Insights and Events

What Is Strategic Fundraising for Nonprofits? Strategic fundraising for nonprofits is more than a series of campaigns or events. It’s a disciplined, structured approach that aligns your mission, leadership, and donor engagement to support long-term organizational health. At its core, strategic fundraising integrates: A written, data-driven fundraising plan tied to your mission and vision Major […]

Boards considering professional search support often wonder what the partnership actually involves. The decision to engage a search firm represents a significant investment, and understanding the executive search process helps organizations maximize that investment while setting realistic expectations. Many nonprofit leaders have never worked with an executive recruiter before. Their reference points come from corporate […]

How often do you find yourself working puzzles and thinking of life metaphors that go along with the puzzling process? Call me nerdy, but it occurred to me over the holidays, as I attempted this challenging puzzle with some friends, that there are several lessons for nonprofits in the art of doing puzzles…

The announcement of an executive director’s departure can catch even well-governed boards off guard. Yet the months between learning of an impending transition and welcoming a new leader represent a critical window that often determines whether the change strengthens or destabilizes an organization. Preparation is what separates organizations that emerge from transitions stronger from those […]

What the New USPS Postmark Rule Means for End-of-Year Giving  By Stephanie Flores de Valgaz   On December 24, 2025, a new United States Postal Service rule took effect that will affect mailings, which, while for most things is a minor change, could have a significant impact on year-end giving. Under the new rule, a […]

Nonprofits hustle for that roughly one-third of all giving that occurs in December. And then what? Here are a few questions to ask yourself and help your team to stay connected with year-end donors– both new and loyal givers – year-round…

The most consequential decision a nonprofit board will ever make is hiring its executive director. Yet in moments of transition, some boards instinctively defer to staff members who seem more familiar with day-to-day operations. This approach, while well-intentioned, fundamentally misunderstands where the responsibility for nonprofit board hiring lies and often sets both the organization and […]

A wrong executive hire costs more than money. It costs momentum, staff morale, donor confidence, and sometimes years of organizational progress. Nonprofit boards invest significant time and resources into finding their next executive director, yet many organizations repeat the same avoidable errors. These mistakes often stem from good intentions: moving quickly to fill a vacancy, […]

Retained Search vs. Contingent: What Nonprofits Need The decision between retained and contingent search isn’t just about payment structure. It’s about whether your nonprofit has access to leaders who aren’t actively seeking jobs, or only to those who happen to be browsing job boards. When your board decides to engage professional help for an executive […]