Articles by CharityChannel Members
CharityChannel members who have years of experience in their field may apply to join a Contributor's Panel. Once accepted to a panel by the panel's editor, the member will work with the editor to determine article topics and to prepare an article that is ready for publication. With tens of thousands of colleagues in the CharityChannel professional community, this is a key opportunity to give back to your profession by sharing your hard-won expertise and wisdom.
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Strategic Boards in All-Volunteer Organizations Contributed by:
Jane GarthsonWednesday, March 14, 2012 (1 years 60 days ago)
How can an all-volunteer board be strategic and still get the work done? If the board doesn’t make time for governance and strategy, a great many good-hearted, hard-working volunteers will waste some of their time and effort on conflicting priorities and less than critical tasks. The more limited your resources, the more important it is that you use them very wisely.
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The Real Beginning to the Journey Contributed by:
Jane GarthsonWednesday, August 18, 2010 (2 years 269 days ago)
Too often, we make decisions about each priority and issue in isolation, to fix a problem or address a need or deal with a crisis. With an inspiring destination in mind, we might choose better options that work in harmony towards that destination, and leverage resources much more effectively. The destination will inspire others to walk with us, and provide support along the way. And if we harness our efforts and enthusiasm towards creating strength, we are much less likely to choose programs that maintain dependency.
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Reviewing Governance Part 2 - The Process Contributed by:
Jane GarthsonWednesday, January 27, 2010 (3 years 107 days ago)
Part 1 of this article was about the when and why of governance reviews in community, public and mutual benefit organizations. It mentioned some warning signs that indicate a governance review might be warranted, noted some times when such a review should be deferred, and spoke to the benefits. So let’s now help you get on with carrying out a governance review. What is the process? Who does what? What happens afterwards?
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Reviewing Governance Part 1 - When and Why Contributed by:
Jane GarthsonWednesday, January 13, 2010 (3 years 121 days ago)
How do you know if your organization’s governance is good enough? If you haven’t reviewed it in the last few years, you simply do not know. More and more organizations are conducting governance reviews, and finding the reviews worthwhile even if they decide against major change. The discussions about why you lead as you do will still be worthwhile, and you are certain to find some change, however small, that really makes a difference.
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The Independent Director (Part 2): Can We Have Truly Independent Decision-Making? Contributed by:
Jane GarthsonThursday, January 22, 2004 (9 years 114 days ago)
In part one of this article, I examined some of the principles underlying the concept of independent directors. I listed four types of situations that can bring into question the role of individual board members and the decisions of a board of directors: business relationships; employment relationships; family and personal interests; and the expectation of loyalty to another organization. In part two, I examine each of these situations and suggest ways to enhance the independence of board members.
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The Independent Director (Part 1): How Boards are at Risk Contributed by:
Jane GarthsonThursday, January 08, 2004 (9 years 128 days ago)
In this article, I examine some of the principles underlying the concept of independent directors and list four types of situations that can bring into question the role of individual board members and the decisions of a board of directors. In the next issue of this newsletter, I will examine each of these situations and suggest ways to enhance the potential for independence.
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Why strategic planning should start with the Board Contributed by:
Jane GarthsonThursday, May 09, 2002 (11 years 7 days ago)
Some senior nonprofit staff ask me "how do I keep my Board out of strategic planning?" They are concerned that months of staff work will be undone by people with far less knowledge of the organization's operations and resources. Another question I get is "If they insist on planning, can I keep them from looking beyond Page 1 of our Plan?"
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Fifteen Words to Explain Your Business Contributed by:
Jane GarthsonFriday, March 08, 2002 (11 years 69 days ago)
Your eyes are desperately darting around the room, seeking an excuse to move on from the person who has cornered you at a networking event. Someone wants to tell you about their services...
CharityChannel's WE REVIEW
CharityChannel members who have been admitted to the WE REVIEW Contributors Panel are eligible to receive recently-published books from a variety of publishers (and some self-publishers) to review. Reviews are not limited to books published by CharityChannel Press, the publishing project of the CharityChannel professional community. If you are interested in reviewing books, you are welcome to apply. Note that, even though WE REVIEW has been publishing reviews for over a decade, it has recently been reorganized and re-launched. We took the opportunity to remove prior reviews, since our focus is on newly published books.
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Engagement: A Resource for Canadian Volunteer Boards Review by:
Jane GarthsonThursday, March 15, 2012 (1 years 59 days ago)
Robert, who has extensive experience with foundations and campaigns, has written a book that should be valuable for the boards of foundations and other organizations with a sole mission of raising monies for a single related organization.
Unfortunately, I cannot recommend it for foundations that also make grants, and certainly not for any other form of charity or nonprofit. The book is therefore appropriate for well less than 5 percent of Canadian nonprofits.
The planned audience for the book is people who want to learn about governance. If you are in that category, I have to suggest you avoid reading this book, as you might not have the background to tell the good ideas from those that would be dangerous to apply.
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Governance for Collaboratives: A Guide to Resolving Power and Conflict Issues Review by:
Jane GarthsonSunday, December 04, 2011 (1 years 161 days ago)
With this book, Joan Roberts continues the wise advice she gave in
Alliances, Coalitions and Partnerships: Building Collaborative Organizations, 2004. Many advisors recommend that organizations collaborate more, but admit if challenged that many collaborations fail. Joan gives practical advice for increasing not only the chance of a successful collaborative, but also the degree of positive community impact from the collaborations. Her books fill a void in the nonprofit literature.
CharityChannel Press Books
CarityChannel Press is the publishing arm of CharityChannel. Many of the sector’s most experienced, knowledgeable practitioners are part of the CharityChannel professional community. Because of its unique role in the nonprofit sector, CharityChannel Press enjoys a rich pool of prospective authors from which to draw. In addition, the CharityChannel professional community, consisting of tens of thousands of practitioners, forms a natural initial market for the books as does the greater third sector itself. Interested in writing a book or manual?
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CharityChannel Press Blog for Authors and Editors
CharityChannel Press is the publishing project of the CharityChannel professional community. In this blogging feature, the authors and editors of our books and manuals share their thoughts, ideas, insights, and advice on topics of interest to busy practitioners. Reading their blogs is a great way to get to know them and to learn about their latest books and manuals. Be sure to jump in and add your comment to blog postings.
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