Sometimes You Have to Do Something Unpopular – Because It Is the Right Thing to Do

A reader asked if he could share a story that was about his Homeowner’s Association. “It is not a nonprofit like most of the stories you share,” he told me. “But my story has a universal message – about doing something hard because it is the right thing to do.” I agree. So, I will share his story here. A Great Candidate, with a Catch As told by an HOA President somewhere in the US I was president of our HOA—Homeowners’ Association—and board elections were coming up. We had some financial challenges ahead, and I knew we needed someone with… Read more

Boards Need to Center the Mission

June 18, 2025 Categories: Best Nonprofit Practices · Board Member Roles · Good Board Practices · LeadershipTags: Center the Mission · Leadership is about values · Mission FirstLeave a comment

I spoke to a board member of a large organization that hosted a big event every few years. The event was cancelled during COVID. Board members had given extra restricted donations because of the event. When asked if they wanted the money back, the board member remembered why she joined the board in the first place. She and her fellow board members centered on the mission. As told by a board member somewhere in the USA. The Event That Never Happened I serve on the Foundation Board for a large national organization. This is the fundraising board—not the governing board—so… Read more

Navigating Uncertainty: Lead with Strategy and Compassion, Not Fear

April 22, 2025April 22, 2025 Categories: Best Nonprofit Practices · Board Member Roles · Board, Board Chair, ED/CEO Roles · Good Board Practices · LeadershipTags: Lead with Strategy Not Fear · Navigating UncertaintyLeave a comment

In this post, I focus on how nonprofits can remain resilient and impactful in uncertain times by addressing both sides of the financial equation: revenue and expenses. In my last post, I wrote about on Risk Management, in the one before on Financial Fraud, and the one before that on Managing Critical Business Accounts. All these areas are important to ensure your organization can face challenges due to external factors such as the economy and internal ones due to staffing changes. Focus on Both Revenue and Expenses Nonprofits are being squeezed from both sides. Government and foundation funding are declining,… Read more

Risk Management in Uncertain Times

March 12, 2025 Categories: Best Nonprofit Practices · Good Board Practices · LeadershipTags: Be Prepared for risk · board governance · board of directors · Minimize vulnerability · nonprofit leadership · not-for-profit · Plan ahead for risk1 Comment

In today’s uncertain times, everyone needs to think about risk. This includes financial fraud or cyber security risks, which I wrote about in my last post. Additionally, economic downturns can increase the demand for services while simultaneously straining donors’ financial capacity. I hope to address this in a future post. In this post, I want to focus on proactive steps organizations can take in case they come under government scrutiny. Thorough preparation and attention to detail minimize your risks. I have actionable ideas for both boards and staff. I also addressed some of these issues in a previous post. Governance… Read more

Leading Well

Stories and Strategies for Doing Good Better. A blog by Janet Levinger

Category: Leadership

Sometimes You Have to Do Something Unpopular – Because It Is the Right Thing to Do

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Boards Need to Center the Mission

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Navigating Uncertainty: Lead with Strategy and Compassion, Not Fear

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Risk Management in Uncertain Times

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Sometimes You Have to Do Something Unpopular – Because It Is the Right Thing to Do

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Boards Need to Center the Mission

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Navigating Uncertainty: Lead with Strategy and Compassion, Not Fear

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Risk Management in Uncertain Times

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Should Your Organization Be a Fiscal Sponsor for Another Organization?

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