The Nonprofit Mentor -- Tips, Tools & Tactics from the Trenches for Nonprofit Leaders -- by Tom Iselin

Over the years, I've heard countless nonprofit leaders say some version of the same thing: "Our board has a governance problem." Sometimes they're right. A board may have outdated bylaws, weak committee structures, poor orientation for new members, or unclear policies. Those issues certainly matter, and they deserve...

Why "Any Questions?" Is Killing Your Board Discussions

I've facilitated hundreds of board retreats over the past 20 years, and I've noticed something fascinating. The moment a board chair or CEO finishes a presentation and says, "Any questions?" the room almost always gets quieter—not livelier.

A few people...

Many nonprofits believe their mission alone should inspire support. Unfortunately, donors are not mind readers.

They cannot automatically feel your impact, understand your programs, appreciate your culture, or grasp the urgency of your work simply because your organization exists. That understanding must be...

I've seen some beautiful strategic plans over the years. Thick paper. Gorgeous photography. Inspirational quotes. Color-coded priorities. One organization even handed me a plan that looked expensive enough to have its own insurance policy.

There was just one problem: Nobody was using it.

That's more common than...

Many fundraisers think successful donor meetings are primarily about charisma.

Wrong.

Charisma helps. Confidence helps. Storytelling helps. But more than anything else, successful fundraising meetings are usually the result of thoughtful preparation. The best fundraisers rarely “wing it.” They...