James Boyle

Here are some useful approaches leaders I have worked with from both the nonprofit and for-profit sector are using. You may find them inspirational. Retain important human capital. * Train and empower employees. Many employees are looking for growth and development, not just money. * Invest in young, innovative minds and allow them to be creative. Innovative thinkers are not just for the technology world. Stay fresh and relevant with young talent in order to continue making a difference. Take risks. * Explore new approaches to meet your business and customer needs. These approaches may be in human resources, fundraising or even the delivery

At a time when more organizations are looking to combine resources through collaborative efforts either internally or externally, an executive director I’d been working with declared, “Collaborations, partnerships, mergers or anything else my board of directors could think of will not happen.” Basing her opinion on personal experience, she simply felt that they were a waste of time that amounted to little else but endless meetings with little agreement or result. It wasn’t that she was against working with others who have a common interest — to the contrary; she recognized the potential benefits of such relationships, but had not found a

When was the last time you asked yourself what type of leader you are? It probably was the last time a situation presented itself to challenge your leadership skills. It’s a great question for nonprofit managers to ask themselves as a first step to understanding if their skills match up with the leadership challenges of the modern workplace. Many executives and managers see themselves as leaders but aren’t confident that their skills align with the expectations of their workforce. The biggest challenge often discussed is finding a leadership style that resonates with today’s worker. For many leaders, their current style incorporates a managerial approach

Influential nonprofit fundraisers have long been admired for the boundless energy they put toward ensuring the success of the organizations and causes they champion. The continued passion and dedication they exhibit are inspirational to many and serve as a reminder of the reason we choose to work in the nonprofit profession. But in light of all the challenges nonprofit fundraisers face today, how can they continue to attain that exhilarating level of excitement about the critical work they and their organizations do in their communities and the world? Today’s nonprofit challenges are not one dimensional. Funding resources are becoming more diverse and remain

Sure, e-philanthropy is hot, but most nonprofit organizations still rely on direct mail as their fundraising workhorses. And the outer envelope is the wrapper for your all-important ask. It’s the first thing recipients see, feel and interact with.

As such, it requires a well-reasoned strategy that depends a lot on an organization’s mission, target audience and competition in the mail. Something that works for an advocacy group might not be right for a health organization. One thing that worked 10 years ago might still fly, while another favorite tactic could flop. It’s a testing game for each organization.