Recent Posts

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Navigating the nonprofit world can be challenging. Blue Avocado offers expert guidance on a range of topics — from building strong boards to maximizing your fundraising impact. Explore our latest posts for practical tips, strategies, and solutions to common issues facing nonprofit organizations today.

Latest Articles

Nonprofit Leaders: How Does Your Nonprofit Measure Success?

Nonprofit leaders share examples to answer the question: How does your nonprofit measure success? Strong staff, data, satisfaction, and more.

Board Horror Stories: How to Reduce Board Resignations

Good communication about common objectives can prevent dissatisfaction and go a long way toward preventing board member resignations.

Why is it Hard to Give My Money Away? A Donor’s Perspective

Donor challenges in giving money? Consider the donor’s point of view. Create a productive pathway from initial interest to the donation.

The Biggest Mistakes New Nonprofits Make

Nonprofit leaders reveal the biggest mistakes that new nonprofits make: Finding identity, losing focus, board issues, and more.

Five Years and Growing: How One Nonprofit Built a Sustainable, Collaborative Mission

An executive director shares the story of a nonprofit’s first five years, and her process of building sustainable nonprofit collaborations.

The Best Route to Approaching Donors: Hand-Head-Heart

Effective donor engagement strategies: Consider and articulate how supporting the mission benefits your donors too.

Measure What You Value: Designing a Values-based Performance Appraisal System

Developing and sustaining a motivated, productive, and highly engaged workforce means your employees must be measured on how they demonstrate the organization’s values.

The One Tool/Strategy Nonprofits Wish They Implemented Sooner

Nonprofit leaders and Blue Avocado readers answer: “What is one tool or strategy you wish your nonprofit had implemented sooner?”

Link Arms to Elevate Your Nonprofit’s Impact

Nonprofit collaboration strategies: Working with like-minded people and organizations can create a deepened impact, more sustainable relationships, and a stronger funding pool for your mission.

Your Nonprofit Got its Grant. Now What?

Getting a grant isn’t just a handshake and a check — they can come with many conditions. Is your CFO ready?

Rebuilding Nonprofit Boards: When a New Board Can Be a Fresh Start

How one nonprofit moved forward when the only solution to a dysfunctional board was a brand-new one.

Nonprofit Rebranding Strategies: Five Steps to Achieving a Successful Nonprofit Rebrand

Nonprofit rebrands are tricky. Nonprofit rebranding strategies to help provide you with a roadmap to your own successful transition.

The Realities of Living with Food Insecurity

Food insecurity is not an abstract: Our friends, neighbors, and communities are struggling to thrive. The challenges of food insecurity.

Drive Your Nonprofit’s Mission by Investing in Your People

Nonprofits must advance their mission by valuing their employees’ worth by providing benefits and fair compensation for nonprofit employees.

The Critical Role of Cultural Responsiveness in Today’s Nonprofits

While culturally responsive leadership has usually been centered in education, its practices have value to the nonprofit sector as well.

8 Easy Ways to Grab More Attention for Your Small Nonprofit

Getting what your nonprofit needs — funding, staff, and more — means showing how working with you can be a win-win.

Supporting Caregiver Employees in the Nonprofit Sector

With more workers than ever doubling as caregivers, nonprofits must find new, caring ways to support them in the workplace.

How Curiosity and Creativity Can Foster Self-Aware Nonprofit Leaders

Tap into curiosity and creativity in nonprofit leadership and enhance your ability to be a clear and confident leader.

Nonprofit Grant Proposal Budget Calculations: A Road Map

Nonprofit grant proposal budgeting tips: Five common challenges and strategies for calculating grant proposal numbers.

Increase Safety for Your Nonprofit’s Team

Take action to protect nonprofit employee safety and contribute to a community of acceptance and support where violence is not tolerated.

Your Nonprofit’s Budget: A Window to Finding Your Priorities

By careful examination of your nonprofit’s budget, you can gain insights into your organization’s true priorities.

How can nonprofit leaders avoid burnout?

Leading a nonprofit can be an isolating and exhausting experience, so preventing burnout is key to an organization’s long-term success.

Using Philanthropy to Address Racial Harm and Inequity

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.

Nonprofit Fundraising: Are You Choosing the Right Grants?

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.