Executive Coaches for Nonprofit Leaders

One of the best decisions I've made this year was to renew my professional relationship with my executive coach, Jim Sharp. Although not a fundraiser by training, his advice has always provided me with a great perspective on both managing my career and maintaining the sanity of my personal life (and never forget how critical this latter part is to the former!).

The Chronicle of Philanthropy recently cited another interesting use of coaches by NPOs:

Philanthropy Today: Executive Coaches Help Vet Nonprofit Job Applicants

People seeking top-level nonprofit jobs can now expect to be interviewed not just by nonprofit recruiters and their potential bosses, but also by executive coaches who advise the organization’s top executives, says The Wall Street Journal.

The extra step is part of an effort to reduce turnover, the newspaper says.

After interviewing candidates to help her run Family Justice, the New York charity she founded, Carol Shapiro finally found one she liked, but didn’t pick the job candidate because her executive coach found the candidate lacking in managerial experience, the newspaper reports.

Another contender who won approval from the coach got the job and joined Family Justice as chief operating officer in late February.

The interview by the coach benefits not just the charity but also the job seeker “because an executive coach can describe what this new boss will really be like,” says Marilyn Machlowitz, a New York recruiter who handled Ms. Shapiro’s search.

Philanthropy Today: Automatic Donations Attract Growing Interest From Donors

Philanthropy Today: Automatic Donations Attract Growing Interest From Donors: "Automatic Donations Attract Growing Interest From Donors
Charities and companies are responding to growing interest by donors in automatic payment systems that make it easy to give donations on a fixed schedule, reports The Wall Street Journal.

One company, ParishPay, allows churchgoers to replace cash offerings with a regular credit card charge or electronic withdrawals from a bank account. Approximately 2,500 churches are using the approach and the average family has increased its annual donation by 75 percent once it has begun using the service.

Network for Good, a nonprofit organization, allows people to schedule multiple regular online payments to schools, religious institutions, and charities, as long as each contribution is more than $10. Network for Good says that the number of people who schedule recurring payments has grown substantially in recent months, the newspaper report."

The New Language of Fundraising

Thanks to the great and good folks at Donor Power Blog (seriously, you must subscribe to this blog), another great article about an important trend facing our sector. Indeed, a trend facing our very language!

Donor Power Blog: We're going to have to learn to write differently

This is the first report I've seen about how the Internet might actually be IMPROVING our writing abilities, rather than the opposite.

Perhaps, rather, it is simply improving our reading abilities. Still --- copy writers be warned!

Catholic Worker altruism isn't deductible - Los Angeles Times

The Chronicle of Philanthropy points out another interesting story in the LA Times about the group Catholic Worker, which has maintained a stance AGAINST becoming a tax-exempt organization for over 70 years as a matter of principle:

Catholic Worker altruism isn't deductible - Los Angeles Times

What a bold stand in a world of increasing competition for funds!