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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Gut Check: Should You Resign from the Board? Part 2 Contributed by:
Stephen NillMonday, January 07, 2013 (126 days ago)
In case you missed it, I suggest starting with
Part 1. Then, if you haven’t yet resigned from the board, dive into this Part 2, where we look at your legal duties as a board member. In case I haven’t yet shocked you into resigning, reading about your duties just might do the trick.
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Gut Check: Should You Resign from the Board? Part 1 Contributed by:
Stephen NillWednesday, December 19, 2012 (145 days ago)
Having made a career for over three decades cleaning up the legal messes of nonprofits whose board members didn’t take even fifteen minutes to understand their rights and duties, I could not resist the invitation of NBGR Editor Mary Hiland to write about this topic.
So, here are fifteen minutes worth of shock treatment. I’ll assume that you’re serving on a nonprofit board, because, in my experience, nonprofit practitioners often do. Even if not, chances are you advise boards, or at least know someone who serves on one.
A word of warning: I’m not going to pull punches. Better send the kids out of the room.
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Is Creation of a Governance Committee Now Considered a Best Practice in the U.S.? (Part 2 ) Contributed by:
Stephen NillWednesday, June 09, 2010 (2 years 339 days ago)
[
Author’s note: This is Part 2 of a two-part article examining the creation of a governance committee. In Part 1 we looked below the surface of the queston of whether or not governance committees are now a best practice, to examine the reasons behind the clear trend toward their formation. In this Part 2, we look at how a governance committee, or at least the functions ordinarily performed by a governance committee, are implemented. Though focused on the topic of governance committees from the U.S. context (and particularly from the California legal context), it will be of interest to our colleagues in other countries as well.]
Setting aside the question of whether or not creation of a governance committee, per se, is a best practice, there is a clear trend toward, if not an outright consensus in, the necessity that governing boards exercise certain governance oversight responsibilities that have increasingly crystallized since 2003.
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Is Creation of a Governance Committee Now Considered a Best Practice in the U.S.? (Part 1 ) Contributed by:
Stephen NillWednesday, May 26, 2010 (2 years 353 days ago)
[Author’s note: The following two-part article, though focused on the topic of governance committees from the U.S. context, it will be of interest to our colleagues in other countries as well. This Part 1 goes below the surface of the question of whether or not governance committees are now a best practice, to examine the reasons behind the clear trend toward their formation.]
While it is tempting to try to draw conclusions as to what constitutes a “best practice” when it comes to the proposed formation of a governance committee, applying the “best practice” buzzwords tends to remove the question at hand from the realm of reasoned consideration. It implies that reasonable minds may not differ on the proposition....
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Terrie Temkin of CoreStrategies for Nonprofits, Inc. Joins as Co-Editor of CharityChannel's Nonprofit Boards and Governance Review Contributed by:
Stephen NillThursday, August 06, 2009 (3 years 281 days ago)
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA – August 6, 2009 – Longtime CharityChannel colleague and contributor Terrie Temkin, Ph.D. of CoreStrategies for Nonprofits, Inc. has joined with veteran editor Jane Garthson to serve as co-editor of CharityChannel’s Nonprofit Boards and Governance Review (“NBGR”).
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Distance Classes for Volunteer Management Professionals Contributed by:
Stephen NillWednesday, June 01, 2005 (7 years 348 days ago)
Nothing compares to a formally prepared and conducted class, such as the growing line-up of classes offered by our CharityUniversity project that deal with issues directly relevant to the real-world challenges faced by volunteer managment professionals. The nice thing about these classes is that they are conducted live via toll-free teleconference, or as on-demand classes over the Internet where you can listen to the recorded class.
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Listen to the Experts Discuss the Future of E-Philanthropy and Technology (Part 2) Contributed by:
Stephen NillWednesday, June 30, 2004 (8 years 319 days ago)
This is the second of a two-part feature where we've brought together some of our favorite E-Philanthropy and Technology Review pioneers and pundits in a conference call utilizing CharityChannel's voice over IP system to discuss this question: What is the biggest single challenge facing nonprofits in the next decade, and what is the proper role of e-philanthropy and technology in meeting that challenge?
Participants in the eRoundtable discussion, which was moderated by Stephen Nill, CharityChannel, were:
Cynthia Adams, GrantStation
Vinay Baghat, Convio
Colleen Boland, CPA, My Non Profit CPA
David Crooke, Convio
Hillel Korin, Korin Development Associates
Jay Love, eTapestry
Scott Merrill
Celisa Steele, Isoph
George Williams, Planned Legacy
In this week's Part 2, the discussion was led off by Celisa Steele of Isoph. From her perspective, the biggest challenge is how to provide education within the nonprofit sector more efficiently by harnessing the Internet.
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Listen to the Experts Discuss the Future of E-Philanthropy and Technology (Part 1) Contributed by:
Stephen NillMonday, June 21, 2004 (8 years 328 days ago)
For this week's issue, we've brought together some of our favorite E-Philanthropy and Technology Review pioneers and pundits in a conference call utilizing CharityChannel's voice over IP system to discuss this question: What is the biggest single challenge facing nonprofits in the next decade, and what is the proper role of e-philanthropy and technology in meeting that challenge?
Participants in the eRoundtable discussion, which was moderated by Stephen Nill, CharityChannel, were:
Cynthia Adams, GrantStation
Vinay Baghat, Convio
Colleen Boland, CPA
David Crooke, Convio
Hillel Korin, Korin Development Associates
Jay Love, eTapestry
Scott Merrill
Celisa Steele, Isoph
George Williams, Planned Legacy
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Nill's Amazing Truths of Fundraising: A Series (Part 6) Contributed by:
Stephen NillThursday, May 22, 2003 (9 years 359 days ago)
It is the central premise of this series that any nonprofit organization, large or small, rich or poor, new or old, can substantially increase its fund-raising effectiveness by focusing on big gifts from members of the Eisenhower generation. In Part 4 of this series, I gave away some of my secrets to building a program that focuses on generating big gifts from wealthy members of the Eisenhower generation. In this installment, we take a step back and look at things from another direction: We look at where the wealthy Ikes are congregating.
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Nill's Amazing Truths of Fundraising: A Series (Part 5) Contributed by:
Stephen NillFriday, May 16, 2003 (10 years 0 days ago)
It is a fallacy that nonprofit organizations and educational institutions with small development budgets are unable to drive big gifts to the organization. Indeed, smaller development offices and even organizations without development offices can dramatically increase the flow of big gifts, no matter their budget or lack thereof.
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Nill's Amazing Truths of Fundraising: A Series (Part 4) Contributed by:
Stephen NillThursday, May 15, 2003 (10 years 1 days ago)
It is a fallacy that nonprofit organizations and educational institutions with small development budgets are unable to drive big gifts to the organization. Indeed, smaller development offices and even organizations without development offices can dramatically increase the flow of big gifts, no matter their budget or lack thereof.
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Nill's Amazing Truths of Fundraising: A Series (Part 3) Contributed by:
Stephen NillWednesday, May 07, 2003 (10 years 9 days ago)
If development offices were orchestras, some would make beautiful music. In fact, the name of the music is "Let's Focus on Rich Ikes.
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Nill's Amazing Truths of Fundraising: A Series (Part 2) Contributed by:
Stephen NillMonday, April 28, 2003 (10 years 18 days ago)
It's not that Nill's Amazing Truth of Fundraising #4 should come as a revelation. It is that so many development officers waste development resources as though they've never considered it. To the extent that they are focusing development resources on any but those who have the capacity and readiness to make big gifts, they are missing the main opportunity.
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Nill's Amazing Truths of Fundraising: A Series (Part 1) Contributed by:
Stephen NillThursday, April 24, 2003 (10 years 22 days ago)
The central criticism I have for many fund development programs is not that they aren't raising money, it is that they are so ill-focused in their operations that they are falling far short of their potential.
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Your Turn -- What Article Topics Would YOU Like to See? Contributed by:
Stephen NillTuesday, April 15, 2003 (10 years 31 days ago)
I'm pleased to say that CharityChannel's MAJOR GIFTS REVIEW(tm) is already into its second year of leading-edge articles from the sector's top experts.
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.
[ View all book reviews ]
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The Philanthropic Planning Companion: The Fundraisers’ and Professional Advisors’ Guide to Charitable Gift Planning Review by:
Stephen NillWednesday, June 27, 2012 (320 days ago)
The authors not only bring us up to speed on the evolution of the field formerly known as planned giving, but provide the most powerful and compelling case for putting the donor first that I have read. Putting the donor first means that everyone—the development officer, the attorney, the accountant, and the other advisors—works together to help the donor discover the philanthropic possibilities and put a fully developed philanthropic vision into effect.
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The Green Museum: A Primer on Environmental Practice Review by:
Stephen NillMonday, December 05, 2011 (1 years 160 days ago)
The
Green Museum, authored by veteran CharityChannel colleague
Sarah Brophy and her writing partner Elizabeth Wylie, is about the greening of museums.
As the authors admit at the outset, “we are unabashed museum people.” Yet, this
primer could easily inform the greening of just about any kind of organization
or institution that is housed on planet earth, because even the smallest,
just-getting-started nonprofit, much less the established, successful larger
institution, is impacting the planet.
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.
[ View all the blog postings ]
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Want to help a new author reach his one-year goal? Review by:
Stephen NillMonday, March 05, 2012 (1 years 69 days ago)
First-time author Kent Stroman really got my attention when he mentioned that he had set the goal, in writing the book, of putting his first book,
Asking about Asking: Mastering the Art of Conversational Fundraising, into the hands of one-thousand colleagues by the end of the first year. So we checked on sales numbers, and found that he was almost there!
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Getting Personal with our CharityChannel Press Authors... Review by:
Stephen NillWednesday, January 11, 2012 (1 years 123 days ago)
To help you get to know the CharityChannel Press authors better, we've just re-dedicated our blogging system to our authors and editors. They will be regularly blogging, including sharing their experiences in becoming published book authors as well as talking shop on subjects within their professional expertise.
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It's all about collaborating with your peers... Review by:
Stephen NillMonday, December 12, 2011 (1 years 153 days ago)
A sure sign of a healthy, vibrant professional community is the energy of its members in launching writing projects. I thought it would be interesting to talk about a couple of them.
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A New, Conversational Approach... Review by:
Stephen NillThursday, December 01, 2011 (1 years 164 days ago)
We're changing our approach to our weekly eNewsletter. I'll use a down-to-earth, first-person style as I shine a light each week on the more notable things happening in the CharityChannel professional community.
I think you'll like this more personal, conversational approach. Better pour a cup of Java. Sit back, relax, and let me be your guide.
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CharityChannel Launches New Professional Group: International Fundraising from USA Review by:
Stephen NillMonday, May 23, 2011 (1 years 356 days ago)
CharityChannel, now in its twentieth year, has just rolled out its latest professional group designed to provide discussions and collaborations by colleagues anywhere in the world who are raising funds from the USA on behalf of their NGOs, and for USA colleagues who are raising funds on behalf of non-USA NGOs. Discussions are conducted in English.
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YOU and Your Nonprofit: Latest book almost ready for the printer Review by:
Stephen NillWednesday, May 11, 2011 (2 years 3 days ago)
I am pleased to report that the latest book from CharityChannel Press, You and Your Nonprofit: Practical Advice and Tips from the CharityChannel Professional Community is almost ready for the printer. At 500 pages, and with 43 contributors, 15 members of the peer review team, and two hard-working editors, this has been an example of CharityChannel at its finest.
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Celebrating our Twentieth Year: Re-Launching CharityChannel Review by:
Stephen NillMonday, April 18, 2011 (2 years 26 days ago)
Beginning today, CharityChannel is a fully member-driven professional community. For example, members now have the ability to create their own professional groups, whether they be public, semi-public, or private. These groups may be organized around any organizing principle so long as there is a demonstrable nexus to the third sector. Groups must be of a professional nature. Groups have a number of important tools, among the most important of them being the discussion forms. On CharityChannel, one no longer joins a forum; one joins a professional group.