Award Winning Blog - Agitator

Whine At Your Own Risk

Bloggers continue to debate in our virtual world whether it's appropriate for nonprofits to be held to “business standards” in terms of demonstrated program impact and management effectivess (see this recent Agitator post). However, nonprofit executives operating in the real world must recognize that the debate is already over! Consider this remark, in a Forbes […]

Learn More June 7, 2007

Innovation Isn’t A Luxury

Joe Waters, blogging at Selfish Giving, warns nonprofits not to outlast their “welcome on the dance floor.” We heartily agree with his observation: “…as the line between philanthropy and marketing (and let's not forget entertainment) blurs, traditional forms of fundraising — and the nonprofits that use them — look more and more like relics.” Joe […]

Learn More June 6, 2007

“Suck” By Any Other Name

Do you know a nonprofit that sucks? Or do you consider the very premise of the question insulting? Or, conceding that some nonprofits working toward the same goal might be more effective (dare I say, more deserving?) than others, is it just the term “suck” that bothers you? Sean Stannard-Stockton, blogging at blank”>Tactical Philanthropy, points […]

Learn More June 5, 2007

Professional Development For Nonprofits

Just in case you overlooked, Philanthropy Journal has put together an excellent online special report on professional development for nonprofits. By one account, over 250 colleges and universities offer at least one course in nonprofit management, while 114 offer a concentration in the area. Many other programs are offered by professional organizations and specialized consultants. […]

Learn More June 4, 2007

Replacing Older Donors

As usual, Jeff Brooks at Donor Power Blog offers pointed advice when he tells nonprofit fundraisiers to stop wasting time prospecting for donors in the under-30 population. Focus instead, he says, on Boomers, loosely 40- to 60-year olders (more precisely, the 1946-64 birth date cohort), to replace your aging core donors. I think he's only […]

Learn More June 1, 2007

Top Challenges For Nonprofits

A new study from the Johns Hopkins Nonprofit Listening Post Project identifies the following as the top “very significant” challenges for nonprofits, as indicated by responding organizations: Charitable fundraising (68% of organizations) Health benefit costs (58%) Government budget cuts (47%) Generating fee income (46%) Board recruitment (46%) Public understanding (41%) That fundraising is the top […]

Learn More May 31, 2007