Michigan Nonprofit Association’s Blog

As part of Nonprofit Alliance’s mission to strengthen and support an effective nonprofit sector in the Battle Creek area, we were fortunate to be able to bring Bob Harrington (LaPiana Associates, Inc) to our community last year to dive into Strategic Restructuring (SR) and what that could mean in our town.

We all know nonprofits are increasingly learning to work together in new and different ways, but what SR has brought to our community is a process that can help folks think about, examine and plan for these new relationships. Taking this time up front can really pay off.

Maybe you have seen this scenario first-hand – two organizations decide to hurry through a merger process without proper guidance or support, perhaps due to some pending emergency. They surface from this “incomplete” process with too many unaddressed questions, or worse yet… a realization that they just spent a lot of time and resources to find out that they were not a good fit from the start.

I think one of the biggest impacts the SR process is having on our community is that it is helping nonprofits come to the table by choice. They are starting to see strategic alliances as just that… part of their strategy to best serve the community and not just a way out of some turmoil they find themselves in.

I’m not saying the SR process is easy - negotiations can be emotional and long. But handled properly organizations can emerge from the process not only stronger and more efficient, but also in a better position to positively impact their community for lasting change.

And… isn’t that what we’re all really working for anyway?

Submitted by Kimberlee Andrews, Program Manager with the Nonprofit Alliance in Battle Creek

Last summer, I began to let my national network of nonprofit colleagues know my plans for my international journey. Kathleen Dennis, a friend and work colleague from my first job out of college, immediately asked if I wanted to speak at an International conference she was helping plan in Panama. I immediately accepted and now 10 months later I find myself in Panama City. I will be part of a panel on International Youth Volunteerism tomorrow morning.

I attended the morning session on ethics and values in international volunteer movements. The session was presented by speakers both in Spanish and English. I was surprised how much my Spanish has improved because I did understand much more than I thought I would. The speakers were passionate about the issue. One speaker highlighted IAVE´s Universal Declaration on Volunteerism and the other on professional ethics and certification of volunteer administrators.

I wanted to share one paragraph from the Declaration. The full declaration can be found at http://www.volunteernow.org.nz/article/3.

“In this era of globalization and continuous change, the world is becoming smaller, more interdependent, and more complex. Volunteering - either through individual or group action - is a way in which:

* Human values of community, caring, and serving can be sustained and strengthened;
* Individuals can exercise their rights and responsibilities as members of communities, while learning and growing throughout their lives, realizing their full human potential; and
* Connections can be made across differences that push us apart so that we can live together in healthy, sustainable communities, working together to provide innovative solutions to our shared challenges and to shape our collective destinies.”

Just as it did when I presented my workshop in Nigeria, it felt good to be back in a work environment. The discussion of issues and the presentation of solutions were rich. It was why I enjoyed working in the sector. There are at least ten people here who I know well from my time serving on a few national boards. Though the cost was a little higher than I anticipated to get here, I am now excited about the next few days of learning and networking.

Submitted by Sam Singh
Sam Singh is an affiliated consultant with the Lansing-based firm, Public Policy Associates. He currently is on sabbatical traveling the world. You can contact Sam at singhsam94@gmail.com

On April 29 and 30, MNA is bringing Bob Harrington (LaPiana Associates, Inc) back to Michigan. His topic? Strategic Restructuring (SR). April 29 is a full day overview for consultants, April 30 is a half-day introduction for nonprofits. You can get more information about the training on our website, and more information on strategic restructuring at http://www.lapiana.org/sr/index.html

It’s funny to talk to most nonprofit folks about “Strategic Restructuring.” Many people think it’s a clever way to hide the word “merger.” I won’t lie – merger may be part of it – but Strategic Restructuring is really about partnership: specifically, identifying the appropriate level of partnership(s) for your nonprofit business model. SR outlines a broad range of options by which nonprofits can increase efficiency and effectiveness. Sometimes merger is the answer, sometimes it isn’t. Sometimes back room consolidation is the answer, sometimes it isn’t. Sometimes a very specific project collaboration is the answer… You get the picture.

The fact is, nonprofits have options – but often don’t know what those options entail. LaPiana Associates’ Strategic Restructuring model is a direct and concise approach to planning and decision making. In today’s nonprofit environment we have no choice but to think differently – and this is the place to start.

Submitted by Robin Lynn Grinnell

One of the best ways to tell your nonprofit’s story is through pictures. Images of your big event as well as the community and people you serve, can help make your mission real to the rest of us (including potential donors). The great news for nonprofits with pictures to share is that Flickr, the online application that lets you share; organize; and discuss photos, is now offering free Pro accounts to any nonprofit for one year. A Pro account lets you upload more photos and create more sets of photos than a free account, so I really recommend upgrading to a Pro account (okay, there is a small admin fee, but it’s cheaper than full price).

Another recommendation is that once you go through the donation process, setup your account with your organization’s name as your account name. This way, the URL to your Flickr site will be “http://www.Flickr.com/YourNonprofitName” - which helps people find and remember your site.

To get the donation, you need to be registered at TechSoup.org. If you need to register (and I highly recommend that you do – there are loads of similar discounts and free software!) check out TechSoup’s Getting Started Guide, otherwise go straight to the Flickr donation page.

Submitted by Adam King

As nonprofits we talk a good game. Everyone is talking (or writing) about how business, governments and nonprofits will have to compete for the upcoming talent of the younger generations - and is there really enough committed leaders willing and able to continue the important work of the sector? We discuss the leadership deficit with intelligence and worry that our organizations will not be left in capable hands upon our departure. But is it all talk?

I loved this opinion piece in the Chronicle of Philanthropy. Is there really a shortage of talent? Or is there a shortage of talent in the way that Baby Boomers and Gen X’ers perceive talent? Maybe the difference is that current nonprofit leaders are unsettled about the idea of turning over their organizations to others with different ways of getting things done.

Submitted by Allison Treppa