McDonald's Corporation is prototypical of a business that scaled-up effectively. Great operating systems are part of this story. But CEO Ray Kroc's story gives some valuable lessons beyond that. He started out on a path toward disaster because he failed to do basic business planning and financial analysis. He succeeded after he recalibrated his business model and stuck to it. This story offers important lessons for nonprofit management and strategic decision-making.
Read moreAre You Ready for the Crash?
A stock market correction is inevitable, and when it happens, nonprofits will be profoundly affected. Here are three ways that nonprofit leaders can proactively plan for - and navigate through - the storm.
Read moreThe Worst Practice? It’s Probably Not What You Think.
The general perception of what’s “best” evolves over time. It’s also subject to varying opinions and interpretations. In some fields of work there’s no official endorsement of best practices, and a shortage of hard data to judge “bestness.” Nonprofit management is such a profession. While this leaves lots of space for creativity, it also carries a dark side: conventional wisdom can pump up practices that may not actually work.
Read moreFive Myths About Nonprofit Mergers
Mergers among nonprofits are common enough that few of us are more than one degree of separation away from one. Yet the mythology of mergers runs deep and wide. Familiar as it is, “the M-word” still provokes visceral emotional reactions.
Read moreFive Myths about Data “Dashboards”
The nonprofit world has, somewhat grudgingly, begun to embrace the use of data in decision-making. This is good, not because numbers are everything, but because informed decisions are usually better than off-the-cuff choices. The term “dashboard” has become commonplace in nonprofit board and management team meetings. But is any dashboard a good dashboard? Not necessarily.
Read moreResistance Fatigue?
Staying engaged in the Trump Era can lead to Resistance Fatigue. Here are some great suggestions for dealing with this understandable side-effect.
Read moreReturn of the Hedgehog
Jim Collins’ book Good to Great introduced a powerful concept in management management strategy. Named for the humble, nocturnal hedgehog, which has sustained as a species for millions of years, the book is as relevant as ever. The Hedgehog Concept can be valuable for nonprofits, and in this entry I talk about why.
Read moreAdapting to the Trump Era: Building Resilience Amid Chaos
Trump is our asteroid. The questions nonprofit leaders need to ask are: Can we adapt rapidly? And, if not, will our organization become irrelevant? Adaptation may require rapid deployment of new programs, immediate expansion or reallocation of resources, engagement with new partners, or mobilizing constituents in short order. Resilient organizations will survive, and may even be stronger when this chapter ends.
Read moreWhat Every Nonprofit Leader Needs to Know about Their Business Model
Many nonprofits struggle to break even, or face strict capacity limitations. The root of these problems is usually the soundness and health of the organization's business model. The business model is a key to ensuring high performance in achieving mission and financial goals. Public Interest Management Group has released a new white paper that demystifies the business model and its key role in organizational strategy.
Read moreJoining the Resistance: 4 Ways Nonprofits Can Advocate for Change
Now, more than ever, all nonprofits need to engage in advocacy as a strategy to serve their communities and support their missions. Contrary to a widely-held myth, 501(c)(3) organizations are not prohibited from advocacy. Further, nonprofits are vital intermediaries in the public policy process. Here I offer 4 practical ways mission-based organizations can incorporate advocacy into their work.
Read moreTrump and The Myth of the Charismatic Leader
Over 61 million people voted for a would-be strongman, who conveyed a charismatic, hyper-masculine style. Does this in reality translate into effective leadership? A growing body of research suggests it does not. Public Interest Management Group's own applied research shows that externally-focused nonprofit CEOs do not, in fact, have greater success than internally-focused counterparts. Strong leadership can take many forms, and we - nonprofit search committees and voters - need to look beyond cliches and gut reactions in identifying effective leaders.
Read moreThe Trump Era Begins – What it Means for Nonprofits
Trump's election has wide-ranging implications for nonprofit organizations, particularly in the areas of health, the environment and social justice. Further, potential impact of economic policies may impact nearly all nonprofits. This post discusses the impacts, and offers tangible steps nonprofit leaders can take to adapt and respond.
Read moreStrategic Planning Retooled
Conventional strategic planning in the nonprofit sector is often ineffective. PIMG's Data-Driven Strategic Planning approach aims to remedy this gap. Rather than focusing primarily on alignment of people within the organization, it’s principally about identifying a strategy that will focus the organization on successful performance. Informed by hard financial and market data, nonprofits are empowered to move confidently toward ambitious, attainable goals.
Read moreUpdates from The Front
In a recap of exciting client updates, we cover a range of projects, from the opening of new health and hunger solution centers, to organizations scaling up through merger, restructuring and business model assessments.
Read moreReprise: Charity Navigator Makes Tweaks, Misses Opportunity
Charity Navigator (CN) is a prominent evaluator of nonprofits' performance, issuing ratings of many U.S. charities. PIMG issued a review and critique of CN's methods in a white paper last winter. Since then, CN has tweaked its financial rating methodology. Unfortunately, these minor changes failed to address major problems. Again we must ask: why is the nonprofit sector so vulnerable to poor uses of data?
Read moreEvaluating Charity Navigator: Good Concept, Poor Execution
Charity Navigator (CN) is a prominent evaluator of nonprofit organizations, and publishes ratings for the purpose of informing donors. PIMG has examined CN's rating system in depth, and we found deep flaws and inconsistencies. As it stands, CN's ratings are not valid indicators of nonprofit performance. More troubling, however, is the sector's willingness to accept unsound "standards."
Read moreClient Focus: Great Nonprofits Fuel the Northwest’s Farmers Market Boom
Many great nonprofits work their magic largely behind the scenes. Farmers markets offer an excellent example of nonprofit enterprises at work, and the state of Washington has two of the best in the business: the Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance, and Washington State Farmers Market Association. Both of these PIMG clients are efficient, effective, and striving for bigger things in the future.
Read moreNonprofit Management Training Update
Read about PIMG's new upcoming workshops. "High-Performance Nonprofit" and "Business Planning as a Strategic Tool" are newly designed sessions that offer practical, proven tools for improving organizational effectiveness and results...
Read moreIntroducing Grounded Solutions Network: a New National Organization Promoting Inclusive Communities
A newly formed national nonprofit, Grounded Solutions Network is the result of a merger between the National Community Land Trust Network and Cornerstone Partnership. Grounded Solutions Network ensuresthat communities across the U.S. are inclusive across all income levels for generations to come.What made the merger process so successful? Learn more...
Read moreMoving Past Vanilla, and Opening the Door to a Wide Range of Organizational Partnerships
Organizational partnership is a time-tested mechanism for nonprofits to attain many benefits of scale. In fact, there are many flavors of partnership, most of which are not widely understood. Read more about PIMG's latest white paper Emerging Nonprofit Partnership Models: Two Alternatives to Traditional Merger...
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