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Nonprofit Matters

Advisory council can be great asset

Many nonprofit organizations establish groups of advisors to give them guidance and support with special needs, including fundraising, program support, or increased prestige and visibility in the community. Frequently called Advisory Boards, Councils, or Committees, these groups provide a valuable way for nonprofits to connect... Continue

Nonprofits go through life passages

Just like humans, nonprofits go through distinct life passages until they reach maturity. And just like humans, there are distinct behaviors that must happen in one phase before moving to the next. Nonprofits begin in infancy, as we all do, then become toddlers and adolescents... Continue

Use a logic model to tell your story

A logic model is a simple, visual way for the leadership of a nonprofit organization to show how its available resources and program activities relate to the overall results it hopes to achieve in the community. Generally presented as a one-page diagram, the logic model has... Continue

Online discount shopping ideas for nonprofits

As we begin another year, many nonprofit leaders are looking at their 2013 budgets and wondering what they can do to reduce operational costs that seem to be increasing each year. Fortunately, there are many online resources available that provide discounted and no-cost options for... Continue

Partner with local newspaper to promote your nonprofit

With limited funds to pay for advertising, Sonoma Valley nonprofit organizations usually rely on sending information via email to local newspapers to inform the public of their news. Since nonprofit activities comprise such a large percentage of Sonoma Valley happenings, The Sonoma Sun wants to... Continue

Leaving a lasting legacy

By now, you have likely seen the banners all around the Plaza and read the announcements in the paper. You may have even received an email or a personal invitation from your favorite nonprofit organization to attend an event to introduce you to philanthropic legacy... Continue

The leadership challenge

Until recently, the only way for nonprofit leaders in Sonoma Valley to hone their leadership skills was to travel outside the Valley for training – with no follow-up coaching available. Now, through the generosity of Jeni Nichols, owner of Sonoma Leadership Systems (SLS), local nonprofit... Continue

Do you tweet, post, and blog?

The results of the 2012 “Nonprofit Social Networking Benchmark Report” are in and it’s no surprise that the use of social media, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Foursquare, by nonprofit organizations is up significantly over 2011. This study of 3,522 nonprofit professionals throughout the U.S.... Continue

Sonoma nonprofit executive directors earn about $95,000 a year

The results of the 2012 “Fair Pay for Northern California Nonprofits Compensation and Benefits Survey” are in and things are looking up for the employees of our local nonprofits. Nonprofit Compensation Associates has produced an annual survey among the 48 counties in Northern California for... Continue

The benefits of serving your community as a nonprofit volunteer

Last week was National Volunteer Week, so hats off to the one in four Californians who contribute their time to volunteer for their favorite nonprofit organizations! The Corporation for National & Community Service estimates that 32 percent of California volunteers choose to donate their time... Continue