By: Melissa Lagowski Founder, CEO and Queen Bee, Big Buzz Idea Group With Thanksgiving upon us, it seems like everyone is talking about gratitude. (To be fair, it's always top of mind around here-gratitude is one of our core values at Big Buzz!) Is there anything better than feeling appreciated? For nonprofits, acknowledging the contributions of those people directly tied to your organization is important. A simple, inspirational gesture of appreciation cultivates a sense of community, generosity and support for your mission. WHO to Thank Think about all of the people who are a part of your organization. They keep...
By: Joan Garry Principal and Founder, Joan Garry Consulting When my wife ran The Food Network, she often got 911 calls during Thanksgiving week. “Eileen, do you brine your turkey?” “What’s your favorite stuffing recipe?” It was actually hilarious. Eileen is a very good cook mind you but she would respond to all callers the same way. “I am not a chef; I make TV shows.” As for me, I get more than my fair share of 911 calls. Some folks expect me to be an accountant, a human resources professional and oh my, lots of folks ask me...
By: Vu Le Founder, NonprofitAF.com Writer, Speaker and Executive Director of Rainier Valley Corps Hi everyone, the last few weeks have been rough. I was glad to end it with the #NonprofitHaiku contest to bring some levity and humor. A colleague on Twitter, though, pointed out the seriousness of all the challenges we face beneath the lightheartedness: “It’s a cute joke that there are raccoons in our supply closet. It’s hilarious. […] The conditions we work in, the demoralizing chaos and the barriers to success are literally killing people.” In my travels around the country, and in the various...
By: Denise Dahl, MPA Founder & Principal, Epiphany Planning & Development Nonprofit Leadership & Strategy One of the most common questions I receive is “How do I get my board to do more?” The answer is easy, but the implementation can be a bit more challenging as board members each come with their own motivation regarding serving. Maybe they are serving as the cause is dear to them. Maybe they are serving because they feel a type of ownership (founder’s syndrome). Maybe they are serving to build their resume. Reasons to serve on a board are as varied as...
“The way to develop the best that is in a person is by appreciation and encouragement.” —Charles Schwab By: Melissa Lagowski CEO, Founder and Queen Bee, Big Buzz Idea Group Early in my career, when I was an Executive Director at a small Chamber of Commerce in Chicago, I had a couple of board members who would try to dangle financial incentives in front of me as a means of encouragement. They kept reminding me of what my financial reward would be if we secured more sponsors for our largest event. It was referenced in every email and in every...
Interview With: Kimberly Bares President, PLACE Consulting Nonprofit organizations are, by nature, heavily dependent on their Executive Directors, so when an ED resigns or has to be let go, the Board of Directors is often overwhelmed with the looming candidate search that is suddenly before them. In fact, many organizations come to a screeching halt because the Board doesn’t know how to function without an Executive Director. But it doesn’t have to be that way. This month, we interviewed Kimberly Bares, President of PLACE Consulting, who has previously filled the role of Interim Director. BBIG: How did you first become...
By: Melissa Lagowski President, Founder and Queen Bee, Big Buzz Idea Group When I first became an Executive Director, I was so excited! I couldn’t wait to roll up my sleeves and dig into the work to make my organization and the community prosper and thrive. But it didn’t take long to realize that running an organization as a team of one was exhausting, though I couldn’t fully understand why the task seemed so daunting. After many years, as I reflect on my first nonprofit role, it now seems so clear: executive directors are expected to wear many hats. How...
It was October 1, 1999, when I began my first full-time position in the nonprofit world. I showed up excitedly at 9 am ready to dig in and get started. The president of the organization met me at the office, said the organization was looking forward to working with me, handed me the key to the office and walked out the door. Now what? As a staff of one, I was responsible for what would become 24 annual events, 12 newsletters and 8 committees. I remember looking around the office and trying to figure out where to begin. There was...
