Candid insights
The big picture of the social sector, backed by data and expertise
Should your budget balance? NO!!
In December 2019, Jeanne Bell of Nonprofit Quarterly and I led the first of a two-part webinar series on strategic nonprofit budgeting. One of the things we inevitably covered, even though I wish we no longer had to, was dispelling the myth…
January 21, 2020
What’s new at Candid (January 2020)
Happy new year! For my squad’s first meeting of the year, we spend some time reflecting on what went well, what challenges we faced, who we met, and what we learned in 2019. We also asked each other, “What’s one…
January 16, 2020
Time for our sector to draw a new fish!
A while ago, I read about an experiment where kids were asked to draw a fish. One group was just told to draw a fish; the other group were told the same thing, but they were also given an example…
January 15, 2020
5 online tools to become a nonprofit marketing expert
When I started in nonprofit marketing, with a shiny new journalism degree in hand, I thought I was all set to succeed. How hard can it be? I had much to learn about what makes a good marketer. After over…
January 14, 2020
How Philanthropy Can Benefit From Tapping Into Instagram Communities
Judging from media coverage and online conversations, it's clear we're living in a time of heightened social consciousness ("wokeness"). Whether that sentiment is driven by genuine concern for the fate of the planet and the welfare of others or a…
January 13, 2020
Authentic communication: the key to meaningful connection and engagement
There are four big things that can hamper success in any organization, team, or relationship: lack of buy-in, lack of trust, inequities, and strife arising from toxic conflict. Authentic communication, however, can begin a process to correct, reset, build momentum,…
January 9, 2020
Negotiation is a part of nonprofit life. 8 strategies for acing your next one
As a nonprofit leader, you engage in negotiation all the time. You might negotiate with a foundation over the scope of work for a funded project, with a major donor over the amount and purpose of funding, with staff over…
January 7, 2020
New Years resolutions for board members
It’s the New Year—and it’s a great time to make smart resolutions for the future! Here are some resolutions for nonprofit board members—to help everyone get started on the right foot for the year and keep on track as we…
January 6, 2020
Communities in crisis raise the stakes for sector-wide transparency and information sharing
The inequality and anti-corruption riots of 2019 have taken a dangerous toll on the people of Haiti. Mass demonstrations and violent unrest have resulted in an emerging humanitarian crisis that has left an already-fragile country with acute shortages of food,…
January 2, 2020
Why Candid is *not* a watchdog
watchdog—noun. 1: a dog kept to guard property. 2: one that guards against loss, waste, theft, or undesirable practices. —merriam-webster.com You may see Candid referred to as a charity watchdog. We’re not. We don’t rate or evaluate nonprofits. Instead, we…
January 2, 2020
Your EIN is the Key to Quicker Funding
Update your FDO profile today, identify and tap Past Funders for new grants. As professional fundraisers, you know just how important it is to stay connected to current and previous funders. FDO makes it easier to see who has supported…
December 2, 2019
What types of nonprofits can use fiscal sponsorship?
In the first post in this series, we covered some of the basics around fiscal sponsorship and described the two of the most frequently used models. (If you haven’t read that one yet, you can find it here.) Just as…
November 1, 2019