Comments on: what nonprofit leaders should know

By: Steve Thomas

Steve Thomas — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:26:31 +0000

@Katya–Thanks so much for your comments. I can imagine a Venn Diagram on a flip chart! Perfect visual for your reminder. Chasing dollars for grants or $10 donations is hazardous. Thank for you the perspective. Good stuff.
st

By: Steve Thomas

Steve Thomas — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:23:55 +0000

@Greg-Thank you. The time management skills is an area of competency that definitely should have been listed. I’ve admired GTD but haven’t done a good job of implementing. Someday, I hope.
Thanks.
st

By: Katya Andresen

Katya Andresen — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:50:29 +0000

Leaders need to be focused on the intersection between what their organization does well, what it alone can do, and what their audience wants. NPOs get in trouble when they fail to stay in that zone. Chasing grants and broadening scope beyond the org’s sweet spot are where they go awry.

By: Greg Scully

Greg Scully — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:43:33 +0000

Steve,

Great list you’ve started — some suggested additions:

Managing / leading peoplel through change

How work WITH your board

Time management skills / system, such as David Allen GTD

CRM

Strategic planning resources

Engaging volunteers at multiple org levels (board / strategic / events / fund dev / programs)

Marketing principles

By: Steve Thomas

Steve Thomas — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 05:53:28 +0000

@Peter-great additions, I knew you’d have some killer content. I love the distinction you draw between accounting and finance. I learned some hard lessons when I ran an NPO all centered in my not having as firm a grasp on that as I thought I did.
Many thanks Peter.

By: Peter Drury

Peter Drury — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 20:48:56 +0000

How to assure alignment and sustainability of “mission case” and “business case”

Penelope Burk: Donor-Centered Fundraising

How to assess the risk of insolvency

Having twelve people who care about a cause is not the same as having twelve people who are able to advance that cause, solve a problem, manage an organization, and effectively deliver on its mission.

Not to confuse accounting with finance — both are distinct disciplines, with different foci, even if they appear at first glance to be the same thing.

http://www.dzostrategists.com

AFP and the Code of Ethics for fundraising/fundraisers

Either you know how to do accounting, or accounting gets done to you! (Nonprofit financial accounting requires serious study – the outstanding nonprofit leader will take the time to understand it)

Cash flow forecasting and management

Stanford Social Innovation Review

Blue Avocado

Board Source

Nonprofit Quarterly

If you don’t need to take credit, your work can go much further.

By: Steve Thomas

Steve Thomas — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:39:10 +0000

@Hildy–dead on as always. Yep. Completely agree. Great contribution. Thanks for the input.
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By: Hildy Gottlieb

Hildy Gottlieb — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:56:32 +0000

#1 on the list: The difference the organization intends to make in the community, and their plan for making that difference.

Then last on the list: The difference the organization intends to make in the community, and their plan for making that difference.

All the rest falls in between.
HG