Has your organization ever considered a merger? It’s a big decision - but one that has the potential to significantly grow your impact for your community.

Check out these insights from the Independent Sector National Summit panel “When Mergers and Acquisitions Make Sense” ‍to learn more about when it’s a good time to pursue a merger or acquisition, why they don’t happen that often in the nonprofit sector, and how to get started if this is an option you want to explore.

Spending the last two days at the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits annual conference was a bright light in a deeply difficult week.

There's a lot to process and reflect on, but here's where my head's at on this rainy Friday afternoon.

As a small business owner who works exclusively with nonprofits and foundations, I am proud that LaFemina & Co. became a business sustainer of the NC Center for Nonprofits this year.

Sometimes little things can cause outsized disruptions.
Like this popcorn shell.

I spent yesterday morning - starting at 6:45 am - at the pediatric dentist with my youngest kiddo, who is 8.
This popcorn shell had attached itself to the back of her tongue, and despite all of our best efforts, we couldn’t get it out at home.

What started as a normal bedtime routine the night before turned into several attempts to find a solution to this small, but unusual (and increasingly worrisome) problem. Alas, to no avail.

I got goosebumps during a plenary session at the Independent Sector National Summit last week - and it had nothing to do with the hotel air conditioning.

During "Building the Collective Power of Nonprofits and Philanthropy," the CEOs of four major membership organizations serving nonprofits and foundations sat together and gave a master class on collaboration for collective good.

When the world feels heavy, it may feel strange to talk about pride.

But in some ways, it's the absolute best time to do it - because feeling genuine pride in something you've accomplished is one of the most important parts of being able to replicate that success and make it a habit.

For those of us working in social good, it can also be a powerful reminder of the tangible progress we've made - and can continue to make - for our communities.

Across 20 years of helping organizations define effective strategies, there's one truth that pops up over and over again.

It's a lot easier to create successful strategy
that meets its intended objectives
when you know who you are
and use that to inform your choices.

Your organizational identity is an integral part of your strategy.

In the midst of busy lives - running between work, school, kids' activities, volunteer commitments, grocery shopping, etc. - it can be easy to lose track of the people who live closest to us.

There may be some people on your block who you haven't talked to in months. Years. Or ever.

The same is true in the nonprofit world.

Here are 3 things I wish every nonprofit executive team and board knew going into their strategic planning processes:

1. Strategy is a hypothesis, not a guarantee.

Strategy is a series of interconnected choices about what you will and won't do to achieve your intended impact.

What are you looking forward to? Tiffani R. Brown, a new friend, fabulous interim executive and super smart human, asked me this in a conversation last week.

I'm not going to lie, it took me a second to come up with something.
In truth, I have so much to look forward to.

But this time of year - juggling back to school for our kids, important client engagements, lots of volunteer commitments, and two recently added pet family members (Kiwi, a juvenile bearded dragon & Nova, a 2-year-old rescue pup) - I've definitely found myself in "getting things done" mode more than "looking forward to" mode.

Did you know I host a podcast called Smart Nonprofit Mastermind?

News to me, too.

Recently, someone reached out to ask about being a guest on my show. I was confused—until she explained that ChatGPT had recommended me (and my totally nonexistent podcast!) as a place she could pitch herself.