While many nonprofit organizations do all they can to create a “workable” software system based on what they already have or what has been donated, there comes a time in many NPOs’ lives when it is time to bite the bullet and purchase the right tools for the job. That’s not to say that you can’t keep inventory on an Excel spreadsheet or even throw in a few formulas and call it “bookkeeping.” On the other hand, a successful nonprofit may just outgrow these temporary fixes. Read more...

If you're not familiar with the term, a "wiki" is a type of website that allows a number of people to add, change, and delete information, and many organizations are finding that it can be an invaluable tool for sharing information and getting the word out about what they do. The most famous of them all is probably Wikipedia, which is an online encyclopedia that is updated by thousands of volunteers around the world. The idea is that with so many people sharing their collective knowledge, everyone benefits.

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You may have heard that one of the least expensive ways to get publicity for your nonprofit organization is to send out press releases. This can definitely be true, but if you’re not doing it correctly, you are simply wasting your time, as well as that of editors that you want to pay attention to you. Obviously, the goal of a press release is to get the “press” interested enough in what you’re doing to actually devote a story to it in their publication. Read more...

As a nonprofit organization, you likely use email as an inexpensive and effective method of keeping your clients and supporters up-to-date about what you’re doing. You can use an email campaign to educate about your cause or even to solicit donations and volunteers. Unfortunately, there are some hazards that come along with being reliant on this medium of communication. One danger is ending up on the “blacklist.” Read more...