Tell Us How We Can Support You
Like you, we see the good we do through our daily interactions with the people and organizations we serve. We also ask participants in trainings and those of you who engage CNE for consulting to provide feedback on your experience. This is…
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What We’re Reading
501c4 Nonprofits’ Image Problem is a Problem For All of Us
In recent months, a narrative has taken hold that is compounding a reputational problem for an entire class of nonprofits—and it is threatening to rob advocates of one…
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General Operating Support: The Effective Thing to do; The Respectful Thing to Do
General operating support can provide nonprofit organizations with the flexibility to plan, innovate, and pivot in their work. So, why don’t more foundations provide general operating…
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May is Mental Health Awareness Month! A time of reflection and overwhelming urge to make a change because maybe we have been there before or know someone who has. And for those of us who…
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Two Stories About Motivating People
Today I offer you two stories. Very different and both true. They have something in common. The first one is the story of a simple thing I did to motivate my board. You can…
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Funders Can Bolster Democracy by Supporting Census Tech
Local governments and philanthropy are missing out on one of the biggest opportunities to positively affect the census: supporting the application of modern technology to increase the chances of a more…
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BOARD ACADEMY CELEBRATES 10 YEARS
On Friday, May 3, CNE held our annual Board Academy Graduation at Building Goodness Foundation, while also celebrating the Board Academy’s 10 year anniversary. Over the years, 234 participants have honed their skills to…
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Mission Haiku: The Poetry of Mission Statements
The mission statement is a cornerstone of both external communications and internal vision, and deserves your attention whether you are a grassroots startup or a generations-old foundation.
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Philanthropic Defenders Weigh in on the Notre Dame Debate
The immediate overwhelming outpouring of donor generosity, nearing $1 billion in just a day, in response to scenes of Paris’s iconic Notre Dame cathedral in flames has been greeted with…
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How to Prevent Donor Fatigue in a Small Nonprofit
Donor fatigue is real and it’s hurting lots of small nonprofits that are over-asking their donors without balancing those asks with enough feel-good interactions.
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Bolder Goals, Bigger Breakthroughs
Authors [in philanthropic sectors} are calling for folks working on the frontlines of social change to rethink their approaches and set their sights higher to achieve more meaningful outcomes. We could not agree more.
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Last week a staffer from one of our member organizations was in our Resource Center using the Foundation Center. He saw a couple of us at the…
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What We’re Reading
Seven questions to ask yourself and your organization about grants and fundraising
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Five Elements for Success in Capacity Building
“Nonprofits have diverse needs when it comes to capacity building, and there can be as many approaches to building capacity as there are foundations supporting it.”
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Organizations evolve, so should their branding!
Read MoreBoard? Start Here!
One way to get engaged in the community is to volunteer on a nonprofit board. But what does it mean to be a board member, and can…
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What We’re Reading
The True Story of Nonprofits and Taxes
From the outside, it can look like the nonprofit sector, because it is tax exempt, does not contribute to government tax bases at all. That one-sided view wildly misses…
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Stop Trying to Treat Nonprofits “Like a Business”
“Saying that nonprofits should operate ‘like a business’ is a meaningless phrase, but it’s one people use all the time.”
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Bylaws & Articles of Incorporation – Key Similarities & Differences
“When starting a nonprofit, founders must be careful that their excitement for the organization’s work does not overshadow careful attention to legal requirements.”
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6 Tips to Know Your Nonprofit Is Ready for Skilled Volunteers
Engaging skilled volunteers (also known as pro bono service) can be way to solve the capacity challenge.
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Rethinking Awareness Campaigns to Magnify your Nonprofit’s Reach
Read MoreNew Kid on the Block
Think about a time…
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Why Should You Volunteer for a Nonprofit Board?
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