It’s expensive, lazy, and a process rife with community red flags. But at least there are no money-back guarantees. Let me start by saying that I was headhunted several times for jobs and thought it was a dandy idea. I was egotistical, dumb, and thought that nonprofit arts jobs — even leadership positions — had a shelf life of about three years. I was also experienced, … [Read more...] about Nonprofit Arts Companies: Beware the Allure of the Headhunter
Nonprofit Management
A Strategic Plan for Your Flailing Nonprofit Arts Organization Is Just a Waste of Time
As Kate Larsen so brilliantly puts it, a strategic planning session is not the same thing as a strategic plan session. I’ve contributed to them. I’ve written them. I’ve defended them. And more than once, I’ve been burned by them. But still, it’s always the first thing every board chair tells every consultant that their company really needs one. A strategic … [Read more...] about A Strategic Plan for Your Flailing Nonprofit Arts Organization Is Just a Waste of Time
SUMMER RERUN: “The Planet Will Be Fine. It’s the People Who Will Be F**ked.” — George Carlin
From December 2024 (just after the election): the comedian’s late-career epiphany and the nonprofit arts sector begs the question: what happens when you eliminate “hope?” We’re rounding the turn and heading into the home stretch of 2024. Your nonprofit arts organization is well into its year-end, give now while you can still get a tax deduction, do it for the children … [Read more...] about SUMMER RERUN: “The Planet Will Be Fine. It’s the People Who Will Be F**ked.” — George Carlin
SUMMER RERUN: What Would a Post-NEA (Arts) America Look Like?
An all-too-prescient post from January 2025 begs you to answer the question: if WHEN the NEA’s funding is eliminated, how would that change what they YOU do? In early May 2025, Donald Trump issued an executive order calling for the elimination of the NEA, NEH, and several other arts, literature, and cultural agencies. Millions of dollars of grants have already been … [Read more...] about SUMMER RERUN: What Would a Post-NEA (Arts) America Look Like?
Just a Reminder — June 30 Is Only Meaningful to You
Also: clearing the decks for an important announcement in August It’s the end of May, which means that too many nonprofit arts organizations are beginning their annual “end of fiscal year” push for additional donations. There’s a lot on the line for these charities to meet their financial revenue goals and stuffing as much asking as you can into that final month might … [Read more...] about Just a Reminder — June 30 Is Only Meaningful to You