do if a board member wants their child to work for you as a grant writer over the summer? Finally, what do you do when it turns out that your new Board Member was also an ED candidate? We have thoughts!

National Office is Reducing Compensation

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Is there any benefit to Guidestar Platinum? We have opinions. Stacey has some thoughts on compensation directives from a national office, and we figure out what to do if a founder wants to retire to a lesser job in the organization.

Social Justice

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A listener asks, “Should we risk alienating donors by taking a stand on social justice issues?” Drop everything and listen to the answer from Guest Expert John Waldron, CEO of The LGBTQ Center of Southern Nevada.

The Return on Investment Grant Question

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Will donors care if your Form 990 is late? We have opinions! Stacey has ideas about what to do if you have employees that don’t want to return to the office, and we have a few thoughts on what to do if a grantor says you didn’t make the cut because you “didn’t show sufficient return on investment.” Huh?

Red Flags for Prospective Executive Director

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This week, Stacey has some great ideas for appreciating staff! We also discuss red flags to watch out for when looking at accepting an Executive Director position, whether or not our coat drive really needs to be restricted to coats, and Andy & Stacey enthusiastically respond to, “why can’t I be both Board Chair and ED and everybody on the board is related?”

Young Employee Just Isn’t Respected

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Should nonprofit staff see each others’ salaries? We have opinions! Also, Stacey and Andy give some conflicting advice about how to be respected as a younger employee. And Stacey has some great ideas about keeping great board members engaged after they term off the board.

More Nonprofit Myths

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What are the tax implications of a donor buying a product from us for a beneficiary? Andy’s got that one. Also, Stacey and Andy bust another round of common nonprofit myths. And finally, a doozy: Help! My organization is falling apart! (Plus, exactly zero references to COVID-19.)