Each month, our Social Impact Advisory Group (SIAG) meets to share knowledge with like-minded professionals, educate board members and nonprofit leaders and partner to strengthen the sector. Click here for a copy of the presentation and here for a copy of the Return to Work Tips for Employers. Read on for a synopsis of what was discussed. On April 8th, we heard from two Human Resources Industry veterans on the Read More
Predicting Nonprofit Financial Resilience
They were flying the Cessna outside of Fairbanks, Alaska, so the story goes. Richard was training for his Instrument Flying Rules (IFR) test, certifying him to fly in poor visibility such as clouds, fog, rain or dust. My father, an experienced recreational pilot and already instrument rated, flew as co-pilot to help his friend prepare. Richard was wearing the standard IFR hood that covered his eyes from the Read More
Allies: 8 Ways You Can Support Women & Minority Businesses
Thoughts on Leadership as March ends. How Allies Can Support Minority Entrepreneurs, Founders, Women and Minority Leaders. Earlier this month, around International Women’s Day, I saw a LinkedIn post that caught my attention. A woman entrepreneur had crossed out “female” in the oft-used phrase “I am a female founder”. The post made its way in my network and I saw comments ranging from “we’re not there yet” to “let us Read More
Choosing Nonprofit Endowment Advisors in Six Steps
Simplifying Advisor Selection Process for Your Endowment When I first started doing nonprofit board work several years ago, I remember receiving advice along the lines of “Remember, your job as a Nonprofit Board Director is to advise. Knowing your boundaries is important for the success of the leadership team and the organization.” The challenge for many nonprofit board members, however, is knowing where those Read More
The Ideal Nonprofit Lifeline: An Unrestricted Restricted Gift
A Development Officer friend of mine called me with a strange request. Could I please help an nonprofit Executive Director decide what to do with a six-figure donation? It’s not often nonprofit leaders don’t know what to do with a large gift. But this gift had a unique restriction. The money must be allocated to an account reserved for emergencies or unplanned incidents, whatever they may be; an unrestricted, Read More
Are There Hidden Fees in Your Nonprofit’s 403b or 401k Retirement Plan?
AARP has done several surveys on fees in 401 k and 403 b retirement plans and has noted that 62% of participants are unaware of the fees inside their retirement plans. Why is that? Because the fees are hidden inside the performance of the fund. You know the saying “the devil is in the details”. This idiom refers to a catch or mysterious element hidden in the details. It might look simple at first glance but has Read More
The Digital Divide in Silicon Valley’s Backyard?
Several months ago my middle school daughter and I traveled out of town to enjoy a different environment. From a home in Seattle, I worked virtually and she attended remote school. On the first day, we found the Wi-Fi connection strength very poor and panicked as my daughter struggled to dial into her first class. When she did get in, the connection lagged or online tools didn’t work or she was kicked out of Read More
Help a Nonprofit Hit a Homerun: The Case for Unrestricted Donations
Heather used to display a baseball bat proudly in her office cubicle. She was hardly the sporting type, so I finally asked her about it. She explained she’d been awarded the bat, along with a monetary bonus, by participating in a company program called “Homerun” that challenged back-office staff to demonstrate how a weakness in their department could lead to poor client service. Those who effectively proved the case Read More
Savings, Investing & Nonprofit 403b Retirment Advice Rarely Changes – So Why Do We Forget it?
Advice my dad gave about 403 B & 401 K savings still holds up today I would regale my friends in college by reading my father’s letters out loud to them as we were getting ready to go out for the night or were procrastinating study time. Sometimes they were three pages typed—harsh words on how I better “shape up or ship out”. After college and early in my career, friends would come to dinner or hear me recount Read More
Nonprofit 403b Retirement Plan Fees Explained
Are there hidden fees lurking inside your nonprofit 403b retirement plan? I recently looked at my husband's retirement plan statement. He is a teacher. I wondered if many teachers are fully aware of the possible fees that may be lurking inside their retirement plans. And then I found fees, not less than 1.5% all the way up to 2% for the cost of the inside his plan. Fund Fees can eat into the overall return that you Read More
