Recent Posts
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.
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Unicorns Found: Meet Two Grantwriters
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Word on the Street from the Council on Foundations Conference
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The Unrecognized Value of Community Nonprofits, Hiring Grantwriters, Extended Warranties, MTV
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In Search of Unicorns: Finding & Hiring Grantwriters, Part 1
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Nonprofit Budgets Have to Balance: False!
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Don’t Drive, Chew Gum and Use the Phone at the Same Time
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Meaningful Acts of Appreciation for Nonprofit Boards and Staff
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Nonprofits and the Media
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Pay Off My Student Loan or Pay Into a 401K?
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Why is it called Blue Avocado?
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Abolish Board Committees?
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Reasons to Have (& Not to Have) an Attorney on a Nonprofit Board
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Can We Require An Employee To Take Her Meds?
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Promises, Promises: Rural Advocates vs. Big Philanthropy
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Five Ways to Let Government Money Run You Over
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Good Management vs. Good Leadership
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What Do I Say to a Donor or Funder?
How does an employer document ADA compliance? Let’s go through each element of the ADA analysis and identify helpful documentation.
Moving board diversity from a ‘problem to solve’ to ‘something to practice.’ Staff and board talk common hurdles and how to overcome them.
Misclassifying a contractor can cost big dollars for your nonprofit, so march forward, but make sure you proceed with care.
Your nonprofit should have a written Conflict of Interest policy that Board members review and acknowledge annually.
Ready to boost exposure for your work? Here’s six promotion ideas that should help get exposure for your nonprofit.
Nine nonprofit trends that need to go. Some are nonprofit sacred cows that we need to release into the wilderness.
Different nonprofits have different trajectories that result in different assets at a given stage of development.
A tiger escaped and attacked three visitors and killed one of them at the San Francisco Zoo. How did the zoo board react?
Why do so few grantmakers invest in building the capacity for nonprofits to raise independent money?
This is a complicated question, and this is a new and evolving area of the law. All nonprofits should have an e-workplace policy.
The CEO of the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County describes an approach to strategic choices that has us singing, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”
Interview with Norma Mtume, former Black Panther and co-founder of SHIELDS for Families in Los Angeles.
The causes of burnout at nonprofits . We have unconscious beliefs that are undermining our very health and sanity.
Framing job descriptions properly as related to disabilities will help you recruit a suitable applicant pool, be fair to people with disabilities, and protect your organization from charges of disability discrimination.
Blue Avocado columnist Vu Le inspires us again with his ideas for nonprofit-themed children’s books. We should all be writing some!
Use this sample disclosure form for the amount of a ticket contribution that is deductible for your nonprofit’s federal income tax purposes.
Some common questions and sample materials covering income tax and how they may relate to your nonprofit’s auction participants.
Sample document for an acknowledgement of non-cash donation to a nonprofit organization and/or charity.
A sample silent auction bid sheet — available as an Excel spreadsheet download for your nonprofit to modify.
Charitable auctions trigger a variety of compliance and reporting requirements. Use this sample checklist to help prepare your nonprofit.
Calculating overhead rates and managing expenses are important roles. Board members need to bring an informed perspective to oversight.
Most of us have had moments of despair. Marilyn Neece very generously shares her story with us.
There is an abundance of advice for nonprofit boards and EDs that speaks to the advantages of “partnership” and “open communications.” But sometimes that advice just doesn’t feel like enough.
If your nonprofit’s employee count is anywhere near 50, you’re going to want get familiar with enforcement agency regulations.