Data management is a critical aspect of running a nonprofit organization. It involves the collection, storage, and use of information to make informed decisions and measure the impact of your work. However, it's essential to approach data management from a community-centric perspective, respecting privacy, ensuring security, and obtaining informed enthusiastic consent.

Community-Centric Fundraising (CCF) is a growing movement that challenges traditional philanthropic practices, highlighting their colonial nature and exclusionary practices. This approach has gained traction globally, with a strong appetite for equity-based philanthropy.

Budgeting is a crucial aspect of running a successful nonprofit organization. It helps you plan for the future, make strategic decisions, and ensure financial sustainability. Today, I'm excited to share a guide to nonprofit budgeting that I've put together. This guide is designed to help nonprofit leaders, especially those working in community-centered organizations, navigate the complexities of budgeting.

Understanding the diverse experiences of the communities we serve is crucial. Today, I want to delve into a book that has profoundly impacted my understanding of caste oppression and its manifestations in the U.S. and the nonprofit sector: "The Trauma of Caste: A Dalit Feminist Meditation on Survivorship, Healing, and Abolition" by Thenmozhi Soundararajan.

Leadership is the backbone of any successful organization, and nonprofit organizations are no exception. The style of leadership adopted can significantly influence the organization's culture, effectiveness, and overall success. Today, we'll delve into five primary leadership styles prevalent in the nonprofit sector: Servant Leadership, Transformational Leadership, Transactional Leadership, Charismatic Leadership, and Spiritual Leadership.

Record keeping is a critical aspect of running a successful nonprofit organization. It's not just about being organized; it's about fulfilling your legal and fiduciary duties, ensuring financial transparency, and building trust with your stakeholders. Let's delve into the importance of record keeping and provide practical tips to help you streamline your processes.

In keeping with my obsession with The Bear, I’ve been engrossed in the book that I spied Richie reading in one of my favorite episodes of Season 2, Forks. As Richie begins to find his purpose, he can be seen reading a book with a bright yellow cover and I had to know what it was! It turns out that it’s book that deeply resonates with my leadership philosophy. "Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect" by Will Guidara, a renowned restaurateur and co-founder of the Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park, offers profound insights that are universally applicable, including to the nonprofit sector.

Effective communication is more than just a tool—it's a cornerstone of community-centric practices. It's about creating an environment where everyone feels heard, valued, and engaged. Today, let's explore how nonprofit leaders can adapt their communication styles to accommodate the needs of key stakeholders and foster a more inclusive, collaborative, and effective organization.

Strategic planning is a crucial process that guides a nonprofit's direction and decision-making. Yet, it's often overlooked! Today, let's delve into how a community-centric nonprofit can embark on a strategic planning process that is inclusive, effective, and truly reflective of the community it serves.

In the world of social impact, we often find ourselves focusing on the mission, the people, and the change we're making. And while these are undoubtedly the heart and soul of our work, there's another crucial component that we must not overlook: the annual budgeting process.

The terms "grant writer" and "grants consultant" are often used interchangeably. However, these roles, while both crucial to securing funding, have distinct differences in their scope and approach. Understanding these differences can help your organization make the most of your fundraising efforts and maximize your impact.

Setting sail on the journey of creating a social impact organization is an exhilarating adventure! One of the first exciting decisions you'll encounter is choosing the right structure. This choice is like finding the perfect ingredients for a recipe—it needs to blend well with your mission and help you create a delightful impact. Today, we'll explore four enticing structures for social impact organizations: registering as a 501(c)(3), seeking fiscal sponsorship, registering as a nonprofit corporation without 501(c)(3) status, and operating as a collective without a corporate structure.

If you're anything like me, you've not only binged FX's prestige television show "The Bear" more times than you can count, but you also can't stop thinking about it. It's more than just a show; it's a masterclass in leadership, workplace culture, and the human condition.

As leaders in the nonprofit sector, it's crucial to stay informed about events that could potentially impact our operations, even if they seem unrelated at first glance. One such event is the ongoing contract negotiations between United Parcel Service (UPS) and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The outcome of these negotiations could have far-reaching implications for nonprofits across the United States, and it's essential that we understand why.

In the digital age, direct mail fundraising might seem like a relic of the past. But don't be fooled! Despite the rise of online fundraising, direct mail remains a highly effective strategy for many nonprofits. In fact, studies show that older donors, who often have more disposable income, are particularly responsive to direct mail. Below are ten things you can do to craft a successful direct mail fundraising letter!

As an AI enthusiast, I am thrilled to witness the rapid advancements in generative AI and its potential to revolutionize various sectors, including nonprofit organizations. The ability of AI to generate human-like text, make predictions, and learn from experience is nothing short of extraordinary. But what excites me even more is the adaptation of AI tools that have been traditionally used for supply chain management to donation/revenue forecasting. This opens up a new world of possibilities for nonprofits, enabling them to predict and plan their resources more effectively.

In the world of nonprofits, demonstrating the impact of our work is crucial. It informs our strategic decisions, helps us secure funding, and most importantly, ensures that we're effectively serving our communities. However, tracking impact should not require overly complex data synthesis or highly specialized tools. Moreover, it should be rooted in community.

Here are five powerful, yet simple, metrics that any nonprofit can track and report on to convey the impact of their work, without tokenizing or exploiting marginalized community members.

The 2023 GIVING USA report has shed light on the current state of giving, highlighting a concerning drop in donations. As we navigate these challenging times, it's crucial to consider how policy changes, specifically those related to Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) and foundations, can significantly impact our fundraising landscape. In this post, we will delve into these potential changes and discuss how they align with the principles of community-centric fundraising (CCF), a movement that prioritizes the needs of the community over the desires of large donors and foundations. Let's explore how we can advocate for systemic changes that can inject much-needed resources into our communities and make our fundraising practices more equitable and just.

Today, we're diving into a recent OpEd by Theodore Wagenaar, a passionate philanthropist who has some strong opinions about how nonprofits should interact with their donors. While Mr. Wagenaar's perspective is valuable, it's important to remember that there's always more than one side to a story. The Chronicle of Philanthropy published a shortened version of my response, but I think there’s more to unpack here.

The 2023 GIVING USA report has been released, and it's clear that we are navigating through some challenging times. The report indicates a drop in giving, which can be disconcerting for many nonprofits. However, as we face these challenges, it's crucial to remember the principles of community-centric fundraising (CCF) and the potential they hold for transforming our fundraising landscape.