Avni Gupta-Kagan has over 25 years of experience working to improve education outcomes for children on a range of issues, including human capital management, leadership development, strategic planning, and K-12 curriculum. Avni believes deeply in the importance of building strong teams where adults can thrive in their work on behalf of children - whether in schools, in central offices, or in NGOs supporting schools. She works closely with organizations, school districts, and schools to do so....| Blue Avocado
Want to raise more money? Call a time out and take fundraising completely off the table. Then dream — the money will follow!| Blue Avocado
How U/X and user-centered design methods can better communicate visual stories in a way that advances the mission of your organization.| Blue Avocado
If you want to make your organization a healthy space for all and overcome biases and prejudices, you have to do the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work. It’s that simple.| Blue Avocado
How one nonprofit moved forward when the only solution to a dysfunctional board was a brand-new one.| Blue Avocado
One board member's personal trials and triumphs of serving on a board, including invaluable lessons that every board member can benefit from.| Blue Avocado
Adopting solid organizational policies can help your nonprofit set expectations and avoid a laundry list of problems.| Blue Avocado
Use AAA (Ambassador, Advocate, Asker) to engage your nonprofit board members who are not comfortable asking for money.| Blue Avocado
Board Horror Stories: How to Reduce Board Resignations| Blue Avocado
Legislative inaction at the state and federal level has seen nonprofits moving toward using the courts to advance their advocacy campaigns like never before.| Blue Avocado
Taking over a team that was very comfortable with their previous leader is difficult for anybody. Discover five tips that can help you build a successful relationship with your new team and align everyone toward accomplishing your shared mission.| Blue Avocado
Practical ideas on how to get on board with DEIB for your nonprofit and stay committed to ongoing honest assessments and effective action.| Blue Avocado
Michael Lukens is the Associate Director at CAIR Coalition, which he joined in 2014. He is responsible for oversight of the legal and operational programs of the organization, including the Detained Adult Program, the Detained Unaccompanied Children’s Program, the Immigration Impact Lab, the Finance Team, and the Operations Team. Michael assists with development, communications, and board governance as well as sits on the Leadership Team of CAIR Coalition. Michael also serves as a liaison...| Blue Avocado
Paula Golden is President of the Broadcom Foundation. She initiates innovative partnerships with universities, nonprofits, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to create equitable access to STEM education, close the STEM education gap for young women and the underserved, and ensure that young people are STEM literate with the necessary skills to succeed in 21st century STEM careers. She is a leader in the National STEM Funders Network and STEM Education Ecosystem Initiative that create ...| Blue Avocado
Nonprofits that do not deliver on the terms of a grant contract are at risk of having to return the funding. Make sure you have a plan.| Blue Avocado
The board expects the Executive Director (ED) and CFO to work in partnership to further the mission, but most boards also expect the CFO to perform a “watchdog” function. If the ED is the engine of the bus, the CFO is the insurance, the maintenance, and yes, sometimes the brakes.| Blue Avocado
Nonprofit grant proposal budgeting tips: Five common challenges and strategies for calculating grant proposal numbers.| Blue Avocado
Is your organization’s CFO ready to put together a grant proposal budget that will make an impact with potential funders?| Blue Avocado
Learn how your CFO can contribute to a successful grant application — and the administrative processes that follow.| Blue Avocado
Mary Diegert is a recently retired CFO with 25 years’ experience in the nonprofit human services sector. She earned a master’s degree in accounting and her CPA license (now lapsed) in the 80s. Her most recent experience is fifteen years with a $20 million Catholic charities agency in upstate New York. Her focus is on sharing with nonprofit leaders her lessons learned from 25 years of on-the-job training. Mary’s writings on non-profit financial management can be found at marymightknow.com| Blue Avocado
Marcus Ippolito is Senior Director of Fulfillment at the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, where he co-leads a CRM and ERP transformation designed to bring clarity, coordination, and community insight to scale. With nearly 30 years of cross-sector leadership experience — spanning nonprofits, business ownership, and systems strategy — Marcus brings a grounded, adaptable lens to solving complex organizational challenges. He’s successfully led CRM initiatives that bridge data and mission, ...| Blue Avocado
Before nonprofits can develop AI-driven solutions to help others, it’s important that they get comfortable with it themselves. Here’s how one nonprofit did it.| Blue Avocado
Leadership, especially in the nonprofit sector, means you’re not standing at the top — but spotting gaps, shining a light, and quietly stitching trust back together where it’s needed.| Blue Avocado
One way to be sure that each person on the board is clear on his or her responsibilities is to adopt a board member contract.| Blue Avocado
Nonprofit leaders share how bringing specialists on board has delivered measurable improvements across key areas like marketing, finance, and engagement.| Blue Avocado
The work you do now to plan for executive succession could mean the difference between whether your organization withers or thrives later.| Blue Avocado
You actually have more time than you think to get your nonprofit’s messaging right in a crisis. It’s better to take a little extra time than to stick your foot in your mouth and end up in a worse place than you started.| Blue Avocado
Exploring solutions to the mismatches with donor interests and funders’ reluctance to invest that keep the work of advocacy and systemic change chronically underfunded.| Blue Avocado
Maybe in some mythic past it was possible to think first about strategic impact goals, and then about how to raise the money. But today we know better: you can't talk about what you're going to do without talking about how to get the money.| Blue Avocado
A survey of 906 nonprofit finance professionals reveals some surprises about these crucial-but-often-overlooked staff.| Blue Avocado
Steve Zimmerman, CPA, MBA, is principal at Spectrum Nonprofit Services, a finance and strategy consulting firm based in Milwaukee. With Jeanne Bell and Jan Masaoka, he co-authored Nonprofit Sustainability: Making Strategic Decisions for Financial Viability, published by Jossey-Bass in 2011. In addition to writing the Finance & Strategy column for Blue Avocado and consulting to nonprofits across the country, Steve conducts train-the-consultant sessions how to use the book’s framework wit...| Blue Avocado
A guide to effectively manage volunteers, from recruiting to appreciation. Keep volunteers engaged and your organization thriving.| Blue Avocado
Attorney Gene Takagi and Emily Nicole Chan discuss whether nonprofit boards can vote by both mail and email.| Blue Avocado
Here is a wonderful, succinct guide that provides help for the 600,000 + treasurers of all-volunteer organizations (AVOs).| Blue Avocado
Gain insights into drafting effective board policies, meeting legal documentation standards, and managing governance challenges. Ideal for nonprofit leaders and board members seeking best practices.| Blue Avocado
Nonprofit leaders share their "happy accidents" — unforeseen twists of fate that ended up bringing significant benefits to their organizations.| Blue Avocado
Moving board members from passive to proactive requires intentionality. By setting clear expectations, providing meaningful opportunities, and fostering a culture of philanthropy, organizations can activate their board as a powerful force for impact.| Blue Avocado
Understanding fiscal sponsorships for nonprofits. Learn about the benefits, limitations, and considerations of this arrangement in our free webinar.| Blue Avocado
The ERC program has been amended several times and has officially concluded, but eligible nonprofit organizations are still eligible to file and benefit from this tax credit. Find out more about this government stimulus program.| Blue Avocado
In the digital age, nonprofits engaging in various creative endeavors must be mindful of copyright concerns.| Blue Avocado
Our Free nonprofit webinars helps organizations like yours learn, grow, and stay ahead with expert advice on common nonprofit issues and solutions.| Blue Avocado
Blue Avocado is an online magazine fueled by a monthly newsletter designed to provide practical, tactical tips and tools to nonprofit leaders. A small but mighty team of committed social sector leaders produces the publication, enlisting content from a wide range of practitioners, funders, and experts.| Blue Avocado
Nonprofits Helping Nonprofits Succeed| Blue Avocado
Information about Form 990 and your nonprofit filings. Hopefully this will keep your fiscal year-end stresses at bay!| Blue Avocado
Interview with Norma Mtume, former Black Panther and co-founder of SHIELDS for Families in Los Angeles.| Blue Avocado
Different nonprofits have different trajectories that result in different assets at a given stage of development.| Blue Avocado
Good communication about common objectives can prevent dissatisfaction and go a long way toward preventing board member resignations.| Blue Avocado
Calculating overhead rates and managing expenses are important roles. Board members need to bring an informed perspective to oversight.| Blue Avocado
Effective donor engagement strategies: Consider and articulate how supporting the mission benefits your donors too.| Blue Avocado
Getting a grant isn’t just a handshake and a check — they can come with many conditions. Is your CFO ready?| Blue Avocado
Grants are an important source of funds for nonprofits, but some may come with strings attached that can create more headaches than positives for your organization. A strategic approach can help you be sure you’re applying for the grants that best meet your needs.| Blue Avocado
Gain insights into nonprofit fundraising including donor engagement, grant writing, crowdfunding, and more to help your organization thrive financially.| Blue Avocado
Nonprofit leaders offer insights into the biggest hurdles faced by nonprofits, from funding and staffing to awareness and impact measurement.| Blue Avocado
Learn how to help your nonprofit build strong, inclusive communities while nurturing a positive organizational culture that fosters both growth and impact.| Blue Avocado
Defining the desired outcome and what constitutes success in measurable terms helps stakeholders align their actions and priorities, ensuring that every effort is geared toward achieving this shared vision.| Blue Avocado
Harvard University offers several of its online social sciences courses to the public at no cost.| Blue Avocado
Nonprofit leaders offer insights into the post-pandemic era, detailing the changes that have impacted their organizations for better or worse.| Blue Avocado
A compelling case for how nonprofits can build organizational capacity and infrastructure to ensure longevity by getting funding for those investments for their nonprofit.| Blue Avocado
Beyond helping nonprofit leaders understand the business model, the Matrix Map can help you strengthen it.| Blue Avocado
Starting a nonprofit and want tips from industry leaders? This is a collection of the best tips and advice for both large and small nonprofit organizations.| Blue Avocado
Presented by the National Council of Nonprofits (NCN), this webinar will provide a timely overview of both legislative and executive branch threats to nonprofits.| Blue Avocado
Getting feedback from those that you serve — and not assuming you know what they need — can help your nonprofit serve your community.| Blue Avocado
Nonprofit leaders share their top strategies for boosting community engagement in programs and initiatives with the Blue Avocado community.| Blue Avocado
RECORDED WEBINAR: Thursday, June 12, 2025. Learn about the essential governance topics like board structure, legal compliance, and best practices.| Blue Avocado
Discover expert advice and practical tips for running a nonprofit organization. Get valuable insights from nonprofit leaders in our survey-based archive.| Blue Avocado
Get the tools & knowledge to build and manage a thriving nonprofit board of directors, navigate complex issues, and drive your mission forward.| Blue Avocado
Adopting collective leadership can help your nonprofit create a more inclusive, efficient, and flexible organizational structure.| Blue Avocado
Nonprofit leaders share what they believe are the best ways to successfully manage a nonprofit board of directors with the Blue Avocado community.| Blue Avocado
Nonprofits may be surprised to find that their communities have already implemented the kind of innovative, collaborative programming that their leadership — and funders — are looking for.| Blue Avocado
Simple acts can have a big impact on the community. Learn how one nonprofit discovered the tools to fight systemic issues were at their disposal all along — they just needed to learn how to use them.| Blue Avocado
Nonprofit collaboration strategies: Working with like-minded people and organizations can create a deepened impact, more sustainable relationships, and a stronger funding pool for your mission.| Blue Avocado
The knowledge that communities hold is precious, and the ethical use of this knowledge for institutional purposes requires the three “Rs” of ethical community engagement: Research, Relationships, and Remuneration.| Blue Avocado
A sudden leadership transition can leave a nonprofit scrambling to survive. Don't leave your mission to chance — plan for the future today.| Blue Avocado
Nonprofit leaders share what they believe are the most critical areas for improvement with the Blue Avocado community.| Blue Avocado
In today's changing world, adding organizational values into the Matrix Map is crucial for nonprofits to demonstrate the impact of funding.| Blue Avocado
Nonprofit leaders and Blue Avocado readers answer the question, "What are your nonprofit's priorities and goals for 2025?"| Blue Avocado
Leadership means something different to everyone, and nonprofits are no exception. But do these different definitions of leadership reflect the reality of the world we live in?| Blue Avocado
How to remove a board member that consistently disrupts meetings or is otherwise destructive and demoralizing.| Blue Avocado
Nonprofit leaders share the biggest challenges they face finding quality volunteers and staff with the Blue Avocado community.| Blue Avocado
Insider newsletters give your board members upbeat news in quick, regular bites — so your work will stay present to them between meetings.| Blue Avocado
With proper planning, attention, and openness to change, an interim ED can overcome challenges that can derail a nonprofit’s best-laid plans.| Blue Avocado
Checks and balances can be difficult when your nonprofit isn't big. Discover five internal controls for the very small nonprofit.| Blue Avocado
Learn how to navigate the complexities of working with a consultant. From finding the right fit to building a successful partnership.| Blue Avocado
Nonprofit leaders and Blue Avocado readers answer the question, "What is the secret to successful grant writing?"| Blue Avocado
With some creative thinking, a nonprofit’s board member was able to forge a nonprofit partnership that advanced two causes that she cared deeply about.| Blue Avocado
Nonprofit leaders answer the question, "What are the key qualities and skills you look for in potential board members?"| Blue Avocado
A nonprofit strategic planning process that includes human factors that improves the chances of successfully implementing the plan.| Blue Avocado
Empower your nonprofit leadership with expert insights and practical advice. Unlock the resources you need to inspire and guide your team to new heights.| Blue Avocado