In a special space in my home, I keep a small collection of polished rocks. There are no more than eight or 10 of them. One is a crystal. Each landed in my hands from one source or another many years ago. One, the crystal actually, was given to me by a deeply spiritual and…
Category: Nonprofit Organizations
Five mistakes grant seekers make over and over
As a grant seeker, so much is out of your control. What follows are five common errors that cause grant applications to get ignored. These are things you can do something about. I have seen all of these mistakes in my work as executive director of a grant making foundation. I’ve made my share of…
Managing the Dark Side of Great Ideas
Many people in our nonprofit sector get super excited about new ideas. We iconize people who think outside the box and revere innovation. And well we should! Our sector’s very essence is independent, creative problem solving and moral imagination. We wouldn’t be who we are without free thinking disruption. But you, as an emerging leader…
Nonprofits and American Survival
Not long after the founding of the United States, Frenchman Alexis de Tocqueville observed a propensity among citizens of the young American nation to form voluntary associations. These precursors of today’s nonprofit organizations were an essential part of making early America work. In striking numbers, people with common interests would ban together to reinforce each…