Blue Avocado celebrates 100th issue… editor notes
Yup, this is the 100th issue of Blue Avocado. As you know, we’re an online magazine — where each issue has 5 – 8 articles — rather than a blog with many short posts. We’re very proud of our unique mix: At least one thought-provoking (probably …
From Black Panther to Nonprofit CFO
Norma Mtume is my hero. As a college student she joined the Black Panther Party and went on to serve as director of the Alprentice Bunchy Carter and the George Jackson People’s Free Medical Clinics. She also co-founded a nonprofit in a broken-down trai …
Take a 3 Minute Vacation Right Now and Have Some Laughs
Today’s politiquette tip: don’t tell a person using a wheelchair, “I don’t think of you as someone in a wheelchair!” Or more commonly: “I don’t think of you as a minority!” said to people of color. The implication, of course, is that the listener has m …
Hammer Factories, Carpenters, and Pigs . . . editor notes issue #97
These days there are so many people creating tools for nonprofit leaders and for activists. Foundations fund online tools, research studies, websites that analyze and present data, convenings on new tools, and so forth. We have a million factories maki …
Take a 2-Minute Vacation Right Now: 40 Inspirational Movie Speeches in 2 Minutes
Do nonprofits inspire people? or do people inspire nonprofits? If you need two minutes of inspiration, enjoy this video that includes such classics such as “A day may come when the courage of men fails, but it is not this day!” and “Clap! Clap! …
Why is Fundraising More About Leadership Than About Skills? editor notes #93
Fundraisers never lack for advice. One board member tells you that foundations should be giving you money, while another thinks we should talk to Bill Gates. The staff thinks you should raising money from corporations. And the friend you run into at th …
First World Problems, editor notes issue #92
Why is the web so damned slow today? Why is the printer jammed yet again? Where did I put the remote down? Why is everybody in front of me driving so slow?! First World problems of course (one that is complained about only because there aren …
First Person Nonprofit: A Day in the Life of a Major Gifts Officer
So exactly how do you lead someone up to a $1 million ask? The director of major gifts at a large regional environmental organization agreed to tell us everything . . . as long as we didn’t reveal her name or organization. And best of all: post …
Take a 6-Minute Vacation Trip to the Moon
Watch last week’s moon landing from the camera of Yutu — Jade Rabbit, the Chinese moon rover — and reflect on your life and the future of human civilization. And then go back to reading your email. “The moon . . . never leaves. Every day it’s …
Queries & Communiques
This cute hedgehog takes a break from eating avocado to ask you: * California nonprofits: participate in this important study! The California Association of Nonprofits and the U of San Diego are conducting a large study of the economic impact of …
