As Hurricane Gustav thankfully departs the Gulf Coast and the presidential election marches closer, 
it’s a good time to reflect on two things: 1) that public policy at all levels continues its drumbeat no matter who is president or mayor, and b) that no matter what our own nonprofit does, we owe it to our constituencies to influence policy on their behalf.
The community nonprofits in Louisiana and Mississippi knew, when Hurricane Katrina arrived, that they couldn’t just stick to their missions. They had to do what was needed for the people and the communities around them, which included immediate response to crisis needs, and policy involvement on how rebuilding would go. [We have two Katrina stories in this issue as we mark the 3-year anniversary of the natural and man-made disaster.]
And because even when we want to influence policy, we may not always be  sure how a nonprofit can do so, the Board Cafe offers a policy stand process and criteria template for nonprofit boards.
Of particular interest this issue is the first of three Blue Avocado articles on Nonprofit Retirement. Whether you are thinking about retiring in six months or 60 years, be sure to read these articles. – Jan Masaoka
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