Nonprofit Management Blog
What a Grant Writing Retainer Actually Includes (and How It Works)
Many nonprofits underestimate what it actually takes to maintain a healthy grant pipeline over time.
From the outside, grant work can look fairly straightforward: identify opportunities, write proposals, submit applications, and wait for decisions. In reality, sustainable grant work involves far more coordination, planning, communication, and strategic judgment than most organizations initially expect.
6 Signs Your Nonprofit Has Outgrown DIY Grant Writing
There’s a common assumption in the nonprofit sector that grant writing problems are caused by weak writing skills, lack of effort, or insufficient knowledge about fundraising.
In reality, many nonprofits struggling with grants aren’t struggling because they’re unqualified or unprepared. They’re struggling because the organization has outgrown an informal, pieced-together approach to grant management.
Why Your Board Isn’t Helping with Fundraising (and What’s Actually Missing)
If you’ve ever sat in a board meeting thinking, “We really need the board to step up with fundraising,” you’re not alone.
I hear this from Executive Directors all the time. The board cares. They believe in the mission. They show up to meetings. And yet when it comes to fundraising, things stall out. Conversations get vague. Expectations stay unspoken. Follow-through is inconsistent.
The usual conclusion is simple: they don’t know how to fundraise. That explanation is convenient. It’s also incomplete.
Transformational Leadership Categories in Nonprofit Board Design
When nonprofit boards talk about recruitment, the conversation usually centers on skills, connections, or influence. Those factors matter, but they’re not enough to build an effective governing body.
I’ve seen boards that look strong on paper. They include respected professionals, committed advocates, and individuals with deep networks. And still, something feels off. Decision-making stalls. Strategy lacks clarity. Leadership feels uneven.
The issue isn’t effort or even talent. It’s composition.
How to Recruit the Right Nonprofit Board Members (and Build a Leadership System That Lasts)
Recruiting members is one of the most common challenges nonprofit boards face, and one of the most misunderstood.
Most advice focuses on where to find people or how to evaluate candidates. That matters, but it misses a more important question: how your board is designed to function over time.