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

Korean-American Nonprofit Implodes Diversity Myths

Koreatown Youth and Community Center and Program Director Sam Joo defy assumptions about nonprofits serving people and communities of color.

Board Email: Reduce, Reflect, Rejoice!

Blue Avocado shares strategies to reduce the amount of unnecessary emails showing up in your nonprofit’s inboxes.

Just Awards: Follow-up to “The Nonprofit Justies”

Just Awards “honor” the New York Times and the Rockefeller Foundation for poor coverage and narcissism related to the nonprofit sector.

Ask Rita: Protecting Staff from Co-worker’s Violent Boyfriend

A staff member faces a domestic violence situation and her boyfriend threatened to come to our office to harm her. What can our nonprofit do?

What is an Advisory Board and Should We Have One?

Here are some guidelines for advisory committees, as well as a sample letter inviting an individual to join such a group.

How Much to Pay the Executive Director?

Nonprofit board members are often puzzled when it comes to setting the salary of the executive director. Some legal and practical guidelines.

Decline and Fall of the Vanguard Foundation

Once acclaimed as a pioneer in philanthropy, the Vanguard Foundation is no more. This is Part I on some of the clues to its sorry demise.

The Board Told Me I Had to Join Rotary

Wondered how to break into the traditional civic leadership networks? Joan Dixon explains why the Rotary may be the unexpected solution.

Through the Valley of the Shadow of Failure

Cate Steane shares her experience guiding her nonprofit through a harrowing organizational crisis and living to tell about it.

Raise Money in 30 Days

Sometimes you need to raise funds in a hurry. Here are some ways to raise modest funds in a pinch.

Foundations: Fleas or Elephants?

Pam David, Executive Director of the Walter & Elise Haas Fund, shares lessons learned about philanthropy since coming to it from government.

Nonprofit Conflict of Interest: A 3-Dimensional View

Conventional approaches to classic conflicts of interest. Model policies that address these concerns. Non-financial conflicts of interest common to many nonprofits. Steps an organization can take to handle conflicts of interest and more detailed sample policies.

Married Co-Executive Directors of Nonprofits

Meet two married couple co-executive directors of nonprofits. What organization wouldn’t want two for the price of one?

Taking On the Big Stuff

A fast look at just four critical areas facing American society today: Poverty, race, environment, and democracy.

Three Easy Ways for Foundations to Support Democracy

Pablo Eisenberg shares some reforms that speak to democracy in the United States, and that would be pretty easy for foundations to do.

Golden Rule of Board Resignations

The Golden Rule of Board Resignations: When you resign, do it the way you would like others to resign. Whatever your reason, resign right.

Ask Rita: Can Employees Smoke Medical Marijuana at Work?

Do you need to accommodate the use of medical marijuana when making a hiring decision or for current employees?

Bylaws Checklist

This checklist points out the necessary elements in bylaws. It’s important to also stay compliant with applicable state and city laws.

Five Emergency “Musts” for Your Nonprofit

Blue Avocado shares five “must-have” emergency supplies for nonprofit workers to keep at their desks in case of disaster.

Ten Things I Learned About Leadership from Women Executives of Color

Some valuable lessons drawn from listening, observing, and laughing with women executive directors of color over the years.

Ask Rita: Is being a surrogate mother a profession?

Ask Rita explores whether an employee’s work as a surrogate qualifies as a second job that is in conflict with her employer’s agency.

Board Terms: 1 Year – 3 Years – 2 Years

Blue Avocado discusses unusual board terms with Jeanetta Issa, CEO of Child Abuse Prevention in Kansas City.

Volunteerism Public Policies Can Hurt Nonprofits

Policy analyst Rick Cohen discusses the four things we should be worried about with public policy and volunteers.