Nonprofit Tips & Tidbits

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Fundraising, Strategic Planning, Grants Jackie Celske Fundraising, Strategic Planning, Grants Jackie Celske

5 Reasons You Need a Fund Development Plan

Fund development work relies fundamentally on relationships, and relationships flourish under intentional cultivation rather than chance encounters. Investing time creating a written fund development plan pays dividends through increased revenue, stronger donor relationships, and reduced organizational risk over the coming years. Here are 5 tips to get started!

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General Jackie Celske General Jackie Celske

Creating a Social Media Policy for Legislative Visits: 12 Questions to Ask

When a legislator visits your organization, having a specific policy can help clearly draw the line between advocating and lobbying by ensuring everyone knows what they can share, who approves it, and how to avoid accidentally misrepresenting the visit, supporting legislation, or endorsing a candidate. The following 12 questions will help you develop your own social media policy specifically for legislative visits or other potentially political content.

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Grants, Fundraising Jackie Celske Grants, Fundraising Jackie Celske

How to Invite a Federal Legislator to Visit Your Nonprofit

A well-planned site visit does more than educate a single legislator. It positions your organization as a credible, reliable resource, the kind of organization a member’s office calls when they need perspective on the issues you know best. That relationship, built one visit at a time, produces better policy for the people you serve. The process of scheduling that visit requires patience and persistence, but it follows a clear path. The following 10 tips will help you navigate it.

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General Jackie Celske General Jackie Celske

10 Tips for Engaging with Policymakers

In listening to advice shared at our recent OneTable QC workshop on Advocacy and talking to policymakers and their staff, mostly at the federal level, today's blog post highlights 10 tips for effectively engaging with them to help inspire better policy and improved access to the resources your organization and constituents need to succeed.

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Leadership, General Jackie Celske Leadership, General Jackie Celske

Ask, Don’t Assume

Why do we make assumptions? Our brains process billions of pieces of information every day, sorting them into categories by connecting the unknown to the known. Because we know our own feelings and reactions best, we tend to project them onto others. This blog helps identify how to overcome, or at least minimize, your assumption bias.

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Fundraising, Grants Jackie Celske Fundraising, Grants Jackie Celske

How You Communicate Matters

Back in 1964, communication theorist Marshall McLuhan famously declared, "the medium is the message," meaning that the way information gets delivered shapes its impact on the recipient just as powerfully as the words themselves. Why does the medium matter? Let’s dive into it!

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Fundraising Jackie Celske Fundraising Jackie Celske

Embracing Digital Giving Strategies for Year-End Success

At this time of year, a good digital strategy becomes even more important. With nearly 40% of gifts made during the month of December, a robust digital strategy can maximize your revenue, especially important as we conclude this tumultuous year. Here are 6 ways you can you best integrate digital tools this giving season.

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Board Development, Leadership Jackie Celske Board Development, Leadership Jackie Celske

How Boards Can Effectively Evaluate the Executive Director

As described in our last post, a strong board-led evaluation process transforms how a board and its executive director work together. It ensures alignment, builds trust, and keeps the organization moving forward with clarity and purpose. While each nonprofit may tailor its process, the best evaluations share the following 7 steps that combine structure with respect.

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Board Development, Leadership Jackie Celske Board Development, Leadership Jackie Celske

Board Evaluations Strengthen Their Executive Directors and Organizations

Effective leadership drives mission success. When the executive director leads with clarity, integrity, and purpose, the organization thrives. Like every employee, even the most talented leader needs regular and structured feedback, direction, and accountability to continue to grow personally and professionally and strategically move the organization forward. For a nonprofit, the board alone carries that responsibility. These five reasons explain how board-led evaluations of your chief executive will reap long-term benefits for your organization.

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