In the News
In the office, I’m known as the Weather Girl. It’s because I’m a weather geek. Glenn “Hurricane” Schwartz and I have something in common (though I’m not prone to wearing bow ties). It’s true that I do seem to be…
On a Bicycle Built for Two
What does a tandem bicycle have to do with public relations? Good communication. My husband and I are avid cyclists. While we each own and frequently ride single bicycles, our favorite thing to do on weekends is to take our…
How Did We Get Here?
During the Middle Ages, craftsmen routinely employed young people as an inexpensive form of labor in exchange for food, lodging and formal training in a trade. Perhaps today’s interns don’t work for food, but it surely can feel as though we’ve returned to medieval times when it comes to the role of the apprenticeship, now known as the unpaid internship, in preparing new graduates for their futures.
It’s Not What You’re Not
It’s what you are.
According to Wikipedia, a not-for-profit agency is an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals rather than distributing them as profit or dividends. That doesn’t sound like a description of what something is not to me. It sounds like what it is!
“Not-for-profit” is a bad way to describe what these organizations are. Nonprofits exist for a purpose. They’re pro-mission. They do all kinds of good things for society and in the world. Not for nothing, but there’s a need for some re-branding here.
Make Your Good Nonprofit Board a Great One
“To make the greatest impact on society requires first and foremost a great organization.” – Jim Collins
Consider this view of nonprofit Board members:
- Necessary evil (for legal reasons)
- Impediment to progress
- Source of busy work for staff
- Meddlesome micromanagers
- Power mongers
As opposed to this one:
- Stewards of public trust
- Guardians of the mission
- Ambassadors for the organization
- Strategic partners with staff
- Experienced civic leaders
If you’re on the Board of a nonprofit, I’m sure you’d rather be viewed the second way. So what can you do to make your Board great? What skills and behaviors can you bring to the Board table to ensure that your organization’s beneficiaries are being served by the best Directors possible?
Volunteer – Somewhere
Last night I saw a clip on the news of former President Bill Clinton participating in a community service project in Phoenix. During the interview he observed that “everybody can serve everywhere.” 
Being a big fan of volunteering, Clinton’s comment struck a chord with me.
This morning I conducted an unscientific and statistically insignificant survey of my colleagues about their volunteer activities. It turns out that we’re involved in a lot of them!
Good Deeds Don’t Always Get Punished
You may have heard it said that no good deed goes unpunished but sometimes, as in the case of corporate social responsibility, good deeds will be richly rewarded. A recent study conducted by Cone Communications and Echo Research points to the high expectation that consumers have today for a company to be a good corporate citizen – and also highlights the benefits to be gained from responsible business practices.
The Thrill of Operations
I know what you’re thinking. But really, managing operations for a public relations firm is no small task and requires keeping track of many moving parts. It’s definitely challenging and indeed, it can be thrilling.
Board Placements Can Be a Winning Strategy
Our clients often ask us for advice on developing a program to place their employees (frequently the “up-and-comers”) on nonprofit boards. There are lots of good reasons to do this, and we’re happy to encourage the practice. Here are some of the steps we suggest they take.
Raising Funds While Raising Good Corporate Citizens
If you’re responsible for raising money for your nonprofit organization, you might be thinking of approaching corporations for support. And it might make sense. But there are a few things you should consider before starting out.