Nonprofit Connect Blog
Thursday, March 30, 2017
As you may know, several Congressional leaders have recently spoken publicly for repealing or weakening the Johnson Amendment, which prohibits 501(c)(3) nonprofits from participating or intervening in political campaigns. The National Council of Nonprofits is concerned that repealing or weakening the Johnson Amendment would undermine the value of nonpartisanship in the nonprofit sector.
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Wednesday, March 8, 2017
Yesterday over 40 nonprofit professionals joined us for a workshop on Researching Grant Opportunities, lead by Julie Assel of Assel Consulting. Check out these key takeaways from the program to enhance your grant research!
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Wednesday, February 15, 2017
From the desk of Kim Meredith: Where I sit at the Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society (Stanford PACS), we have the opportunity to engage in knowledge creation and knowledge sharing- to build the field of philanthropy. Our goal is to improve the practice and effectiveness of philanthropy and social innovation through our research, and our publication the Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR).
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Friday, January 20, 2017
So many in the nonprofit sector experience the transition of power on an annual basis with the onboarding of new board members and even more evident in the transition to a new board chair or board president. The governing body dynamic changes, an influx of new agendas surface and the history of the work accomplished up to that very moment quickly fades. This inaugural day we experience the transition in power that changes our country’s dynamic, infuses a new agenda and charges past the efforts that have led to this day. Only time will tell how it will alter the work we do as a nonprofit professional. For some of you it will likely improve, for others it will bring challenges, and then there are those that won’t even notice anything different at all.
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Thursday, January 5, 2017
At the beginning of a new year, we typically make personal resolutions. But our organizations are often ripe for change and improvement as well. On that note, I’ve put together five suggested resolutions for the nonprofit sector in 2017. And as a bonus, I’ve included how Nonprofit Connect can help you keep them!
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Monday, December 12, 2016
Jeffrey Byrne, president and CEO of Jeffrey Byrne + Associates, and a Board Member for Nonprofit Connect, wrote this article on using political giving to predict philanthropic behavior. This was originally published in the "As I See It" column in the Kansas City Star on December 4, 2016.
I’m a political junkie and a fundraising nerd. My formative professional years were spent in politics. I’m now in my third decade as a fundraiser. The two sectors are more related than you might think.
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Monday, November 7, 2016
You know that #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by social media. Many local organizations are gearing up for big campaign on that day, but how can we increase awareness and engagement in Kansas City? Using #GivingTuesdayKC as part of and in addition to your #GivingTuesday campaign will create a conversation about local giving, and generate a comprehensive list of participating organizations in Kansas City. Donors can use #GivingTuesdayKC to find organizations that are making an impact in the local community they care about. Will you use #GivingTuesdayKC and help us grow the day of giving here in Kansas City?
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Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Two weeks from today we take to the polls to let our leaders know what kind of world we want to live in. While the presidential race has filled the public consciousness for months, voters will weigh in on numerous local issues. The countdown to Election Day is coming down to the wire; we all want to make an informed vote, and we value hearing from experts in the causes we care about.
Seven of Nonprofit Connect’s member organizations spoke with us about local Kansas City ballot initiatives and legislative issues they care about, and how the people they serve could be affected by the outcomes.
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Tuesday, September 6, 2016
The author Simon Sinek theorizes that businesses can often articulate the what and the how of what they do, but cannot as often articulate the why. In the nonprofit world, I believe we often have the opposite challenge: our sense of purpose is very strong, our work driven by our belief in our mission, but our processes and systems can become repetitive and uninspired. The word "innovation" has become overused jargon, but for me the word calls to mind all of the things that can happen--the collaborations, the ideas, the alchemy--when we get ourselves out of those ruts.
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Monday, August 29, 2016
Each year Nonprofit Connect hosts Shadow Day to match college students interested in the nonprofit sector with local nonprofit professionals for a day of learning and networking. In 2015, Mackenzie Lutz spent Shadow Day at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kansas City. One year later she is now a part of the team at RMHC, and reflects on her Shadow Day experience.
Are you a student interested in a nonprofit career? Shadow Day is Friday, October 7! Learn more about Shadow Day.
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