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There is plenty of wisdom and knowledge among the leaders and staff of the community-based nonprofits themselves. We just need a place through which to share it. Blue Avocado is that place.
We also believe that nonprofits can only be vibrant, healthy, and effective when they have access to financial resources and practical know-how shared by experts and peers. So welcome home.
Board of Directors
How one nonprofit moved forward when the only solution to a dysfunctional board was a brand-new one.
Help your board members avoid dysfunction and clearly understand their roles in supporting your nonprofit’s success.
Adopting solid organizational policies can help your nonprofit set expectations and avoid a laundry list of problems.
Community & Culture
Working with like-minded people and organizations can create a deepened impact, more sustainable relationships, and a stronger funding pool for your mission.
Nonprofits may be surprised to find that their communities have already implemented the kind of innovative, collaborative programming that their leadership — and funders — are looking for.
Simple acts can have a big impact on the community. Learn how one nonprofit discovered the tools to fight systemic issues were at their disposal all along — they just needed to learn how to use them.
<a href="#esg">Environmental, Social, & Governance (ESG)</a>
Learn how the United Way of Greater Los Angeles (UWGLA) is using racial justice to inform their grantmaking efforts, and how other philanthropic organizations can help work to undo the legacies of harm inflicted upon communities of color.
When we take a closer look at what Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks actually entail, it is often not worth the time and resources for most small nonprofits to go through such a process.
By expanding ESG efforts and communicating them effectively, nonprofits can engage new audiences and achieve greater impact. This article discusses how nonprofits can document and communicate their ESG impact and provides five steps to get started.
Finance
Five common challenges for calculating grant proposal numbers — and strategies to help overcome them.
By careful examination of your nonprofit’s budget, you can gain insights into your organization’s true priorities.
Learn how your CFO can contribute to a successful grant application — and the administrative processes that follow.
Fundraising
Simple principles can maximize the return on the time and energy put into achieving optimal fund development results.
Getting a grant isn’t just a handshake and a check — they can come with many conditions. Is your CFO ready?
Grants are an important source of funds for nonprofits, but some may come with strings attached that can create more headaches than positives for your organization. A strategic approach can help you be sure you’re applying for the grants that best meet your needs.
HR & Employment Issues
Nonprofits must advance their mission by valuing their employees’ worth through fair compensation and benefits and by celebrating their work.
With more workers than ever doubling as caregivers, nonprofits must find new, caring ways to support them in the workplace.
Taking action to protect your employees’ safety represents a tangible way that you can contribute to a community of acceptance, safety, and support where violence is not tolerated.
Leadership & Management
Developing and sustaining a motivated, productive, and highly engaged workforce means your employees must be measured on how they demonstrate the organization’s values.
While culturally responsive leadership has usually been centered in education, its practices have value to the nonprofit sector as well.
Tapping into your natural creativity and curiosity can enhance your ability to be a clear and confident leader.
Marketing & Communications
Nonprofit rebrands are tricky. Your new name should represent both your work and the change you seek to create.
Getting what your nonprofit needs — funding, staff, and more — means showing how working with you can be a win-win.
Does your nonprofit consistently reach the same group? It may be time to consider expanding your marketing efforts to reach a wider audience.
Opinion
Food insecurity is not an abstract: Our friends, neighbors, and communities are struggling to thrive.
To fight the battle against hunger, nonprofits can advocate for meaningful change in our societal structures.
Deepak Bhargava of the Center for Community Change channels the Force to call nonprofits to action, drawing parallels to Star Wars.
Risk Management
With endowments, let’s rethink ‘forever’ and explore new, flexible ways to ensure your nonprofit organization’s longevity and effectiveness.
When web designers have an email from another nonprofit saying they don’t mind if you use one of their images, are you ok to use the image?
Internal controls are more important than ever to have in place and operating effectively in order to prevent wrongdoing and malfeasance.
Political Issues
Legislative inaction at the state and federal level has seen nonprofits moving toward using the courts to advance their advocacy campaigns like never before.
What to do about the Citizens United decision allowing for-profit corporations to spend unlimited funds on electoral campaigns.
“Nonprofit staff don’t vote.” The Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits tested this. Here’s what they found.
Sample Policies & Templates
While no two nonprofits are exactly alike, there are some best practices that all organizations should use when building their annual operating budgets.
Guiding principles for organizations that want to create a binding, board-approved JDEI policy with values, action plans, and accountability.
Four reasons your nonprofit and its mission can benefit from conducting a board evaluation.
Volunteers
Providing your nonprofit’s volunteers with the same recruitment, training, mentoring, and appreciation as your employees can reduce turnover and create a better overall volunteer experience.
To fight the battle against hunger, nonprofits can advocate for meaningful change in our societal structures.
Specialized volunteers can come from organizations that recruit those seeking opportunities for organizations in need of specialized help.
Webinars
Understanding fiscal sponsorships for nonprofits. Learn about the benefits, limitations, and considerations of this arrangement in our free webinar.
In the digital age, nonprofits engaging in various creative endeavors must be mindful of copyright concerns.
The ERC program has been amended several times and has officially concluded, but eligible nonprofit organizations are still eligible to file and benefit from this tax credit. Find out more about this government stimulus program.