The Search For a New Nonprofit CEO Needs To Be Realistic
By Eugene Fram Free Digital Image
Boardmember.com in its October 11, 2012 issue carries an op-ed item by Nathan Bennett and Stephen Miles titled, “Is your Board About to Pick the Wrong CEO.” Although targeted to for-profit boards, all of the five items listed can be applied to nonprofit boards. Following are my applications to nonprofit boards. (more…)
Can Only Three Nonprofit Board Committees Engage Directors Meaningfully?
By: Eugene Fram
Current research shows that the average nonprofit board has an average of 4.5 standing committees, down from 6.6 in 1994. * I suggest three standing committees. ** This three-standing committee configuration is flexible. Its strength is that it generates a coordinated robust review of the past board experiences to drive an emphasis on policy development and strategic planning. Organizations know where they have been, are thinking about the future but are not mired in micromanagement
Nonprofit & Business Directors Must Be Vigilant – Board Liability Costs Could Be $2.2 Million!
By: Eugene Fram
The personal cost of director inattentiveness is made painfully clear in an important federal appeals court decision. The U.S. Court of Appeals decided the decision, in re Lemington Homes, on January 26, 2015 for the Third Circuit. … [T]hese difficult facts arose from a small, nonprofit organization. … (more…)
Can Nonprofit Boards Afford To Underinvest In Management Leadership Development?
By: Eugene Fram:
McKinsey & Company has published a substantial nonprofit study: To better understand the state of (nonprofit) leadership in the US social sector… The findings suggest that chronic under-investment in (management) leadership development for 337,000 small or midsize nonprofits,..(may risk) the sector’s capabilities to fulfill emerging missions effectively and to adapt to fast-changing demands.
(http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/social_sector/what_social_sector_leaders_need_to_succeed) (more…)
Falling in Love With the Mission & Other Sage Advice for a First Time Nonprofit Director
By: Eugene Fram Free Digital Image
Sam Smith recently entered early retirement and wants to become a director on the board of a nonprofit organization. His motive is to give back to the community where he has prospered. As a first time board member, he can look to some advice from pros in the area, from a recently published article by Stanford’s Center Social Innovation (CSI).
http://stanford.io/1qefmx1
Following are my reactions to some of the article’s suggestions, hopefully adding important field information. My comments are based on having served on 12 nonprofit boards over several decades and my experiences as a consultant to at least a dozen additional nonprofit boards. (more…)
Is there truth in the statement that ALL nonprofits are actually businesses,and they need to be run like businesses?
By Eugene Fram
In my opinion, too many board and staff members in the nonprofit environment:
Do not realize that a nonprofit can focus even more effectively on “caring” missions, visions and values while operating under a business model. Many functions of a business and are the same for both types of organizations — financial operations, human resources, marketing, board governance, etc. (more…)
The 12 New Year’s Resolutions EVERY Nonprofit Board Should Make
By: Eugene Fram Free Digital Image by Stuart Miles
Now that we’ve moved into December, I’m starting to see a bigger and bigger number of articles on one specific topic – New Year’s Resolutions.
And I came across some interesting numbers.
More than 40% of Americans make New Year’s Resolutions – exceeding the 33% who watch the Super Bowl each year. But as many as 80% of those “self-promises” fail by the end of February, and ultimately only about 8% are actually kept.
There’s a solution, of course. The experts who understand these things – say there’s a much higher likelihood that you’ll stay on your New Year-inspired self-improvement path if you come up with resolutions that are clear, simple, tangible and observable (measurable). The goal, of course, is to create positive impacts for clients.
I have to tell you: Not only did this advice make tremendous sense to me; it also inspired me.
After all, if regular folks can make resolutions and find a path to success, why shouldn’t organizations do the same?
And that’s especially true of all types of nonprofit organizations – which will face one of their most-challenging environments in years in 2019.
So I devised a list of Resolutions every nonprofit leader should consider in the New Year.
And here’s how to do it: (more…)
