A Steward’s Relationship With the Owner

Most definitions of stewardship include in one way or another the concept “to manage resources that belong to another.” But what most definitions miss is a critical aspect of a steward’s role: that stewards manage those resources in order to achieveRead more…

Opening Up: Demystifying Funder Transparency

Relationships between donors and ministries can cause much anxiety. The Opening Up: Demystifying Funder Transparency report from Grantcraft explores how transparency can strengthen credibility, improve grantee relationships, facilitate greater collaboration, increase public trust, reduce duplication of effort, and build communities of sharedRead more…

Rereading “Collective Impact”: Three Lessons

One of the many lessons I’ve learned since the first “Collective Impact” article by John Kania and Mark Kramer disrupted my life three years ago is that all collaborations go through cycles. And asLiz Weaver, vice president of the Tamarack Institute,Read more…

5 Ways Great Strategy Can Transform a Nonprofit

I’ve been working with several clients lately to create a strategic plan, and I love the moment when the real value of the strategic plan and the process of creating one becomes blatantly obvious. It’s the point at which board, staff,Read more…

2013 Highlights: The Year in Books

The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s top books for 2013 in the areas of fundraising, giving, charity/nonprofit management and advocacy.

Connected to Give: Faith Communities

People of faith in the USA tend to give more overall to charitable causes than Americans without a religious affiliation according to the atached study by Connected to Give. About 75 percent of people who frequently attend religious services gaveRead more…

Legatum Prosperity Index

The Legatum Prosperity Index (www.prosperity.com/#!/) is an annual ranking, developed by the Legatum Institute, of 142 countries. The rankings is based on a variety of factors including wealth, economic growth and quality of life. The 2013 Index Report and 2Read more…