I am a nonprofit fundraising consultant, and I am also a board member. If you are, too, then you, like me, probably want to succeed and be a “good board member.” But what exactly does that mean? In our professional practice, we often hear leadership bemoan, “Our board isn’t doing anything.” To which we respond, “Well, what have you asked them to do?” The response is often … [More]

It has been 50 years since John van Hengel encountered a woman with her children in line at a soup kitchen in Phoenix. Heartbroken by the sight, he struck up a conversation with her and learned she had resorted to “dumpster-diving” behind grocery stores to put food on her table. It was that conversation that spurred an idea, and St. Mary’s Food Bank and the concept of … [More]

Crescent Crown Distributing and Mesa Arts Center (MAC) may seem like unlikely partners at first, but when you think about it, events and entertainment almost always include an option of enjoying beer, and the making of beer is an art form in itself. From year to year, our partnership changes, but always with an eye toward mutual benefit for Crescent Crown, MAC and the … [More]

America’s greatness comes from the extraordinary acts of ordinary citizens. The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) makes America great by empowering citizens to solve local problems, expanding economic opportunity, encouraging personal responsibility and strengthening civil society. Based on principles of local control, competition and public-private … [More]

Arizona Gives Day is a grassroots, statewide day of giving that invited Arizonans to donate to their favorite causes during a 24-hour period on April 4, 2017. This year’s Gives Day raised over $2.5 million for nonprofits across our state. And the total is still being tallied to include matching grants and other offline donations. Hosted by The Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits … [More]

Alan Langston, 24th Street Conference Center A family member has been the COO of a local nonprofit for 20 years, so I have a very personal understanding of the financial challenges many nonprofits face. The 24th St. Conference Center helps nonprofits needing space for training, classes or board meetings through reduced rates, as well as the ability to bring their own food, … [More]

Those moments when you suddenly see something familiar in a new light — those aha moments — have been plentiful across the state since the “Arizona Nonprofits: Economic Power, Positive Impact” report was released just over a year ago, in March 2016. In more than 18 presentations and 38 articles about the Seidman Institute’s research, nonprofit, government, business and … [More]