Nonprofit's Questions of the Week

The Nonprofit Show

Hosted by Meico Marquette Whitlock and featuring guest host Muhi Khwaja from the Fundraising Academy at National University, a series of pertinent questions from nonprofit professionals across the USA are addressed. Watch on Video!
The session begins with a discussion about managing underperforming board members, prompted by a nonprofit dealing with a board member who fails to attend meetings and meet fundraising obligations. Khwaja emphasizes the importance of initial conversations to understand the underlying reasons for the board member’s lack of participation before taking any steps to potentially remove them. Whitlock supports this by highlighting the value of dialogue to prevent making assumptions about the individual’s circumstances and to clarify expectations.
Another query involves setting personal fundraising goals and understanding donor attrition. Khwaja provides insights on calculating donor loss and stresses the importance of using historical data to anticipate and mitigate donor attrition. Whitlock adds the perspective of seeking advice and strategies from peers in similar roles to better manage and utilize such data.
The discussion also touches on managing pro bono services from a mid-size ad agency, with concerns about the potential lack of commitment due to the non-financial nature of the contract. Both hosts suggest establishing clear expectations and regular communication to ensure accountability and effective collaboration. They advise being proactive in managing the relationship to ensure the nonprofit remains a priority for the agency.
Lastly, the hosts tackle a question from Rafael in San Diego about allocating a budget for personal development to retain employees. Khwaja proposes that employees decide if and how they want to use their development funds, suggesting that unused funds could be pooled for others to use. Whitlock recommends that nonprofits first assess what their employees truly need and want before implementing such programs, to ensure the funds are used effectively and align with the organization’s goals.

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