Vanna White. Donny Osmond. Spike Lee. Fran Drescher. Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver. What do all these have in common? They all came into being in 1957, which means that in 2007, all turn 50 years old. It’s not known...
Despite the oft-maligned paradigm of governments entering into contract with private firms to provide services and/or build infrastructure for the public good, public-private partnerships, or P3s, continue to gain steam in Canada. Skeptics say the fact that governments can borrow...
A couple of years ago, the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada took a strategic step outward. Though boasting a staff rich in expertise and vast in experience, they nonetheless decided to outsource an external consultant for an upcoming sponsorship program....
One of the typical characteristics of not-for-profit boards or committees is that they attract people with differing levels of skills, expertise, education, maturity and intentions. They attract doers, leaders, followers, and sometimes even “devil’s advocates”. In most organizations, these individuals...
There are 161,000 nonprofit and voluntary sector organizations in Canada...and counting. To ask the question, “Is the proliferation of nonprofits an opportunity or a threat?” is a little like asking if the glass is half full or half empty. Depending...
My executive director read some motivational books and now wants us to have a Can-Do attitude where anything is possible. I would dearly love to say yes to everyone, but our shelter has limited space and people do get turned...
We're a mid-sized organization with 80 staff, mostly frontline workers who are out of the office most of the time. There seem to be two camps developing: those in the main office who see each other every day, and those...
Call to order! The chair has called order for the regular monthly meeting of your nonprofit board. You’re asked to speak to an item that you placed on the agenda - board assessment - a matter that’s been on your...
The voluntary sector is chock full of talented, tireless, selfless people all trying to better their communities and the country as a whole. Generally speaking, there exists in the sector a generosity of spirit and an understanding of the inherent...
I hear a lot about conflict of interest at the board and executive level. Is it an issue below that? Conflict of interest is possible and serious throughout all levels of staff. The Code of Conduct for staff, and staff...
