Learning from Other’s Mistakes

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America was all over the news of late, having had its federal funding temporarily frozen.  According to the Inspector General’s Office of the Department of Justice, the national organization has done a poor job of complying with federal standards for accounting for more than $23 million of federal grant dollars received.  While the Fed’s expectations are not, by any means, light and easy, they are generally clear and straightforward, particularly for an organization with a track record of receiving federal Read more

How Do We Value Nonprofits?

What links these 10 nonprofits?

YMCA of the USA
The Salvation Army
United Way of America
American Red Cross
Goodwill Industries International
Catholic Charities
Habitat for Humanity
American Cancer Society
The Arc of the United States
Boys & Girls Clubs of America

According to “The Cone Nonprofit Power Brand 100” 2009 report, they were, then, (and may still be now) the top 10 most valuable nonprofits brands in this country, with a value ranging from $6.4 billion for the YMCA of the USA to a low of $1.2 billion for Boys & Girls Clubs of America.  Read more

October 19th, 2012 0 Comment

Chicken Hits the Fan

The world is a tough place these days for nonprofits.  Not exactly a news flash.  But I’m just returning from vacation, where I tried hard to concentrate on the waterfront, books that never used the word “nonprofit”, my tennis game, and, yes, forgetting.  Now, I’m back and playing catch up with, among other things, my reading.  And it feels so perilous out there that I’m reminded of a words from “Blood in the Water” (from Legally Blonde), describing to first year law students what makes Read more