Resource Friday: Utilizing Research to Support Your Work

A couple months ago MNA with the Council of Michigan Foundations, and the Johnson Center at Grand Valley State University released the 2009 Economic Benefits of Michigan’s Nonprofit Sector report. This report, released every three to four years, helps demonstrate the strength and size of Michigan’s nonprofit sector and should be used by nonprofits when [...]

More Than Just Mergers

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 [...]

“When one door closes another door opens….”

This quote from Alexander Graham Bell is often quoted to remind us about the possibilities in our lives that come from change. This year has certainly been a “door opening” year for our organization(s). Even prior to 2007, MNA was literally opening new doors with the December, 2006 announcement of our Metro Detroit Office. In [...]

Public/Private Partnerships

I have been calling for the restoration of the partnership—no the covenant—between the public and private sectors to build strong communities. This agreement calls for government, business, and the nonprofits to work in harmony to address our most vexing social challenges.
What are nonprofits to do to restore the covenant with other sectors and improve [...]

Patience is a Virtue. I Think.

Well, we have just completed our Breakthrough Retreat, Part II. (our work to integrate four organizations, post-merger) I did a quick check of folks at the end of the retreat and most people feel like we’re moving forward. There is less frustration now than at the end of our first retreat. We’re getting to some [...]

Classroom Notes: Power

Power in organizations is an interesting topic. How does one get power, how do they then maintain it? In recent assigned classroom readings I examined the origins of power. As is common practice since grade school, I avoided this assignment until the last possible moment, but in the zero hour, came across [...]

Out of My Comfort Zone

I don’t like southern California. Let me clarify: I don’t like the weather in southern California. It’s late October, I went for a walk at lunch, and it’s 89 degrees outside. Sure, it’s sunny. Sure, it’s warm. Most people probably think I’m nuts. But I’m a Michigan girl. I [...]

Getting to Know You

The great staff of MNA has been working with our invaluable partners across the state to put together welcoming receptions for me to get to know you and for you to hear our vision for our future. It has been an enlightening process.
Here are the top 10 things I am hearing:
10. “I [...]

Embracing the Sacred Messiness…

I’m reading another book. (Still haven’t finished the other three, but there you are.) This one is Yearnings: Embracing the Sacred Messiness of Life (Rabbi Irwin Kula). This was supposed to be one of those personal reads for me, but as my life goes, it covers all bases – including work.
As [...]

Lifecyles, Lifecycles… Wherefore Art Thou, Lifecycles?

Yup, I’m a Shakespeare geek. And I’m a lifecycles junkie. And the language of strategic restructuring, cultural integration, budget reconciliation, mission alignment and so forth often comes off like Old English. You have to think really hard to figure out what on earth folks are trying to say.
I try hard [...]