Each week we try to bring you a collection of links that highlight political news that impact nonprofits, helpful links for nonprofit professionals, the importance of sharing stories, and something positive to end your week.
It’s been a few weeks since we’ve been able to do this, so here is a jumbo version with links from the last past few weeks. Enjoy!
Helpful Nonprofit Links
- If you read one article in this blog post, read this one. Ruth McCambridge at NPQ discusses how a Lehigh Valley Express-Times is nonsensical in their evaluation of nonprofit overhead by comparing data from organizations that have VERY different funding models.
“The article then goes on to call out the organizations that show management expenses that are (horrors!) more than 10 percent of their assets, thus reinforcing a raft of ancient notions that have little to do with ethical or competent or even efficient nonprofit management. This kind of clickbait should be below any serious journalist at this point.”
- Five associations representing groups from across the mailing spectrum filed public comments challenging the legality of the Postal Regulatory Commission’s (PRC) proposed rate increase. Nonprofits who rely on direct mail are impacted. Mark Hrywna of the Nonprofit Times shares details.
- Mary Cahalane at Hands-On Fundraising writes about how to build, test, and measure campaigns.
- Have you planned or thought about succession at your nonprofit? Anna Berry’s article in NPQ about New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies is a reminder of why you need to prepare for this.
- Gary Wohlfeill writes about the value of social fundraising for Guidestar.
“If you can think holistically about your organization, shares have the power to provide real value to your mission awareness programs, marketing programs, fundraising programs, recruitment programs, and more.”
- Everything Beth Kanter writes is helpful to read. This blog post on John Haydon’s website provides suggestions on how to detach from your phone and be more productive.
- Similarly, everything Vu Le writes is helpful to read. This blog post on Le’s Nonprofit AF website is an interesting article on marginalized communities, audacity, and the advice “be more like a white guy.”
- Megan Rose Dickey of TechCrunch explains why Twitter wants help measuring healthy online interactions. Nonprofits would certainly love for the platform to be a safer and healthier place.
Political News
- Beah Jacobson from America’s Promise Alliance digs into data that shows that our schools aren’t handling sexual harassment and assault well. Or reporting data from it.
- Betsy Devos has come up quite a few times in the political news section of this blog post. This is because the decisions made by Department of Education’s affect many nonprofit organizations. Edwin Rios from Mother Jones writes about Devos’ first year in the role and why Sen. Elizabeth Warren said, “Betsy DeVos is the worst Secretary of Education this country has ever seen—by a large margin.”
- Marc Gunther from Nonprofit Chronicles shares an op-ed about how climate philanthropy has failed.
- A coalition of housing groups and nonprofit organizations are working to make affordable housing a focus in the midterm elections. Patrick Sisson of Curbed provides the details.
- Jonathan Benton from M+R dives into early survey data on the impact of the new tax law.
- Why did almost all of Department of Interior’s National Parks Advisory Board quit in protest? Arielle Duhaime-Ross of Vice News talks to board members to learn more.
- Finally, if you want to take action on a political issue the National Women’s Law Center has a petition demanding the Trump Administration take action the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) approved harassment guidance that explains what constitutes sexual harassment and underscores that sexual harassment includes harassment based on gender identity or sexual orientation.
Sharing Stories
- NPQ did a series this week on nonprofits working in Puerto Rico. This article from Cyndi Suarez is focused on the work of for PECES (Programa de Educación Comunal de Entrega y Servicio, or Community Education, Delivery, and Service Program), a community-based nonprofit that provides education, services, and business development training. It’s a great piece that shares the power of community and nonprofits.
Something Fun
- We’ve all been there. This counts as exercise right?
Image Credit: Sakurambo (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons