Vu - Nonprofit AF (Page 8)

Funder Relations

Foundations: Stop taking a year off to do your strategic planning!

Hi everyone. It is October, which means my favorite holiday is coming up: Halloween, a time when children can dress up in costume and go door-to-door for free food, while adults dress up as sexy versions of healthcare workers and politicians. And of course, it's also a time

Race, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion

Hey white colleagues: We need to talk about these non-inclusive lists and panels you’re always putting together

Hi everyone. I wrote on this topic on LinkedIn last week, and it hit a nerve, so I wanted to expand. Every once in a while, folks in our sector make lists highlighting experts and resources they think are great. “25 Fundraising Experts You Should Follow.” “20 Books on Leadership

humor

Tips and tricks for dealing with bizsplaining trolls who think nonprofits are inferior to for-profits

Hi everyone, a quick note before we get started. If you’re in Seattle and available the evening of October 26th, please join me at the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) for a book reading I’m doing of my book, Unicorns on Fire, which is a collection of

Finance

Beyond the snowflake report: A case against financial and outcomes accounting tailored to individual donors and funders

For decades, our sector has had this refrain: “Donors and funders deserve transparency. They have a right to know how nonprofits spend their donations and the outcomes they achieved.” Many of us agree with this, including me. Yes, nonprofits should be transparent. They need to report their revenues, expenses, program

nonprofit

Vital and invisible as air: An appreciation of nonprofit professionals

Hi everyone, last week was my kids’ first week of school. This always brings bittersweet emotions as I watch my little ones find their lines, reconnect with their friends, and increase a notch in their confidence and independence. I know the days of them holding my hands as we walk

AI

Hey funders, don't freak out about AI-supported grant proposals

A while ago, a colleague mentioned a funder who required a whole-ass grant proposal from their current grantees to renew their grant every year. Requiring a full proposal for renewal is very annoying, but common enough, like the philanthropic equivalent of pinkeye. This one funder, however, specified that grantees could

humor

Nonprofit professionals, we need to be louder and more vocal, and possibly more obnoxious

Hi everyone, for the past two weeks I’ve been dealing with ongoing violent coughs, wheezing, and occasional migraines. Chest x-rays finally concluded I have pneumonia. (My ten-year-old: “So can you transform into different animals now?” “No, son, that’s Nimona.”). I am now on a delightful cocktail of antibiotics,

Funder Relations

Why funders need to rethink the concept of nonprofit resilience

Hi everyone. Quick reminder: On August 30th at 11am Pacific Time, there is a FREE webinar on legislative reforms on Donor-Advised Funds. Get more details and register here. There will be live captioning. Also, this week I’ll be speaking virtually at the Nonprofit Marketing Summit, which is free for

Fundraising

We need to restore romance in nonprofit and philanthropy! (No, not that kind of romance)

Hi everyone, before we get into this week’s topic, on August 30th at 11am Pacific Time, there is a FREE webinar about one of critical things we all need to pay more attention to: Legislative reforms on Donor-Advised Funds! It’s hosted by CalNonprofits and will feature lots of

Donor Relations

Why I’m no longer donating to your no-good, very bad nonprofit

I am a generous and humble man who wants to help sad poor people. This is why I give money to charity. If you help sad poor people, I might also give your organization money. But I have high standards, so I usually give initial donations to test organizations’ responses.

Funder Relations

You’re not lazy. Here’s what lazy looks like in our sector.

Hi everyone, this will be the last blog post until August 8th, as I’ll be on my annual summer break. By the time you’re reading this, I am on my way to Vietnam to see the relatives. It will be three weeks of getting criticized for my career

nonprofit field

Hey journalists, we need to talk about your problematic portrayals of nonprofits

Hi everyone, Juneteenth was this week, so a quick reminder to funders that Black-led organizations only get only a tiny fraction of all foundation dollars, so if you released a statement and then took the day off, give more money to Black-led organizations and Black leaders. Everyone else, support Black