From the President's Office
Dear Friend:
It's been so interesting and informative to receive your many comments, suggestions, and even an occasional disagreement about this Newsletter commentary, my blog, Twitter, and Facebook postings. Thank you so much. Your contributions make GuideStar better and give us guidance on how to improve our services.
One of the things I like most about all this interaction is the passion and determination you bring to your work. My hope is that you will consider GuideStar a community of like-minded people, here to share ideas and resources, all with a commitment to making the nonprofit sector more effective, more efficient, and more impactful. It is my pleasure this month to announce GuideStar Trust, a new blog that we will launch in a few days. As its title implies, GuideStar Trust is dedicated to exploring issues large and small related to trust in the sector. Why Trust? Because trust is at the core of our relationship with our stakeholders, and it is difficult to earn and very easy to lose. ... Read more >
Adjusting to the New Face of Need
Not since the Great Depression has our nation experienced such a wide distribution of need throughout all socioeconomic levels. It started out as a snowball at the top of the mountain with the subprime mortgage debacle. But as it continues to make its way down a steep slope, millions of Americans are getting swept up into what amounts to nothing less than an avalanche of personal destruction. ... Read more >
How Nonprofits Can Benefit From and Promote Stakeholder Reviews
Have you noticed that there are now reviews of nonprofits on GuideStar? These reviews are provided by GreatNonprofits and appear on both the GuideStar and GreatNonprofits Web sites. They are "user-generated" reviews written by people who have had an experience with a nonprofit. The writers are your nonprofit's volunteers, clients served, board members, donors, interns, and other non-paid stakeholders. ... Read more >
Ensuring a Smooth Annual Audit
The annual audit, a fact of life for many nonprofits, isn't always free of complications. Pre-audit preparation is the easiest way to guarantee a smoother process at the fiscal year-end. Efficient engagements are ones in which nonprofit executives ask the following: What process should my organization have in place to prepare more proactively for the audit? How can we best integrate audit compliance requirements with organizational efficiencies? ... Read more >
Achieving through Joy
Many people work in nonprofit organizations because they are committed to their organizations' missions and goals. In some nonprofits, positive communication among the staff supports the organization in accomplishing its mission. In other organizations, staff communication creates a roadblock to achieving objectives and goals. Most organizations do not have a communication method that is shared by everyone on their staffs. ... Read more >
The Power of Voice: Effective Communication Strategies to Weather the Economic Storm
Downturn ... decline ... crisis ... recession. Whatever term you choose to describe the current state of the economy, chances are good that it's a negative and pessimistic one. For many of us, our professional lives have been thrown into a tailspin by reduced staff, slashed budgets, and conservative communication and marketing strategies that are forcing us to do more with less. ... Read more >
Are You in the IRS Plans for 2009-2013?
If you saw the announcement that the IRS had (fairly) recently released Strategic Plan 2009-2013 and thought, "Oh, no. Something else I have to make time to read," relax. You don't need to spend a lot of time studying the plan. The word charity does not appear in it at all, and nonprofit mentions are concentrated on a single page of the 36-page document. There are better places to look for IRS plans that may affect the nonprofit sector, which are mentioned below. But first, let's look at the big picture. ... Read more >
This Month's Webinars
- July 15—GuideStar Subscription Services: Research, Analyze, and Excel in 2009
Register now > - July 29—Branding Beyond the Logo
Register now >
Adjusting to the New Face of Need
How Nonprofits Can Benefit From and Promote Stakeholder Reviews
Ensuring a Smooth Annual Audit
The Power of Voice: Effective Communication Strategies to Weather the Economic Storm
Are You in the IRS Plans for 2009-2013?
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