Help for Managers

How to Start a Social Enterprise

What do you do if you are passionate about doing good in the world through the non-profit sector but you have an entrepreneurial spirit? Start a social enterprise of course! Social enterprises are wonderful hybrid organizations. They are essentially businesses that are run under the umbrella of non-profits and they exist in order to help […]

From 3 Applications to 1: How a Hospice Streamlined Their Operations Using Sumac

Since 1979, the Hospice of Windsor and Essex County has been building a community of support for people who are affected by or caring for a person with a life-altering diagnosis. Five years ago, Stephanie Stones, who is the IT person at the hospice, started looking for a new database because Sage FR100 was becoming […]

Trust in Charities Falling & What to Do About It

First the bad news: Canadian charities have fallen from 8th place to 12th place in just 6 months in the list of trusted public institutions (behind supermarkets and TV & Radio stations). Some other bad news: While the number of people giving to charity and the amount they donate has remained stubbornly stable in the […]

Credit Card Security for Non-profits

Ecommerce is a way of life and that includes non-profits receiving donations. Unfortunately, email was not created with data privacy in mind so sending credit card information through email is vulnerable to hackers or others who have a way to access accounts. Anyone who wants to run a reputable business or non-profit should have a […]

4 Easy Ways to Thank Your Volunteers

It’s a busy world. Many of your volunteers are already over-scheduled, over-extended and are just doing their best to give back to an organization that matters. In this hectic world, how can your organization make this important group feel valued so they understand the difference they are making to your clients and community? 1. Listen […]

How to Organize a Giving Day for Your Non-profit

A giving day is a one-day fundraising campaign that your non-profit organizes to gain awareness and to raise money to support your efforts. Normally a giving day campaign requires full participation from workers across the organization. A 24-hour fundraising program can generate excitement for your non-profit. One way to think about it is that your […]

How to Seek Capital: A Guide For Nonprofits

Of course non-profits are accustomed to getting donations from individuals and many run annual fundraising campaigns to feed their financial needs. However, sometimes these avenues are not enough for a non-profit to reach its goals or even remain viable. This is why many have to consider other forms of capital. What does this mean? Well, […]

Keeping Your Best: 5 Things to Give Nonprofit Employees to Get Them to Stay

Employee retention is an issue for any business but when you are trying to keep costs to a minimum, it can be even more of a challenge. Many non-profits count on their mission to bind employees to the cause but employees report that this seldom affects their decisions about pursuing new employment. The good news […]

The Key to Motivating Non-profit Employees

It is no secret that non-profits have tight budgets so the hiring process can be challenging for people working in the HR department. Many non-profit organizations are able to hire great people; however, they lose them a year or so later when they have gained marketable skills and move on to a bigger non-profit or […]

5 Ways to Listen to Your Members

Your members are the lifeblood of the organization. If they’re not happy, then they’re not going to come back. This often forces membership coordinators to guess what their donors want in an effort to retain them and acquire more. Instead of guessing, they should know exactly what their members want and how they feel about […]