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Finding Your Voice As a Nonprofit
In these tumultuous political times, the nonprofit community has started asking important questions: What is our responsibility to speak out on behalf of our staff, clients, and community? How do we advocate for them without violating our 501(c)(3) sta …
The Gentrification Phenomenon: A Nonprofit Dilemma
A Saturday morning walk through the Lower West Side (“Pilsen”) community of Chicago may trick you into thinking you’ve accidentally stumbled across the southern U.S. border. The sidewalks are crowded with pop-up artisan markets, stands selling homemade …
Financial focus: You told us
In our April issue, we asked you to offer your thoughts on how the current political landscape will affect your organization’s funding. Your answers weren’t surprising, but they weren’t optimistic either. That’s understandable. It’s tough …
Point-Counterpoint: Too Much Influence or Not Enough – Should Nonprofits Be Allowed to Support Political Candidates
After signalling his intentions to do so at the National Prayer Breakfast in February, on May 4, President Trump signed an executive order aimed at weakening the Johnson Amendment, an act that has received mixed reaction from the nonprofit world …
Should Staff Contact with the Board Be Restricted?
Not all nonprofit organizations need or have paid staff. But in those that do, a frequently thorny issue is that of direct contact between staff and board members: Should board members have contact with staff independent of the executive directo …
Endorsing Candidates. Illegal. How to Do It.
Perhaps the most effective way to bring about social change is to elect the right people. Yet nonprofit 501c3 organizations are prohibited from supporting or opposing candidates running for office. Some long-time nonprofit practices address …
Volunteerism Public Policies Can Hurt Nonprofits
Amidst the predictable praise for volunteerism and the Serve America Act, we at Blue Avocado detect the mooing of a sacred cow. Cow hunter and policy analyst Rick Cohen lets us know the four things we should be worried about with public pol …
Can Nonprofit Boards Vote By Email?
Can nonprofit boards vote by mail and email? As is true of so many matters, there are legal answers and sensible answers to this question, which may not be the same. Attorney Gene Takagi and Emily Nicole Chan discuss both in this helpful article …
A 7-Point Checklist for Responding to a Request for Family or Medical Leave
Here are the basics for how a nonprofit should handle an employee’s request to take Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave. For more, be sure to see Wading through New Family and Medical Leave Act Regulations.The employer must send the employee an e …
George W. Bush’s Legacy: A Dramatic Increase in Volunteer Spirit
While Torie Osborn makes a case in this issue of Blue Avocado for the fresh start she thinks nonprofits can and should make in the wake of the Obama campaign, Carol Stone argues that we would be well served to appreciate nonprofit strides made since 20 …
