Sometimes the biggest barrier to getting help is simply not asking. Strong non-profit communication helps teams share challenges, connect resources and invite community partners into meaningful solutions. When we combine clear information, human stories and a specific ask, communication can build trust, mobilize support and create lasting relationships. What problem is your non-profit trying to solve alone that your community would gladly help solve with you?

Across Canada, non-profit leaders are facing a difficult reality: community needs are rising faster than organizational capacity. Since COVID-19, demand for charitable services has increased dramatically. A study from Carleton University, Capacity vs. Demand: An Ongoing Struggle for Non-Profits, highlights the growing strain across the sector. An IPSOS report found that 1 in 5 Canadians accessed charitable services, with 7 out of 10 doing so for the first time. Capacity is Mo

This blog post is part of five articles on organizational sustainability. Related articles are noted at the end of the post. Stage 4: Aspirations, Results, and Strategic Goals & Objectives When considering sustainability, where you are going and the results you want to deliver are a key component of creating a sustainable organization. If you don’t know what you are working towards or the results you want to achieve, it is difficult to set a direction and move towards it.

Invest in an Annual Report that catches your readers attention and provides them with the important facts... It's about telling your organization's story so invest some time in this irreplaceable marketing document.

Your organization’s annual general meeting report is an information and marketing tool. It’s an opportunity to showcase and celebrate what has been achieved in the past 12 months and to bring members, community champions, funders, and partners up-to-date. While “standard” items need to be included in your annual report, the best annual reports tell a story using data, statistics, stories, images, videos, and facts. When you begin to think about your annual report, consider t

As with most AGMs, the ones I’ve attended often follow a standard agenda: updates on what’s happened throughout the year, progress made toward goals, presentation of financials and financial audit, voting in of new board members, and awards to recognize key volunteers, staff, or leaders. It’s standard fare, and this can be a little mundane for those active in the non-profit sector. So, how does a non-profit add excitement to its AGM agenda to make it more attractive an

Strategic board recruitment is essential. Too frequently, this strategic board priority is overlooked, and the opportunity to ensure a diverse, dynamic, healthy board is missed. Whether your Board is functioning optimally or needs improvement, spring is an excellent time for board member recruitment planning.

Stakeholder Engagement planning is easy. Getting people to show up and share ideas is more challenging.

Planning is required to run successful campaigns. Learn how to craft a community engagement plan to discover stakeholder needs.

Choose who to invite to stakeholder conversations, by defining the purpose (WHY) of the conversation and what it is you want to learn.

Stakeholder engagement empowers our community share their ideas about our future and enables our agency to remain responsive to local needs.

Before recruiting new Board of Director members, doing an internal Board Evaluation to assess your Board's strengths and areas of improvement is helpful. Knowing how effective your board is, what strengths it brings, and the areas of improvement to focus on in the coming months, provides potential recruits and existing members with confidence that the board is self-aware and committed to ongoing learning and improvement.

In some cases, this transition from a working board to a governance board is natural and smooth; in other cases, tensions arise, and there is a push and pull as individuals struggle to understand the new parameters under which they must now work and the restrictions that may now be placed on them. Does your organization have the capacity to transition from a working board to a governance board?

When a Board acts in the organization's best interest, makes rational and strategic decisions, and ensures the organization is managed thoughtfully, a Board fulfills its purpose. In short, it is functioning as it should. If only reality were that simple.

In a non-profit organization, no relationship is more important than the one between the Chair of the Board and the Executive Director (ED) or CEO. Curious about why this relationship is so meaningful.? Read on.

A healthy Non-Profit Board of Directors is dependent on two things: 1) knowing the responsibilities of the board and delivering on them, as discussed in Board Success Blueprint: Know your Responsibilities, and 2) the maintenance of constructive and collaborative communication alongside a focus on strategic decision-making. Given the fluidity of board dynamics, how is your board doing?

When a non-profit Board has limited time for strategic planning, choosing the right priorities matters. Three or four clear strategic goals can create more focus, accountability and impact than a long list no one can realistically achieve. Clustering and prioritization help Boards connect goals to their vision, mission and values. The question is: Are you choosing the goals that matter most—or simply the ones that are easiest to agree on?

What if non-profit strategic planning focused less on what’s wrong and more on what’s possible? SOAR strategic planning uses Appreciative Inquiry to explore Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations and Results, helping Boards and teams build on what already works. It’s a strengths-based alternative to SWOT that encourages engagement, creativity and action. What could your non-profit achieve if you started with possibility instead of problems?

Getting ready for non-profit strategic planning can feel like a lot. Your Board needs to decide why you’re planning, who to involve, which strategic planning process and model to use, and whether you need an outside facilitator or consultant. Asking the right questions before you begin can make all the difference. Before you start creating your strategic plan, has your Board stopped to ask what you actually need from the process?

Non-profit Board recruitment doesn’t have to be stressful. A strategic approach helps your Board find people with the right skills, expertise, perspectives and community connections while strengthening Board engagement, diversity and succession planning. The key is recruiting for what your organization needs—not simply filling an empty seat. Is your Board recruiting the right people for its future—or just whoever says yes?