“Volunteers … work not for money but because they want to give back, make a difference, change the world.” Sally Helgesen While the need to give of themselves may motivate volunteers to get involved, it doesn’t ensure their continuing commitment. What keeps them involved is the quality of their experience with an organization. The best
I am one of more than half a million followers of Shane Burcaw’s Laughing At My Nightmare blog. I’m also greatly impressed with the nonprofit organization he co-founded with his cousin, Sarah Yunusov, with the mission “to spread a message of positivity while providing equipment grants to those living with muscular dystrophy.” The popularity and
One of the most challenging jobs I know of is held by people who work in nonprofits — they are as passionate about their work as they are stressed trying to accomplish much with limited resources. I explored this topic recently with a former nonprofit leader, Debrah Cummins, who is now Vice President of Development for Northstar
[Note: This guest post was written by Kim Plyler, a communications professional and media strategist. CEO and founder of SahlComm, Kim works with high level clients in the technology, finance, manufacturing, cyber security, NGOs and nonprofit sectors. Her company’s mission is to further the mission of others and help improve humanity.] 5 Ways to Boost Your
I’ve always enjoyed tongue-in-cheek translations of help wanted ads. Apparently, so does nonprofit executive and humorist Vu Le who compiled such a list for his Nonprofit with Balls blog. Here are some of my favorite employment translations from that list that are also applicable to for-profit organizations. Describing the organization A dynamic work environment: We are really disorganized.
Whether providing relief after a natural disaster or rendering humanitarian aid to countries in need, we’re familiar with the importance of international medical missions. The inspirational stories told by returning volunteers describe the desperate and challenging needs of the people served and their deep gratitude in receiving medical aid. The volunteers, themselves, are forever changed
While anytime is a good time to acknowledge volunteers for their dedication to helping others, National Volunteer Week provides a special opportunity to celebrate their efforts. In support of National Volunteer Week, here are my favorite quotes on the tremendous value of volunteers. “Volunteering is so pervasive it’s invisible. We take for granted all the things that
A donor can only take so much. That’s why I asked certain nonprofits to stop fundraising. The situation improved somewhat … until now. So far this year I have received monthly solicitations from one nonprofit, along with other fundraising mailers from a similar organization who either purchased or shared that nonprofit’s donor list. I understand
It’s true – there’s no such thing as a perfect workplace. Every organizational culture has its positives and negatives. But in my experience with employee engagement, there are two particular workplace environments to be avoided at all costs. “Oppression by purpose” describes “companies whose mission to make a positive difference in the world, but essentially
Given the importance of nonprofit engagement, I’m happy to share this post by Andrew Littlefield that appeared on the WeDidIt blog. It is reprinted with permission. Keeping Your Team Fueled: Preventing Burnout for Non-Profit Workers by Andrew Littlefield Non-profit work is often romanticized. Well … at least by people who haven’t actually worked there before