tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10869123480060284852011-11-30T14:46:22.460-05:00NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.comBlogger491100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-76644967828141260052011-09-27T14:29:00.003-04:002011-09-28T12:26:38.667-04:00

Last week I talked about how social media platforms could help us work together in new ways, but it will also have an impact on how and what we know about each other. Social media provides us a new way to get to know and understand our colleagues, collaborators, clients, and supporters.It had been widely reported that social network users have surpassed email users. People are using social media

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-10233455939292344612011-09-21T11:47:00.004-04:002011-09-21T11:57:31.723-04:00

Last week I left readers with a question to ponder: What does the social revolution mean for the Social Sector?I’m sure as we all pondered this question, immense possibilities emerged. Though much of the Salesforce conference I recently attended was aimed at the 97% of the audience that was from the corporate sector, the theme of the DreamForce 2011 conference, Let’s Get Social, crossed the

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-28308100094173524332011-09-15T10:29:00.003-04:002011-09-15T10:38:37.233-04:00

Last week at Dreamforce 2011, Mark Benioff, CEO of Salesforce.com, welcomed me and the 45,000 other attendees to “The Social Enterprise.” It is a term Salesforce.com has recently trademarked. While it is not the Social Enterprise that we nonprofits think of, it is a change I think we need to pay attention to.But first, what was a nonprofit consultant from a small town in Michigan doing at the

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-25151456633307149022011-04-08T10:02:00.003-04:002011-04-08T10:13:36.898-04:00

Innovation… it’s a word that generally brings to mind a for-profit corporation such as Apple or FaceBook, not so much a nonprofit organization. But innovation is essential to the success of a nonprofit: creative solutions for challenging problems, timely response to new opportunities and changing community need, creative partnerships, and the urgent need to improve business systems and reduce

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-49703708259507931522011-03-15T15:21:00.003-04:002011-03-15T15:58:39.651-04:00

The bay is starting to look blue (and almost tempting) and I can envision the day (maybe just weeks away) when boats begin to dot the horizon again. As I navigate through my typical work week, it does feel like I have my own private fleet of projects that I'm sailing through an ocean to a final destination. My regatta is made up of various sizes, shapes, and crews but all with one hope: a

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-26048396777081632292011-03-03T09:38:00.005-05:002011-03-03T10:02:25.163-05:00

Can't live with them, can't live without them. But we all know that our ability to effectively manage the constellation of constituents: clients, donors, volunteers, and staff that comprise our nonprofit's universe, is at the mercy of the database we've chosen and our skills in using it.This month we have the opportunity to learn more about selecting databases and one in particular, Salesforce.

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-30443910240292559312011-01-31T17:22:00.004-05:002011-01-31T17:36:48.109-05:00

If I can just successfully log in to my email, catch a cell signal, and launch that web meeting connection, I feel pretty powerful. A true technology master ... and I've barely begun my day.How did we ever become so dependent on technology? Well, I'm certainly a few steps behind many people, perhaps a little ahead of some. I'm forced through my work at NorthSky to use tools I'd probably never try

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-3242118758287423712010-11-29T13:43:00.010-05:002010-11-29T14:20:42.253-05:00

Yes, you read that correctly. A mouse has taken up residence in my glove compartment. I became suspicious after finding shredded Kleenex and napkins lodged there. And although there is no other evidence in the car- nothing running around my feet or nibbling on my lunch- I'm pretty convinced I've had a roommate traveling with me.So, here's how I picture it. The car is parked outside our home which

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-56823026870138195022010-11-11T10:42:00.004-05:002010-11-11T11:00:21.829-05:00

The fall is rapidly fading into early winter and we're making plans for the holidays, kicking us into the high season of fundraising. The economy is still sluggish (and in serious decline in many areas), placing the success of our fundraising activities at risk. Many nonprofits generate more than 50% of their fundraising revenue in the last quarter of the year. What to do? Now, more than ever,

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-4601183215624412072010-10-18T15:05:00.006-04:002010-10-18T15:37:58.573-04:00

It's election season and once again we're being bombarded by phone calls, mailings, radio and television ads; all focused on capturing our attention and influencing our vote. With every candidate driving to be successful on November 2. It triggers the question, doesn't it? How do we launch a successful campaign for our own cause or nonprofit organization? How do we borrow the best from political

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-13067098023729626982010-09-09T11:32:00.007-04:002010-09-14T15:39:22.992-04:00

Service recovery- ever heard that term? It's common in the for-profit sector and emerging in the nonprofit sector, particularly in the health and human services arena. The term refers to addressing a failure in customer service (and rapid recovery from the problem in the eyes of the customer.) The goal is quick response and problem resolution as to maintain customer confidence and goodwill.I had

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-39831813259262883322010-08-12T12:32:00.004-04:002010-08-12T12:38:08.310-04:00

The view can be not only inspirational but an education. We all forget to do it. It’s easy to become absorbed by the internal workings of our organizations. We respond to our clients, staff, donors and other constituents and increasingly view the world through a narrower lens. Overtime, we may base decisions, conclusions, and recommendations on an internal perspective without drawing information

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-49043475475232097002010-06-30T12:20:00.006-04:002010-06-30T12:37:13.610-04:00

Life intensifies in the summer as we try to juggle work and home life during the short, sweet vacation season. Yet, it’s nearly impossible to cancel every meeting and postpone every project until the fall. One high leverage opportunity—get better at conducting meetings and work sessions. You’ll feel better about scheduling the time and the team will be more energetic, enthusiastic and productive.

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-55736452869546252702010-05-12T09:43:00.001-04:002010-05-12T10:48:44.714-04:00

No, not like that young girl from the Exorcist! Just another great technology webinar this week with Andy Wolber, Executive Director, Highway T. He discussed the “Accidental Techie” and wow! There certainly is a lot to learn. I immediately “defragged”, checked my cables, and cleaned the crumbs off my laptop. (Just out of respect!)If you missed the session, you’ll find the recording at:http://

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-71555783488473548092010-04-21T10:03:00.004-04:002010-04-21T10:34:07.287-04:00

Well, it’s most definitely the fundraising season. Northern Michigan nonprofits are percolating with fundraising events, board planning sessions, training, and strategizing. And the NorthSky consulting team is in the thick of it… assisting with planning, capacity building, and learning along with you. I’ve been dazzled by the innovation emerging from your work and impressed that you’re not

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-18111662695462535922010-03-24T10:57:00.003-04:002010-03-24T11:09:36.361-04:00

The pressure is on nonprofits to capture data and report outcomes. Well, let’s be honest. The pressure has been on for quite awhile. Increasingly, our funders, accrediting agencies, and legislative bodies have required nonprofits to capture and report results. Now, it’s becoming more and more mandatory to actually use our data to improve performance! A series of studies report that nonprofit

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-48994042154988444862010-03-02T17:09:00.006-05:002010-03-02T17:19:48.893-05:00

It’s the planning season with nonprofit teams throughout our region working tirelessly on new initiatives, partnerships, and strategies to bolster performance and address a dramatically shifting environment. The NorthSky team is involved in some of this work and we’ve been dazzled by an impressive display of innovation, open-mindedness, and yes, dare I say it, courage!Change isn’t easy for anyone

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-1319197367297686572010-01-27T10:33:00.006-05:002010-01-27T10:50:37.659-05:00

We’ve been spending time this week discussing organizational capacity building. It’s the world NorthSky lives in and we are frankly, immersed in it; considering such topics as how to build board effectiveness, infrastructure development, executive director talent, systems, measures…. well, the list goes on and on. But just try and come up with a clear definition of organizational capacity

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-53048124675772893832010-01-13T10:44:00.004-05:002010-01-13T11:03:55.839-05:00

January and it seems like everyone is talking about the need for additional board members and the difficulty in identifying individuals to round off and build their leadership. The NorthSky team preaches that it all starts with your board, that term limits are critical, and that a diverse board is a best practice. Isn’t that frustrating? You already know all that and we haven’t been very helpful

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-66643776005658271722009-12-10T10:58:00.002-05:002009-12-10T11:00:53.349-05:00

As the holidays approach, the push is on to wrap up projects, close off files, and tie off loose ends. Rush, rush, rush… and then it snows. It really snows! It’s a complication for some folks who are still out there maneuvering through snowy roads and forced to re-schedule essential meetings. For others, it’s a respite providing quiet time to work at home and to catch up. For me, it’s been both.

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-2287584091740601442009-11-19T10:49:00.004-05:002009-11-19T10:58:17.241-05:00

As the NorthSky team considers strategies for strengthening nonprofit governance, a key success factor has emerged in our thinking: the relationship between the board chair and executive director. During a professional development session this week, the speaker cited Peter Drucker (ahhh... remember him?) and his six characteristics of exceptional nonprofits. Near the top of his list is a strong

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-3476354196189846412009-10-28T10:38:00.007-04:002009-11-02T09:09:28.130-05:00

Just a quick scan of the local newspapers, newsletters, and websites, illustrates the urgent need for volunteers of all types by nonprofits throughout northwestern Michigan. Volunteer recruitment, development, and management are key components of nearly every strategic plan that we’ve seen at NorthSky over the past six months.Successful recruitment and retention of volunteers relies on a

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-6109913155368171222009-09-18T09:33:00.002-04:002009-09-18T09:50:10.100-04:00

Can we hang onto that carefree summer attitude while achieving everything on that “to do” list?These last beautiful days of summer are lingering on but for most folks it’s back to busy schedules and to projects that need to quickly move forward this fall. I may have had more trouble picking up my pace after Labor Day except for a very full calendar, too many deadlines and a flood of requests from

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-53218652118321368642009-07-24T10:18:00.003-04:002009-07-24T10:36:43.797-04:00

I’ve been to some beautiful places this summer. No, not Paris or the Alps – but right here, traveling around northern Michigan while working with the vast array of nonprofits in our region. I’ll admit it can be hard to focus at times. Sometimes, I do want to ditch that meeting with a nonprofit board, jump out of the car, and take a hike in the dunes.However, when I do finally arrive at a meeting

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-64533326852967756312009-07-03T09:07:00.003-04:002009-07-03T09:19:08.651-04:00

A frequent concern and challenge for many nonprofit leaders is how to more fully engage and mobilize board members. We hear about poor attendance at meetings and fundraising events, difficulties in achieving quorums for votes, quiet meetings with little comment and/ or participation by board members during the most critical agenda items, and poor follow through on assignments and commitments. So,

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-6648975242077731202009-06-19T09:44:00.001-04:002009-06-19T09:47:41.209-04:00

It’s the season! Every week, almost every day, another invitation arrives about yet another summer fundraiser. In northern Michigan, endless opportunities abound to dance, picnic, run, bike, sail, or tour, while benefiting a deserving nonprofit. Through the grapevine, we hear that attendance is down and our professional journals reference “donor fatigue.” We wonder about the economy and worry

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-91130179044294205422009-06-12T09:35:00.003-04:002009-06-12T09:40:43.160-04:00

Demand for services is increasing. Staff is stretched to the limit. Current funders are reporting the need to cut back. Attendance at board meetings is dropping. Your major special event will net significantly less than last year-etc., etc., etc. You are working ten hours a day, and more, as you wade through the myriad of details, juggling to keep everything going. You just don’t have time to

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-15884142575506440542009-06-05T09:32:00.001-04:002009-06-05T09:36:24.870-04:00

It’s the season of the board retreat and throughout northern Michigan board leadership is planning for time away. Board retreats can be an effective vehicle for team building, planning, training, and problem solving. Time challenged board meetings with over-loaded agendas provide little opportunity for an in-depth discussion or meaningful educational opportunity. The board retreat provides the

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-78368620009825538272009-05-22T09:33:00.003-04:002009-05-22T09:50:10.143-04:00

Well, I’ll confess! I played hooky from my work schedule yesterday afternoon and went for a walk on a beautiful spring day. I felt guilty, of course. There’s way too much going on at NorthSky to take time away in the middle of the day. But I shrugged it off and enjoyed the blooming flowers, trees, and did some bird watching. You can probably predict what I discovered. I came back from my walk

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-49095233788372310692009-05-08T08:53:00.001-04:002009-05-08T09:01:51.157-04:00

It’s not often that we take time away from the office to consider our career and what it means to be a nonprofit leader. Yet, nonprofit leadership is much more than a resume' of skills and accomplishments and worthy of our careful consideration. It’s a way of thinking, an approach, personality, style and of course, a passion for the work that energizes us and inspires others. But how do tap

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-82940740120981833582009-04-17T09:44:00.005-04:002009-04-17T09:57:06.601-04:00

NorthSky staff had an opportunity to participate in a webinar, A Recovery Act Update for Michigan Nonprofits, presented by Leslee Fritz, Director of Michigan’s Economic Recovery Office. The presentation was helpful in highlighting the ways in which the Recovery Act funding will come into communities, the status of those streams, and where we need to go to get up to date information. The ARRA

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-80534786993589886132009-04-10T09:24:00.012-04:002009-04-10T09:59:39.443-04:00

I was recently challenged to help one of my clients explain the concept of capacity-building to her board – why we should do it and why it should be funded. I’ve been doing this work for so long that it just makes logical sense to me! Why doesn’t it for everyone?! I decided to use a theory-of-change logic loop and it has proved useful. I thought I’d pass along both the tool and the logic of

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-72739523731722437832009-04-03T09:48:00.002-04:002009-04-03T10:08:40.354-04:00

I took some time off during Spring break and headed to Dallas for a long weekend. Great thing about plane trips (especially when you experience long and unplanned delays); you catch up on your reading!One article in Nonprofit World really hit home for me. “Never Enough Time” by Paul Lemberg provides some great tips for time management and improving work/ home balance.Some of the author’s tips:

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-33196905266801539862009-03-20T09:56:00.003-04:002009-03-20T10:06:23.298-04:00

We had a full workshop for Andy Robinson’s return visit to Traverse City and my impression was that most attendees left the session energized and excited about fundraising. Amazing… even in this tough economic climate! Andy was able to give us practical advice and instructions for focusing our fundraising efforts on the right prospects using the right approaches.Some highlights….Throughout 50

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-55768779947940111722009-03-13T09:28:00.002-04:002009-03-13T09:33:58.885-04:00

O.K., I’ll admit it. I’m one of those die hard optimists that advocates for making lemonade out of those lemons we’re being so generously served these days. One of the positive outcomes of our struggling economy is that we are seeing an increasing receptiveness by nonprofit leaders to reinventing their current business model and changing their mode of operation.This week, we received the latest

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-71186984173555652922009-02-27T09:27:00.002-05:002009-02-27T09:31:32.246-05:00

Can’t you just feel the collective energy of America in the starting blocks waiting for the pistol to fire? The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act became law on February 17, 2009 and we’ve all heard about the billions that will be coming to the nonprofit sector. But, most of us are probably still wondering about when and how this will happen. I don’t have those clear answers yet either, but

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-85227156028857458342009-02-20T09:18:00.002-05:002009-02-20T09:23:43.215-05:00

Strange question? Obvious answer? Most nonprofit leaders put their lives into their work; investing whole heartedly into their organization. They work long hours, chew on problems in the shower or during family vacations, and sacrifice monetarily in the hope of making our communities better and to assist those they serve. They are constantly “on” – seeking out opportunities, networking, and

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-49747274151173380072009-02-13T11:44:00.002-05:002009-02-13T11:46:27.975-05:00

To help our communities understand the effects of the current economy and stimulus efforts on the nonprofit sector of our region, please complete this short survey. It is very important and will only take 5-10 minutes. Your answers will provide key information to NorthSky Nonprofit Network to help it best characterize the impact of the economic situation on the nonprofit sector in our 10 county

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-38203053951499598032009-02-06T08:16:00.005-05:002009-02-06T12:09:44.499-05:00

Last week, NorthSky hosted an excellent "Break for Lunch" session on leadership, led by Barbara Jordan Ellis, of the Center for Coaching & Leadership Development. Barbara spoke with us about the various components of leadership and how to assess our leadership style. As Debbie McKeon and I considered our own leadership styles, we were struck by the accuracy of her tools in "nailing" us and how

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-30364829108583361852009-01-30T09:13:00.003-05:002009-01-30T09:18:28.771-05:00

It is tax season again. It is that time of year when we are all gathering our requisite paperwork, carting it off to “our people” (if we’re fortunate enough to have them) or getting by with our desktop calculators at our kitchen tables. I don’t know about you, but I always get a little nervous this time of year. I make more lists. I ask more questions. And even as I loosen the grip on my return

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-50056943921519354262009-01-23T11:28:00.003-05:002009-01-23T11:39:43.648-05:00

As the world focuses on a transition in U.S. leadership; it’s natural to consider the concept of leadership. What makes a strong leader? We certainly know that it’s more than the “right” education or graduating from a specialized training program. Many successful leaders don’t have prestigious academic credentials but use practical education and “street smarts” to foster change and influence

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-78207635672974103422009-01-16T08:55:00.003-05:002009-01-16T09:03:26.531-05:00

With the inescapable reality of the steep economic downturn, government bailouts, and dwindling endowments, many of us in the nonprofit community may be left afraid to even ask, “Is there anything left for us?” For many nonprofits, the demand for services is increasing and donations are decreasing. Yet, we may be wondering if it is wise to continue to invest scarce resources into applying for

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-22708672864775448382009-01-09T11:14:00.006-05:002009-01-09T13:18:11.027-05:00

I must be watching too much TV lately but I’ve been intrigued by the publicists that so skillfully craft an image for a celebrity or politician and positively influence public opinion. It’s got me thinking about how great it would be if every nonprofit had its own publicist!We’re all busy right now pursuing donors, searching for volunteers or recruiting new board members for our nonprofit

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-62932572073308229142008-12-12T11:03:00.004-05:002008-12-12T11:14:48.534-05:00

In many ways, it’s been a typical week at NorthSky. As usual, we’ve been busy working with many of you, meeting with you at our office or with you and your board members onsite, conducting training programs, and discussing a range of issues and challenges. So, what’s been different? Unfortunately, lately we’re hearing more and more about your struggles to recruit and retain board members. It’s a

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-83734136814890951832008-12-05T09:45:00.005-05:002008-12-05T10:11:34.964-05:00

We’re hearing a lot about strategic plans these days. The NorthSky team frequently fields inquiries about planning. Do we create a strategic plan now? Do we wait? How do we involve the Board? How many times do we meet? Do we use a consultant? Many nonprofits are skeptical about long-range planning…they’ve been through the exercise of conducting a S.W.O.T. analysis and rewriting mission and vision

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-86739915410199258962008-11-21T11:19:00.005-05:002008-11-21T11:32:32.821-05:00

Sometimes I feel like a mad scientist here in the NorthSky lab brewing up new formulas and innovative solutions for the nonprofits here in northern Michigan. I guess there is a little madness going on right now for all of us as we search for new strategies and approaches to age old problems: How do we increase our funding? How do we find and recruit strong Board members? How do we keep staff

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-31704102755977775982008-11-14T13:08:00.007-05:002008-11-14T13:35:26.931-05:00

As I was catching up on my reading, one author commented that she has frequently heard executive directors lament that they are often the ones that attend professional development programs on board governance rather than members of their board of directors. This puts the responsibility on the executive director to interpret and provide leadership in board governance for their boards rather than

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-31179900659868385562008-11-07T10:03:00.006-05:002008-11-07T10:28:30.569-05:00

We’re fielding lots of requests from area nonprofits working on year-end fundraising campaigns. I expect as we get closer to the holidays, we’ll be hearing from even more of you. Those year-end appeals can be critical as you capitalize on donor receptivity and interest and ensure you meet your revenue budget.A few tips to keep in mind as you work on direct mail solicitations.The solicitation

NorthSky Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06720505458066715475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086912348006028485.post-75323636481457805312008-10-28T11:15:00.003-04:002008-10-30T10:33:47.156-04:00

We’re all watching the economic markets and wondering how that turbulence will not only impact our personal lives but the financial health of our nonprofit organizations. It’s scary to speculate on all the ramifications and too soon to know with any certainty in what ways governmental and private funding will be impacted. We will also, most likely, continue to experience growing operating

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