There has never been a better time than during this COVID-19 crisis to build meaningful relationships with your donors. But that doesn’t necessarily mean asking donors to step up their contributions to your organization by sending out an eblast to “Donate Now!” Instead, this is... Continue
Nonprofit Matters
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCIA) nearly doubled the standard deduction and eliminated the need to itemize deductions for most taxpayers. Although charitable donations to qualified nonprofits and foundations are still permitted as itemized deductions under the TCIA, many people will file... Continue
When I was a little girl, every year my grandparents would send me a birthday card with a little check in it so I could put it toward a gift I really wanted. The worst part about the gift was that before I was allowed... Continue
We’re facing many challenges these days in Sonoma Valley. These challenges are making the work of our local nonprofits more difficult than ever because people turn to them for help in the face of hardship. Lack of affordable housing, issues related to homelessness, food insecurity,... Continue
During the recent Association of Fundraising Professionals’ (AFP) annual international conference, I had the opportunity to have a quiet dinner with my dear friend and colleague Robbe Healey, former Chair of the Board of Directors of AFP, who now chairs the AFP International Ethics Committee.... Continue
Although the beloved groundhog might be the nation’s best-known soothsayer for predicting when spring will arrive, Punxsutawney Phil makes no such predictions for what will happen in the nonprofit world each year. So, I did a little research on what trends experts expect to impact... Continue
By now, many of us have renewed our annual dues with local nonprofits that are membership-based. Most Sonoma Valley nonprofits are on a fixed-date calendar renewal schedule, with membership starting on the same set date each year. Organizations such as the Sonoma Valley Historical Society,... Continue
Foundations that award grants to nonprofits for the purpose of upgrading their technology have started asking organizations to also submit a technology plan. Since very few nonprofits in Sonoma Valley have an actual technology plan, a best practice in nonprofit management, the time might be... Continue
Last month, the Community Foundation Sonoma County and Napa Valley Community Foundation released a report describing the results of a survey they commissioned to determine the impact that the October wildfires on Sonoma and Napa County nonprofits. The survey, conducted by the Center for Effective... Continue
The shocking events that unfolded on March 9 at The Pathway Home social services organization at the Veterans Home of California in Yountville proved that our local nonprofits are not immune to the tragedy of workplace violence. A veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder who had... Continue