Unlike industries tethered to the private or public sectors, nonprofit organizations have an onus to further a common interest. That’s often why people get involved with them in the first place. Whether it’s a charity, a civic league, a social club, or any other type of NPO, the end product is likely to be an evolving contribution to society rather than a quick buck.

As flag bearers in the march for a greater good, it seems almost requisite that nonprofits should make an effort to go green - insomuch as what’s under our control. In the light of our deepening catalog of climate change research, many believe that the number one concern for our society should be a heightened effort to reduce our environmental impact. Here’s what your nonprofit can do to go green while still carrying out its mission:

1. Before you organize your next benefit, fundraiser or elsewise-related event, think about the cleanest way to do it. Public exhibitions inherently produce a good deal of waste, including (but not limited to) paper, food and fuel. Have your event at a convenient, easy-to-reach venue that won’t have people driving their cars from all ends of the earth to get there. If you’re scheduling a meal or some snacks, try reusable plates and utensils. If not, find compostable or biodegradable tableware. Skip the paper name tags and chintzy decorations and organize an activity to have people introduce themselves to one another.…

Question: My board of directors is not effective at raising funds to support our organization. Many members seem afraid of the issue and say things like “I will do anything but fundraise.” How do I get them involved?

Effectively engaging board members in fundraising is a very common challenge for nonprofit organizations. Many board members are unaware of their responsibilities to fundraise or feel inadequate in meeting the challenge. Others may have had bad experiences or have misconceptions about fundraising. While it can be difficult to engage board members in fundraising, there are a few steps that will help ease the way, build confidence and improve effectiveness. 

Set clear expectations

Start by setting clear expectations about the board of directors and individual members’ roles and responsibilities for fundraising. Evaluate your board’s current perception on its fundraising role. If it is vague or undeveloped, work with the board leadership to define and elaborate on expectations. This may require education and plans for overcoming obstacles. It may be helpful to share information about a nonprofit board of directors’ two…

Join the hundreds of Arizona nonprofits who are combining forces on the one day that the people of Arizona have the power to raise as much money as possible for the state’s nonprofit sector through the fastest growing method of giving: online fundraising. And it’s all happening on March 20.

The Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits and The Arizona Grantmakers Forum have teamed up to do what has never been done before in our state. Many states across the nation are already participating in giving days, and it’s Arizona’s turn to cash in. The process is simple, yet powerful. Nonprofits wishing to participate register at azgives.org, complete their profile, then promote like their lives depend on it. For some organizations, it really does.

As the sector continues to experience cuts from all sources of funding, new ways of fundraising must be created and explored. One of these ways is online fundraising coupled with social media. The success of online giving concepts, such as Giving Tuesday, has increased dramatically, even in just in the past few years. According to The Chronicle of Philanthropy and PRNewswire,…

Welcome to Research Friday! As part of a continuing series, we invite a nonprofit scholar, student, or professional to highlight current research reports or studies and discuss how they can inform and improve day-to-day nonprofit practice.

“The impact of new technologies is invariably misjudged because we measure the future with yardsticks from the past.” - Stephen Baker, a technology journalist in a recent NY Times Blog.

Last year I wrote a Research Friday blog post that considered the impact of civic engagement on the economy. I discussed research that found a correlation between civic engagement and the unemployment rate. Although the findings were not conclusive, in states where civic engagement did not decline, employment rates were more resilient and stable.

The term social…

The year is 2008. Overnight, banks and financial institutions are in crisis, the stock market plunges, interest rates and housing prices drop, corporate sales and profits dip, employment lines grow, funds everywhere dry up. Nonprofits, the fifth largest industry in Arizona, historically the recipient of a most generous donor base, now wear the burden of the downturn in the national economy.

The number of nonprofit agencies that succumbed to the recession is not the topic of this essay. Suffice to say, that most survived, some due to good luck, others to large contributions that came their way in the early months. As the funding pot boiled down, nonprofit managers tightened our belts. Responsibilities fell to the board of directors and executive directors to do something to save their organizations.

Executive directors, along with their bookkeepers, heard the clock ticking and felt the impact first. Staff! How do we meet our biggest expense, payroll, with the next fiscal quarter looming? Clients! How do we serve our needy client base: vulnerable individuals, “our” families and “our kids?” At that point in time, keeping ourselves employed wasn’t even a thought.

With no time to spare and with no colleagues with whom to collaborate (we were all too busy), executive directors had to act. Now, holed up our offices, we had to reach into our inner strengths. Each had to look to our…