Staffing & Human Resources

How Social Service Nonprofits Are Getting Employees to Stick Around
January 3, 2017 at 10:45 am

Staffers at Lawrence Hall spend long days working with Chicago's most troubled young people. For their efforts, they're paid not much more than a supervisor at Home Depot. "It's about $14 an hour to do the most acute work in the United States," says Kara Teeple, CEO of Lawrence Hall, a social services agency with…

Stop, Look and Evaluate: 3 Things to Consider for 2017
December 30, 2016 at 9:24 am

It is hard to believe that 2017 is almost here. Where did the time go? Many of us had a fiscal year that started in July 2016, so we are at halftime in this fundraising year. Others are just beginning a new calendar year filled with hope and possibilities. Wherever you are in the fundraising calendar continuum, you should take a moment to stop, look and evaluate before you jump without a parachute into 2017...

This Fake Nonprofit Has Been Accused Of Spying on Real Human Rights Activists
December 22, 2016 at 2:00 pm

In mid-2015 Qatar was at the center of a scandal. Contentious reports suggested that 1,200 migrant workers died working on construction for the 2022 World Cup. The Qatar government refuted the claims, saying no lives had been lost in the construction of stadiums whatsoever. Whatever the real number, the waves of images and stories showing the abysmal…

You Need a Coach
December 19, 2016 at 8:00 am

If you have ever read about or asked a great player from any sport what inspired him or her, they always talk about a coach that was

The 5th Quarter: What to Do After Your Nonprofit Career
December 16, 2016 at 8:00 am

I made a presentation to a large church men’s club on a recent, chilly Saturday morning. I was invited as their breakfast speaker. As I was speaking, many individuals, now retired, were describing their retirement nonprofit volunteer adventures. It immediately occurred to me that we all have the opportunity to have a "fifth quarter" of service to nonprofits, and this tenure could last at least two decades or more...

Will Your Next Development Director Be Your First? Or Your 10th?
December 13, 2016 at 11:41 am

Small shop fundraising is a tough job, and its difficulty is often underestimated or ignored entirely. Is it really any wonder that the turnover rate is highest among small shop fundraisers? Far too often, an organization’s board and executive director are focused on the right here and right now. But a smart development director is focused on the long-term sustainability of the organization...

New York Leads All States in Number of Nonprofit Jobs
December 8, 2016 at 8:00 am

New York ranked No. 1 in nonprofit jobs and organizations in 2012, and the sector withstood the recession in 2009, a report Wednesday said. In 2012, the most recent data reviewed, 18 percent of all private-sector employment in the state was from the nonprofit sector, the report from state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said. That year,…

Department of Labor Appeals Overtime Ruling
December 6, 2016 at 10:25 am

The Obama administration said that it will challenge a federal court's decision to block President Barack Obama's rule to amend overtime regulations. The Department of Labor filed a notice of appeal to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas on Thursday, the same day the new rule was set to take effect...

10 Interview Questions for Hiring an Executive Director
December 5, 2016 at 11:05 am

Over the past year, I’ve coached several gifted individuals who interviewed for executive director positions, and I can tell you that many nonprofits handle these interviews poorly. They don’t ask the right questions or they don’t really know what they’re looking for. Frankly, it’s not surprising. Usually, board members conduct executive director interviews, but most…

Increase Your Organization’s Influence in Just 15 Minutes a Month
December 5, 2016 at 10:08 am

Do you wish that your organization had more clout? That you had more access to your community’s thought-leaders and philanthropists? Are you unsure how you should get to know the people in in your community whose opinions are seen as the gold standard? Here’s an excellent way to build those relationships. It’s not difficult and won’t feel awkward. And, most importantly, your community’s leaders will want to participate...