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How to Recruit Terrible Board Members
Susan Sanow has been a wonderful board member on most of the boards she's served on, and a terrible board member some of the time. So she knows of what she speaks:Board members wanted. Requirements: Warm Body. Nice. Has a title or an employer or a …
Take a 3-Minute Vacation Right Now: A Different Kind of Fact
Some days it feels like the nonprofit sector emits a constant drumbeat of dismaying statistics about how awful the world is. And then, because we are always told we have to be positive, we add in a little story about how one or two people are ove …
Nonprofit Finance People: Take this Survey! NOTE: study now closed
American Nonprofits and Blue Avocado want to learn more about the backgrounds, experiences, joys and frustrations of being in nonprofit finance. If you have responsibilities for the accounting and finance of a nonprofit — regardless of your position – …
We’re Just Souls Whose Intentions are Good . . . editor notes issue #87
I’m just a soul whose intentions are good Oh Lord, please don’t let me be misunderstood! (see music video here) Like a mirage, we in the nonprofit community keep seeing a vision where everyone understand nonprofits. We think: if they on …
Take a Three Minute Vacation Because Timing is Everything
Sure, timing is everything! Feeling stressed and wondering what you’ve done the last few hours? Take a couple of minutes and enjoy these fun photos where the photographer happened to catch exactly the right moment on film. Spend the next three minutes …
Nonprofit Funding: Buying a Cake and Restricting it Too
Blue Avocado’s humor columnist Vu Le dreams about restricted funding for cakes: For the past few months one of our staff has an eye that’s been twitching. “It’s this grant!” she says. “It’s for our after-school program. It pays for instructo …
Special 4-Day Bonus Issue…It’s Blue Avocado #85
Hello from Susan Sanow at Blue Avocado and American Nonprofits! A great deal is always in season. This issue — good for 4 days only — we’re got free webinars, free online learning courses (our most popular deal last bonus issue), and a fun(ny) Blue …
The Trouble with “Passion for the Mission” . . . editor notes issue #84
"Passion for the mission is a must" . . . so say many job announcements and board member requirement lists. Wait a minute. Let's examine this sacred cow cliche a little more.First, is "passion for the mission" enough to make som …
Take a 3-Minute Vacation to an Oscar-Nominated Film Starring Avocados
Has anyone else seen an avocado in an Oscar nominated film this year? It’s not too often we at Blue Avocado take a strong stand on who should win a Best Film Oscar, but we are rooting for for an Academy Award 2013 Best Animated Film (Short) …
Surprisingly Uncomplicated Path for Developing Leaders
Kirk Kramer of The Bridgespan Group suggests some new approaches to leadership development in his recent papers. For Blue Avocado readers, he cuts right to the chase: Blue Avocado: Kirk, what’s the single most interesting point you have to m …
