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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 Avocado …
Reasons to have – and reasons not to have – an attorney on the board
"We should have an attorney on the board." It's conventional wisdom we've all heard. We expect that an attorney would bring legal expertise (so we won't thave to pay a lawyer) and that she'll have a skill set, personality, and …
Can We Require An Employee To Take Her Meds?
Dear Rita, Our nonprofit provides services to people with mental disabilities. As part of our mission, we employ former clients. Can we require an employee/former client to take her psychiatric medications as a condition of continued employment? –Worr …
Promises, Promises: Rural Advocates vs. Big Philanthropy
In November 2002, a Yakima County, Washington, organizer filed a class action suit against the Northwest Area Foundation (NWAF) for breach of contract. He argued that the community had done everything it was supposed to do to qualify for the gran …
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 …
Take a Three Minute Vacation Right Now: See a Dance Performance
Take a virtual trip from your desk this minute to see the legendary Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre doing an excerpt from their signature piece, “Revelations.” Feel your shoulders drop as they relax and your spirit lift up.
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 leavi …
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 …
