Comments on: The Nonprofit Institutional Dilemma and More on the Future of Infrastructure Organizations http://www.rosettathurman.com/2010/01/the-nonprofit-institutional-dilemma-and-more-on-the-future-of-infrastructure-organizations/ empowering a new generation of leaders Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:15:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Bill Huddleston http://www.rosettathurman.com/2010/01/the-nonprofit-institutional-dilemma-and-more-on-the-future-of-infrastructure-organizations/#comment-38052 Bill Huddleston Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:17:24 +0000 http://rosettathurman.com/blog/?p=4518#comment-38052 Speaking as one of the voting delegates to the first Non-Profit Congress, and speaking only for myself, I think that a fundamental strategic error was made when NCNA decided to move away from the voting delegate model to that of being just another non-profit conference. What I observed was that as a delegate people took their responsibilities to the entire sector seriously and tried to make sure that the concerns of small, middle and large non-profits were addressed. When that approach was abandoned (without input from the delegates) it turned what could have grown into something special over time into just another conference that's competing with other non-profit conferences. There are plenty of areas where non-profits need to work together for the benefit of all. Regards, Bill Huddleston www.cfcfundraising.com BillHuddleston@verizon.net Speaking as one of the voting delegates to the first Non-Profit Congress, and speaking only for myself, I think that a fundamental strategic error was made when NCNA decided to move away from the voting delegate model to that of being just another non-profit conference.

What I observed was that as a delegate people took their responsibilities to the entire sector seriously and tried to make sure that the concerns of small, middle and large non-profits were addressed. When that approach was abandoned (without input from the delegates) it turned what could have grown into something special over time into just another conference that’s competing with other non-profit conferences. There are plenty of areas where non-profits need to work together for the benefit of all.

Regards,

Bill Huddleston
http://www.cfcfundraising.com
BillHuddleston@verizon.net

]]> By: Kristen (@KristenEJ) http://www.rosettathurman.com/2010/01/the-nonprofit-institutional-dilemma-and-more-on-the-future-of-infrastructure-organizations/#comment-37435 Kristen (@KristenEJ) Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:23:43 +0000 http://rosettathurman.com/blog/?p=4518#comment-37435 When I left my old nonprofit association, it was because of that type of situation, not enough people attending our events and lots of questions on where to go next. We had lots of events and conferences, many that charged $50+ to entrepreneurs for best practices and networking, things that many other providers on and off line were providing for free and better. A year and a half later, the organization has regrouped, rebranding themselves, co-sponsoring events and conferences with other "rival" organizations and relying on on volunteers with professional experience to help with these events. I think the future of the non-direct service sector will come in properly assessing their market, which is the people they are needing to serve. Also, engaging people in all sectors to pitch in their professional experience on a volunteer basis as much as possible, until such time comes, if it ever comes again, that we will be able to sustain full-time staff to run this sector. When I left my old nonprofit association, it was because of that type of situation, not enough people attending our events and lots of questions on where to go next. We had lots of events and conferences, many that charged $50+ to entrepreneurs for best practices and networking, things that many other providers on and off line were providing for free and better. A year and a half later, the organization has regrouped, rebranding themselves, co-sponsoring events and conferences with other “rival” organizations and relying on on volunteers with professional experience to help with these events.

I think the future of the non-direct service sector will come in properly assessing their market, which is the people they are needing to serve. Also, engaging people in all sectors to pitch in their professional experience on a volunteer basis as much as possible, until such time comes, if it ever comes again, that we will be able to sustain full-time staff to run this sector.

]]> By: How much is getting that great nonprofit job worth? « (Nonprofits+Politics)2.0 http://www.rosettathurman.com/2010/01/the-nonprofit-institutional-dilemma-and-more-on-the-future-of-infrastructure-organizations/#comment-37416 How much is getting that great nonprofit job worth? « (Nonprofits+Politics)2.0 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 06:20:24 +0000 http://rosettathurman.com/blog/?p=4518#comment-37416 [...] Idealist gets from employers has been on the decline too (see the message from Ami Dar below and Rosetta Thurman’s explanation on the challenges of funding infrastructure organizations for more on this).  As job seekers, we’ve been fortunate to have this tool for free, and [...] [...] Idealist gets from employers has been on the decline too (see the message from Ami Dar below and Rosetta Thurman’s explanation on the challenges of funding infrastructure organizations for more on this).  As job seekers, we’ve been fortunate to have this tool for free, and [...]

]]> By: Beth Oppenheim http://www.rosettathurman.com/2010/01/the-nonprofit-institutional-dilemma-and-more-on-the-future-of-infrastructure-organizations/#comment-37115 Beth Oppenheim Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:22:36 +0000 http://rosettathurman.com/blog/?p=4518#comment-37115 I really love the insights in this post. I think that the point made above about mission statements moving to the side in the face of self preservation is something that I have struggled with in past fundraising positions as well. You shed light on a particularly interesting subject - how these organizations are dealing with finances, and still maintaining their passion for what they are out in the world to accomplish. I really love the insights in this post. I think that the point made above about mission statements moving to the side in the face of self preservation is something that I have struggled with in past fundraising positions as well. You shed light on a particularly interesting subject – how these organizations are dealing with finances, and still maintaining their passion for what they are out in the world to accomplish.

]]> By: ruth mccambridge http://www.rosettathurman.com/2010/01/the-nonprofit-institutional-dilemma-and-more-on-the-future-of-infrastructure-organizations/#comment-37110 ruth mccambridge Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:11:24 +0000 http://rosettathurman.com/blog/?p=4518#comment-37110 Hi Rosetta! As one of the authors of that report, I want to caution that that measure of NCN is now quite old and preceded the current leadership. The states are the immediate emanation point for a lot of the current policy and financial issues that most nonprofits are dealing with in this economic miasma and the state associations, in many cases, are right in the thick of those concerns. NCN seems to me to be a particularly crucial network in that it connects and circulates information about emerging policies, problems and strategies. Look here for more information by and about some of the states and their state associations. http://www.nonprofitquarterly.org/index.php?option=com_jomcomment&task=trackback&id=1669&opt=com_content And, Elizabeth, the infrastructure study, which people can access at nonprofitquarterly.org was not focused on the preservation of existing models so much as it was focused on the fact that funding seemed systematically to flow more freely to organizations that served larger and more well off nonprofits and foundations than it did to those entities that served the smaller and mid-size organizations that make up most of the sector. This makes no sense in any number of ways. Hi Rosetta! As one of the authors of that report, I want to caution that that measure of NCN is now quite old and preceded the current leadership. The states are the immediate emanation point for a lot of the current policy and financial issues that most nonprofits are dealing with in this economic miasma and the state associations, in many cases, are right in the thick of those concerns. NCN seems to me to be a particularly crucial network in that it connects and circulates information about emerging policies, problems and strategies. Look here for more information by and about some of the states and their state associations.

http://www.nonprofitquarterly.org/index.php?option=com_jomcomment&task=trackback&id=1669&opt=com_content

And, Elizabeth, the infrastructure study, which people can access at nonprofitquarterly.org was not focused on the preservation of existing models so much as it was focused on the fact that funding seemed systematically to flow more freely to organizations that served larger and more well off nonprofits and foundations than it did to those entities that served the smaller and mid-size organizations that make up most of the sector. This makes no sense in any number of ways.

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