All organizations face tough decisions. Certainly, the jobs of most leaders revolve around decisions. In a previous Tools issue, we gave you Peter Brinckerhoff's decision-tree from his book, Nonprofit Stewardship: A Better Way to Lead Your Mission-Based Organization. This issue...
With the state of the current economy, saving money while growing your organization is of the utmost importance. In order to focus on the strategy and development required to take your work to the next level you need two key...
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...
Bruce MacDonald is a visionary. President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters Canada (BBBSC), he's looking ahead to the year 2013 with deep contemplation. That's the year the organization celebrates its 100th anniversary, and exciting as that milestone may...
In these volatile times, it is more important than ever to assure your board, management team, donors, and partners that the organization is positioned to handle the challenges of diminishing or flat revenues and increasing demand. They need to know...
What would your team do if you arrived to work tomorrow to news that your board chair or executive director (assuming it's not you) had committed suicide? Scenario two: You receive a call from the Globe and Mail that they...
A survey was recently conducted by Canada's Performing Arts Alliance - made up of the Canadian Dance Assembly, Opera.ca, Orchestras Canada, and the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres - to evaluate the impact of the economic downturn on performing arts...
Are you wondering what it will take to make that next big leap toward your organization's vision? Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Calgary and Area and have learned that, if it's done for the right reasons and with due...
According to a January 2009 report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), the need for food banks in Canada has risen dramatically since the food bank system was put in place in 1981, with the opening of the...
1. The convener invites people to the table who are not able to participate fully or successfully. Often we don't think very much about who we need at a collaborative table. Conveners often use a stakeholder model and draw a...
