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Get Involved
Well, now that you’ve seen our first issue, would you like to join us in shaping future issues? See more at About Blue Avocado (button on the right), but here’s a fast look: * Join. We are able to launch thanks to some early supporters, but to c …
Why “Blue Avocado”?
A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, blue avocados grew wild and with abandon. Unicorns fed on them. Dragons sometimes mistook them for pterodactyl eggs. A few managed to hitch a ride on a meteor and ended up in Central America, where the …
Abolish Board Committees?
A fresh and radical idea: consider eliminating all (or most) of your board committees. Too many boards are bogged down by committees that are inactive or maybe even semi-fictitious. And board members can feel compelled to be on three or four committees …
Welcome to Blue Avocado’s first issue
Welcome to Blue Avocado : a new bite-sized magazine by and for people who work and volunteer in community nonprofits. Welcome, too, to returning Board Cafe readers, who can now access the Board Cafe column in an expanded magazine format! Blue Av …
Reasons to Have (& Not to Have) an Attorney on a Nonprofit Board
Because a nonprofit board’s success depends upon its gestalt as much as the traits of its individual members, boards should think a bit about the contributions an attorney might make.
Can We Require An Employee To Take Her Meds?
Can a nonprofit require an employee/former client to take her psychiatric medications as a condition of continued employment?
Promises, Promises: Rural Advocates vs. Big Philanthropy
Community advocates in Yakima County, Washington, and the St. Paul-based Northwest Area Foundation are still picking up the pieces after a disastrous encounter that led to a unique lawsuit. How did it all come about?
Five Ways to Let Government Money Run You Over
Is government funding a way to expand what you do for important constituencies, whether they are families living with autism, low income people seeking legal help, or people attending your dance performances? Or is government funding a trap that will m …
Good Management vs. High Impact? 3.1.09
Have you ever felt that management indicators aren’t good indicators of impact? One Blue Avocado reader (who asked not to be identified) told us about an experience in his city: “_______ was a ‘loosely managed’ organization working with women le …
What Do I Say to a Donor or Funder?
Let’s say you’re at a reception, a conference, or a holiday party and across the room you see someone who has made a donation or a grant to the organization on whose board you serve. What do you say? First, thank the donor: “Glad to meet you. I want to …
