Category Archives: Strategies
Meetings and Our Circles of Conflict
by Jane Haskell When we work with groups, we can help individuals in the group shift from thinking about personal agendas, axes to grind, positions, pet projects, or whatever we (or they) want to call it. We can encourage the … Continue reading
Orienting Volunteers- Why Bother?
by Megan Welch I used to volunteer early on Wednesday mornings at a soup kitchen on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. I loved the high energy, vibrant conversation and constant flow of coffee that kept everyone moving in the … Continue reading
Volunteer & Staff Roles
by Anne Schink The subject of volunteer/staff relations is a topic that frequently appears on requests for training. At one workshop we decided to create a list of responsibilities, dividing them into two columns—one for staff and one for volunteers. … Continue reading
How to Maximize your Volunteer Program’s Visibility at a Large Event
by Katie Klein This year the Inauguration made MLK Day extra special, and Saturday January 19 was declared a National Day of Service. I work for ITNAmerica™, a national nonprofit for senior transportation started in Maine. We were invited to … Continue reading
Spotlight on Volunteer Leaders
by Anne Schink Is the term ‘volunteer leader’ a contradiction in terms? Is your view of volunteers someone who ‘just does what needs to be done?’ Or is a leader a board member? For the group of participants in a … Continue reading
Combine Two Big Ideas and What do You Get?
by Matt Robinson Don’t you just love it when an idea drawn from one discipline is tweaked just a bit to apply in another? Recently I encountered two ideas from well-known author and journalist Daniel Pink (and although his focus … Continue reading
Service Coaches Foster Teamwork and Speed Results
by Laura Rog Schools depend on teamwork to thrive –teams of teachers design curriculum and implement lessons each year to meet academic requirements; collaborative activities are becoming central teaching tools for developing 21st Century Skills in students; and within entire … Continue reading
Strategic Planning for Nonprofits: Planning to Plan
by Daniel Martinage, CAE Making the commitment to undertake a strategic planning project is an extremely important first step, but once you’ve done this, what can you do to ensure you begin on the right foot and continue on track? … Continue reading
Active Outreach: Cultivating Your Program’s Volunteer Base
by Anne Schink Workshop participants often expect any presentation on volunteer management to start with recruitment. When I present workshops on the model of The Charismatic Organization, those participants begin to understand that, as Susan Ellis puts it, “Recruitment is … Continue reading
The Changing Face of Nonprofit Communications
by Daniel Martinage, CAE, CEG When I landed my first job at a nonprofit in the early 80s I learned that communicating with our key stakeholders was a lot like selling retail—give customers what they need/want and they’ll continue to … Continue reading
