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6 Tips for Healthy Collaboration with Your Board Chair

6 Tips for Healthy Collaboration with Your Board Chair

By Melissa Lagowski CEO / Queen Bee / Founder Big Buzz Idea Group In thinking back to my first day as an Executive Director (E.D.), I realize now that the tone was set right there on day one. I met the Board President at my new office. He unlocked the door, handed me the key and said, “Have a nice day” as he left. There was no training, nobody to answer my questions. I don’t even know if I saw any of the board members between meetings (except, on occasion, for the Board member who owned the building where my...

Board Nominating: A Better Way

Board Nominating: A Better Way

By Brad Ball Vice President Big Buzz Idea Group “I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.” – Douglas Adams Simply too many organizations think about bringing new people onto the board of directors as a last-minute activity. They wait until just before the Annual Meeting, have a few quick, quiet conversations about who has time and is willing to join the board for the next term. Those people say ‘yes,’ the names are hastily approved, and thus, the next year’s board of directors is born. And this story repeats itself, often with just...

Fostering Board Engagement in Virtual Times

Fostering Board Engagement in Virtual Times

By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group Congrats on carefully selecting and approving new board members for your nonprofit organization! You have every reason to be excited about this ideal blend of leaders who are all passionate about your cause and ready to do great things. Cohesive leadership teams don’t just happen; they are the result of serious intention, and much of this work is the result of proper onboarding. Generally, your annual retreat brings new board members “up to speed” on the organization while providing a way for all members of the team to get to know...

6 Tips for Recruiting Ideal Board Members

6 Tips for Recruiting Ideal Board Members

By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group We regularly hear from nonprofits that their Board of Directors or certain members are not carrying their fair share of the weight. The biggest concern is leadership not delivering on their Board commitments and sometimes they aren’t even showing up to the organization’s events. But imagine the flipside: What if each Board member actively engaged with your organization? What if every Board member met their give-or-get requirements and took their fiduciary responsibilities more seriously? What if every Board member actively served and supported your nonprofit with shared vision and commitment toward...

3 Questions to Ask If You Hope to Grow Your Membership

3 Questions to Ask If You Hope to Grow Your Membership

By: Brad Ball Vice President Big Buzz Idea Group If boosting membership is a key goal for your organization, we’ve got three questions to kick off your strategic planning. To add some context, we spoke with Lynsey Sorrell, the Vice President of Membership for the Ely Chapter of Lambda Alpha International, the Honorary Society for the Advancement of Land Economics. As one of our valued association management clients, she was able to share some of the impactful ways we’ve worked together to improve her organization’s membership. Read on for our thought-starters to move your own membership forward. 1. How can...

Should You Ever Cover Board Member Expenses?

Should You Ever Cover Board Member Expenses?

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...

Engage Your Board – Start with Recruiting and End with A High-Performance Culture

Engage Your Board – Start with Recruiting and End with A High-Performance Culture

By: Rena Henderson Founder and CEO, Bold Agenda  After hanging up the phone, I realized that this was the third time in one week that an Executive Director or Board Chair described to me the same problem. My client left another uninspired and unfocused board meeting and complained of the malaise on his board:  poor attendance at meetings, missed fundraising goals, board meetings that were not focused or goal-oriented, and a certain few board members dominating the discussion. He was frustrated because he knew they could not bring new board members in, nor close their increasing deficit with half of...

New Year’s Resolutions for Board Members

New Year’s Resolutions for Board Members

By: Gail Perry President, Gail Perry Associates Philanthropy Consultants   It’s the New Year – and it’s a great time to make smart resolutions for the future! This post is a perennial favorite with my readers – I’ve updated it for this year. Here are some ideas for nonprofit board members – to help everyone get started on the right foot for the year and keep on track as we launch into the new year. You might find that these ideas will open up some interesting discussions – about expectations, attitudes and actions needed from ALL board members.   How...

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Insights Blog Archive

  • Promotion Ideas to Benefit Your Nonprofit – Part II
  • What’s Your Nonprofit’s Story
  • Put Some Zing in Your Zoom (Or Any Other Virtual Meeting)
  • Tips for Virtual Event Success
  • Celebrate You and Avoid Nonprofit Burnout
  • Innovative Approach to Volunteer Recruitment
  • To Be Successful, Nonprofits and Associations Must Be Forward-Thinking
  • Crisis Management: Are You Ready?
  • 3 Tips For Maintaining Your NPO’s Digital Assets
  • Client Spotlight: Hope For The Day
  • Should Sponsorships Include Membership Dues?
  • Self-Care: A Necessity for Successful Leadership
  • How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media to Meet Goals
  • How To Secure More Donor Dollars
  • SPONSORSHIP 101: To Package or Not to Package
  • 4 Ways Outsourcing Your Development Work Can Provide Value
  • Cancelling or Postponing Your Events in Light of COVID-19
  • Nonprofit Form 990: Friend or Foe?
  • The 3 Mistakes I Made Managing a Nonprofit
  • The Hidden Costs Behind Your Fundraiser
  • Tips For Meaningful #GivingTuesday Follow-Up
  • Big Buzz Idea Group Launches Additional Services
  • Leveraging E-Newsletters For Nonprofit Growth
  • Implementing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Your Nonprofit
  • Why Your Nonprofit Needs Brand Guidelines
  • Take Time to Evaluate Your Events
  • Real Progress Requires Intention: What Do You Want to Achieve in 2020 for Your Nonprofit?
  • Conference Call Hero – 6 Tips to Master the Art of Video and Audio Conferencing
  • New Year’s Resolutions for Board Members
  • 9 Lessons Learned from Our First Virtual Conference
  • Spend Less. Do More. Your Guide to Effective Outsourcing
  • Why You Need to Establish Gratitude as a Pillar at Your Nonprofit
  • Engage Your Board – Start with Recruiting and End with A High-Performance Culture
  • Four Pillars to Attracting and Retaining Ideal Employees
  • Why Is My Organization Not Growing?
  • SPONSORSHIP 101: Growing Nonprofit Revenues
  • 5 Reasons to Outsource Instead of Rely on Volunteers
  • 6 Tips for Healthy Collaboration with Your Board Chair
  • The Taxman Cometh (Yes, Even For Your Exempt Organization)
  • The Compelling Case to Renew
  • If You’re Feeling Hopeless of Late, Remember That Your Work Matters and You Do, Too
  • Four Step Process to Building Better Buy-In
  • The Need to Go Beyond Surveys
  • Does Your Mission Have a Compelling Voice?
  • Financial Planning for Uncertain Times
  • How to Rewire Your Brain with Positive Thinking
  • How to Keep Your Visuals On-Brand
  • Fresh Funding Ideas Are Blooming
  • Four Tactics to Resolve Nonprofit Staffing Shortages
  • Interim Directors Provide Strength in Times of Transition
  • Team Culture Exists Beyond the Office Walls
  • Seven Tips to a More Productive Year for Your Organization
  • Please Send a Hi-res Copy of Your Logo
  • Optimize Your Contact List for Nonprofit Growth
  • Chart a Path for Nonprofit Success
  • Cross-Train Your Team for Better Outcomes
  • 3 Questions to Ask If You Hope to Grow Your Membership
  • Transparency and Nonprofit Organizations
  • 4 Productivity Tips to Elevate Your Nonprofit
  • Nonprofit Event Venues 101
  • Networking for Personal and Professional Growth
  • The Board’s Hot (Summer) Topics
  • Organic Methods to Cultivate Sponsorship Leads
  • Promotion Ideas to Benefit Your Nonprofit – Part I
  • Make Your Nonprofit Stand Out: Creating Impressions for Impact
  • DIY Event Photos
  • Keep Your Mission in Mind to Maximize Results
  • Client Spotlight: Cyberjutsu
  • Should You Ever Cover Board Member Expenses?
  • Our Top Five Free Online Tools for Nonprofit Management Teams
  • Something Good: Building Your Team’s Connection
  • Becoming a Virtual Event Planner in an Instant
  • 10 Tips to Cultivate Sponsor Relationships
  • How to Manage Your Organization During an Election Year Without Violating Your Nonprofit Status
  • Big Buzz Has COVID-19 Resources For You!
  • 50 Content Promotion Tactics: How to Drive Traffic to Your Next Article
  • 5 Secrets to Streamlining Your Administrative Tasks
  • Defining Your Value: Reclaiming Relevance to the Community You Serve
  • How to Hire a Consultant
  • Leadership Starts with You
  • 6 Tips for Recruiting Ideal Board Members
  • Tips to Ensure Event Safety
  • How to Develop Your Nonprofit’s Audience Persona
  • 5 Ways to Generate Sponsor Leads
  • 5 Tips for Prioritizing Your Mental Health in the Workplace
  • Are You Leaving Money On The Table?
  • Board Nominating: A Better Way
  • Employee Retention Tax Credit Yields Powerful Opportunity
  • Fundraising: Creating a Straighter Path to Revenue Growth
  • Talk to Me! Prioritizing Internal Communications During Times of Transition
  • Securing Help from Your Board: Are You Ready?
  • Is Your Marketing Missing the Mark?
  • Outsourcing: The Only Solution To Staffing Shortages
  • Meet Big Buzz, the Creators of Ribfest Chicago
  • A Job Gone Wrong
  • Want To Retain Your Employees? Wellness in the Workplace Matters!
  • Communication Tips to Advance Your Organization
  • The Birth of a New Vision
  • Time to Assess Your Year-End Campaigns
  • Organizational Operations Versus Organizational Strategy
  • Why Identifying and Communicating Your Core Values Is Important
  • Never Overlook the Value of Gratitude
  • Word of the Year: Manifestation
  • 3 Reasons Why Your Organization Should Use Canva
  • Fostering Board Engagement in Virtual Times
  • Post-Pandemic Event Lessons
  • Lessons Learned in Nonprofit Management
  • The Benefits of Outsourcing
  • Budgeting for Your Nonprofit in Uncertain Times
  • Grateful for Nonprofit Leaders
  • Boost Your Daily Productivity
  • 6 Tips for Cultivating Gratitude in the Workplace
  • 11 Tips to Make Your Newsletter More Readable
  • Holding On When You Feel Like Throwing In the Towel
  • Cyber Security: How To Protect Yourself In Today’s “Connected” World
  • Client Spotlight: Illinois Theatre Association
  • Silver Linings Discovered Amidst a Pandemic
  • Why Nonprofits Need to Evaluate Their Budgets Every Year
  • Making a Case for Strategic Planning
  • Re-Imagine the Possibilities to Better Serve Your Mission
  • Goal-Setting For Successful Events
  • 2020: A Lesson in Gratitude
  • Virtual Fundraising: 18 Ideas for Nonprofit Revenue
  • Life After COVID-19: Next Steps for Your Nonprofit
  • How to Secure Mega Sponsorships For Your Fundraising Event!
  • Clearer Communication Is the Secret to Better Outcomes
  • 7 Tips for Managing Hybrid Events
  • Board or Bored Leadership – Enter the Magnificent Seven

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  • 4055 W. Peterson Ave., #105 Chicago, IL 60646
  • 773.804.8589
  • 773.804.8986
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