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

Recruiting for Board Diversity: Part 3 in Diversity Series

Part 3 in Blue Avocado’s series on diversity offers specific, practical tips for recruiting people “unlike ourselves” for nonprofit boards.

Three Nonprofit Sneezes in Health Care Reform

Rick Cohen explores three large and distinct ways that the nonprofit sector is involved with the health care reform debates.

Diversity & the Nonprofit Ecosystem: Part 2 in the 3-Part Diversity Series

Explore how diversity is applied the nonprofit sector as a whole — speaking to foundations, consultants, capacity builders, and observers.

A Fresh Look at Diversity and Boards

This article — the first of three in a series — provides a fresh and practical focus on nonprofit board diversity.

Ask Rita: When Swine Flu Hits the HR Department

Nonprofits have a long history of innovation and heroism in health care and in disasters; be sure to manage the flu and its implications well.

Amaze Your Friends with these Nonprofit Factoids

Rick Cohen mined metric tons of data to bring some newly published, meaningful facts about the nonprofit sector that we should be aware of.

Can Nonprofit Boards Vote By Email?

Attorney Gene Takagi and Emily Nicole Chan discuss whether nonprofit boards can vote by both mail and email.

From Artist to Executive Director: Not a Straight Line

Steven Young Lee shares how his past experiences provided the right mix of skills to launch him on the path of nonprofit work.

A Board Member “Contract”

One way to be sure that each person on the board is clear on his or her responsibilities is to adopt a board member contract.

Six Ways to Know If It’s Time to Leave

Tim Wolfred, a leader in the field of nonprofit executive transitions, on how to weigh both the organization’s needs, and your own heart.

L3C: Pot of Gold or Space Invader?

For-profit companies seek foundation grants and government tax exemptions that presents risks and challenges to the nonprofit sector.

Ask Rita: Criminal Records Checks for Prospective Staff and Volunteers

Ask Rita explores how nonprofits should do criminal record checks on prospective employees, volunteers, and board members.

Turning the Tables on Pride

Pamela Davis explains how everything we’ve been taught about this economy needs to change, with the false equivalency of price and value.

Fundraiser Edie Boatman Shares Career-Switching Tips

Edie Boatman shares advice about making a career change from a for-profit position to a nonprofit position.

Attorney Recommends Review Instead of Audit

A nonprofit considered moving away from having an annual audit to having a review, and the board wanted a legal opinion before making a decision.

An Agreed-Upon-Procedures (AUP) Success Story

CPA Dennis Walsh discusses how using an Agreed-Upon-Procedures Engagement can done at much lower cost than audits to benefit nonprofits.

Seven Ways to Reduce Your Audit Costs

Dennis Walsh, a certified public accountant, shares seven ways nonprofits can reduce the costs around the auditing process.

What to Do with Board Members Who Don’t Do Anything

In this Board Cafe column, look at short-term and long-term strategies for the board members known as deadwood or worse.

Faith-Based Nonprofit Funds: Presto Change-o

Rick Cohen explores the faith-based federal funds initiative launched by President Bush and revamped by President Obama.

Switching Careers at the Worst Possible Time

Edie Boatman reflects on a year spent working in nonprofits — during the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.

Ask Rita: Model Dress Code for Nonprofits

Ask Rita shares sample language for your human resources staff to use when creating your organization’s dress code.

Focus on the Destination, Not the Route (Budget)!

Jeanne Bell argues it’s time to stop looking at budgets and pay attention instead to projections and financial goals.

Ten Quick Ways to Invigorate Board Meetings

Board members invest a lot of time and energy at board meetings. A few small changes can often make that investment pay off in important ways.