Working Boards: Defining effective nonprofit governance

What would we do without our nonprofit boards? Board members are often considered indispensible assets to the organization they represent. They provide guidance and direction, they keep staff on target and on mission, they open doors to their networks and,...

Power Tactics: Successful negotiation from a disadvantageous position

Have you ever felt pressured into accepting a deal that you were unhappy with? Or you took a deal because there seemed to be no alternative? Most of us have probably experienced this at one time or another. Just recently...

Response to the 2010 federal budget

The federal government recently released their 2010 budget, which contained some big changes for Canadian charities. What will likely affect charities the most is the removal of the 80/20 disbursement quota and changes to the capital disbursement quota. In this...

Outcome Measurement: Defining your program

This is the third in a series of six articles that discuss outcome measurement: what it is, how to do it, and most importantly, how it will help your organization. The content of these articles draws heavily on a framework...

Strategy in challenging economic times

In challenging times, not-for-profit organization boards and staff need to resist reactive-thinking and remember the basics of good governance and management. This starts with remembering what management-guru Peter Drucker identified as a leading quality of not-for-profits that sets the sector...

Difficulties with Canada’s charity regulations

Late last year, the C.D. Howe Institute published a white paper written by Adam Aptowitzer where he argued that because the federal government does not have the necessary jurisdiction to regulate charities, it is forced to use the registration system,...

Governance Q&A: Excluding board members from discussions

I chair a board, and one of my board members has committed an unacceptable act. Can I ethically hold a board meeting without that director to discuss it? Yes, you can, and it is more ethical to have a formal...

Charitable receipting rights and wrongs

A tax receipt. It sounds simple enough. Your charity receives a valued donation, you issue a tax receipt, and the donor receives a tax credit. The ability to provide official tax receipts is an important advantage for charities seeking to...

Self-renewal within the nonprofit sector

When entering the nonprofit sector, people often find themselves drawn to organizations that align with their values. They feel energized by their passion for the cause and, over time, they develop their career and contribute to the mission of the...

Outcome Measurement: Charting the course

This is the second in a series of six articles that discuss outcome measurement: what it is, how to do it, and most importantly, how it will help your organization. The content of these articles draws heavily on a framework...