Nonprofit organizations provide services that are valuable and relied upon by communities. Leadership, represented by the board and executives, is ultimately responsible for nonprofit governance. In the absence of proper oversight and accountability, an organization is not able to consistently provide the support and services to the community for which it was founded. So how do boards and executives work together effectively to achieve the best possible results? In short, by living the mantra coined by John C. Maxwell, “teamwork makes the dream work”. While the cliché rings true, it’s necessary to take a deeper look at the dynamics at play and how nonprofits can best position themselves to promote cohesive leadership.

Board-executive role confusion and conflict is well documented in nonprofit governance research. When conflict arises, the organization and those served by the nonprofit suffer. When conflict is not addressed, it can lead to the turnover of executives and/or board members. The board relies on information from the executive(s) concerning staff management and daily operations. When there is inaccurate, incomplete, or inconsistent information, the leadership is not able to properly assess and act. With deliberate planning, policies, and procedures such instances of conflict…

Retirees aged 65 and older have been the backbone of the volunteer population for years. According to AmeriCorps, in 2023, approximately 41 million retired older adults volunteered with nonprofit organizations nationwide. However, we are seeing fewer individuals retire each year due to financial hardships and the rise in the retirement age. There is a higher rate of retirees leaving the volunteer population than new retirees coming in to replace them, making this gap within the volunteerism pool broader and more expansive. This post will help you to understand how to hold on to your valuable retiree volunteers and who else we can look to to fill this gap in the volunteer pool.

The root of it all: why retirees volunteer 

Volunteerism is a great way for retirees to mingle outside their social circles. After retirement, many individuals look to volunteerism as a way to continue routine and structure in their everyday lives. Not only does volunteering benefit the community, but it also provides health benefits to this population's cognitive and social well-being. Doctors have even prescribed volunteering to patients to boost their mood and mental health. 

Retiree volunteer retention

It is vital to meet the needs of the retired volunteers who are already donating their time to your organization. Retirees want to give their time and talents to a cause they care about without being locked into a long-term commitment…

Policies are necessary in any company or organization and can benefit a nonprofit organization. Establishing a donor policy is imperative if any portion of the organization's funding comes directly from donors. It needs to justify administrative costs, clarify controversial donations, and explain which data from evaluations is helpful towards the mission. To ensure the trust of the public and its clients, the organization needs to incorporate this information into a transparent and effective policy.

Importance of evaluations

Donors demanded more organizational accountability after several scandals rocked the nonprofit world in the 1990s. Between the president of the United Way deceiving the organization for $1.2 million and the NAACP's executive director's release for spending over $300,000 of the organization's funds to pay off alleged sexual harassment charges by a former employee, public trust began to fray. Evaluation of services and programs ensures organizations use resources wisely, efficiently, and assure…

Nonprofit healthcare organizations have increasingly recognized the importance of integrating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies into their operations. This strategic approach increases compassionate medical care and enhances healthcare delivery, leading to better patient outcomes. Effective DEI policies ensure that all individuals, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religious preference, or socioeconomic status, have equitable access to services.

The need for DEI in healthcare

The impact on health outcomes range among various groups particularly among racial minorities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, women, and religious communities. These disparities stem from systemic racism, implicit biases, and a lack of inclusion resulting in mistrust and poorer healthcare experiences. 

Studies have shown that Black patients often receive lower quality care and face higher morbidity rates due to systemic discrimination and biases in treatment. Similarly, the LGBTQIA+ community faces significant barriers in healthcare that is exacerbated by stigma, knowledge gaps and insensitivity. Women frequently encounter gender bias having their pain symptoms dismissed as psychological. Additionally, religious beliefs can be at odds with medical intervention resulting in care inequalities.

Organizational commitment to DEI

In response to these challenges, healthcare nonprofits are making concerted…

Change is inevitable. Leadership is a dynamic process of constant change. An organization without structure will fail to even begin working towards its goals. Many nonprofits operate within a traditional structure where the leadership hierarchy is a single leader who commands and controls workers using a top-down pyramidical structure. The push to reject traditional hierarchy’s burdensome, regressive, and harmful structure is gaining ground. Within a traditional leadership setting, the responsibility for the success of a nonprofit organization rests on the shoulders of one person.

As global society continues to change, inequities expand. It would benefit nonprofit professionals to examine how their nonprofit organization could better achieve its mission by embracing nontraditional methods of leadership that don’t rely on one individual providing all decisions and leadership.

Traditional hierarchies develop frustration in workers due to artificial ceilings that are created by their limitations. Leadership structures that diverge from the traditional hierarchy are being considered by some nonprofits in order to realize new ways to share power with Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and focus on succession planning. Flatter organizational structures are being sought out to create job access, build economic security, and to use as an example of what a reimagined economy can look like. Changes in the leadership structure of nonprofits…