Winds of change: Scope management

Introduction Lola began her project to develop a donor database about eight months ago. When she started the project, the database was to include only people who had donated to the agency. However, the programmer recently put in functionalities related...

Technology and today’s nonprofit: When the cutting edge is unrealistic

Technology is a dizzying topic. There are so many 'latest and greatest' options out there and many of them are beyond the reach of the average nonprofit organization. There just isn't enough time or money to do the background research,...

Governance Q&A: Taking a second job while currently working for a charity

The amount I earn as a charity worker is not sufficient for a decent lifestyle for my kids. My children and I wear second-hand clothing, and one month when I had extra dental costs we ended up at a food...

The “Strategic Value©” Approach To Strategic Planning

Introduction Traditional models of strategic planning that attempt to predict the environmental landscape and beliefs about the value of core competencies are being challenged by the easy flow and assimilation of information from organization to employee and from one organization...

Planning for the unexpected: Managing project risks

Introduction Many concepts presented here build on a previous article by the same author. Read "Bad things that can happen to good people: Identifying project risks" for some more background. As Lola sat down in the café where I was...

Are you ready to be a board volunteer?

You're at a party, mixing and mingling with friends, and someone happens to mention that they volunteer with the board of a charity. You've heard that this is a good way to beef up your resume, perhaps acquire some new...

Governance Q&A: The ethics of personal relationships at work

I know that personal relationships at work can be career-limiting. But are there any ethical concerns? Yes, there are ethical issues because you are not the only stakeholder. You have to consider whether the other person's career is going to...

Capacity building in the not-for-profit sector

Organizational capacity has been defined by the Panel on Accountability and Governance in the Voluntary Sector as "the human and financial resources, technology, skills, knowledge and understanding required to permit organizations to do their work and fulfill what is expected...

Bad things that can happen to good people: Identifying project risks

Introduction I just about rolled off my chair at the restaurant when Lola asked whether I had ever run into an unexpected situation that threatened to derail a project. As I wiped tears of laughter from my eyes, I wondered...

Managing organizational change on the run

Introduction We all know that the only constant is change. If you've been wondering how to manage change within your organization this article may provide some answers. The Common Change Model & Why It Doesn't Work The common model of...