Skip to main content

Tag: Board Members

Super Human Board Members

Written by website@neigerdesign.com on . Posted in Uncategorized.

I’ll admit it. I’ve been slacking! It’s been a few weeks since I last sat down to write this blog.  In the interim, I have traveled a bit, met with clients, played a few rounds of golf and hung out with my family. So yes, I have been remiss in not keeping up with my writing assignment. But that doesn’t mean that I haven’t been thinking about it. In fact, just like when I put things off in college, I have been thinking about it a lot!

One of the things about which I have been thinking came to light just the other day. I drove a friend of my daughter, Cameron, up to Lake Forest College on the north shore of Chicago. This friend wanted to look at the College, and I just happened to be going in that direction. It was fun to be back on the Lake Forest campus, where I served as vice president for development in the early eighties. Much of the campus is exactly the same (right down to the carpet in the administration building, which needed replacing when I was there and still does!). The College, however, has made a number of important physical improvements, including a beautiful addition to the Donnelley Library and a major addition to the student union. All in all, the campus looks great.

Continue reading

Good Strategic Planning Should Precede Your Campaign

Written by website@neigerdesign.com on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Regardless of your institution’s reliance on strategic planning as a regular part of institutional governance and management, your case for support will be far stronger if it is based on a recent and thorough review of direction and priorities.

Additionally, many institutions have a difficult time getting their board members to focus on the need for a campaign, and their respective roles in making it a success. Often, this is because the board is put in a reactive position to the institutional objectives presented rather than having a sense of ownership, as their fundamental role requires.

Continue reading

Six of the Biggest Challenges on the Horizon for Nonprofits

Written by website@neigerdesign.com on . Posted in Uncategorized.

One of our roles as consultants is to help our clients maintain focus on long-term strategy. The pressures of the day-to-day tend to force most institutional leaders to resort to short-term solutions. 

Part of our responsibility is to always be thinking months ahead, preparing our client to face the challenges that lie just around the corner. We also bring a broad base of experience in the larger marketplace to institutional leaders, which can help them to recognize—with time to make adjustments—some of the inevitable challenges they will face.

We’re betting that most of the following will be questions you’ll have to face in one way or another over the next few years, if you’re not facing them already.

Continue reading

The Role of Board Members in a Capital Campaign

Written by website@neigerdesign.com on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Aside from their responsibilities for self-perpetuation, and the selection and oversight of administrative leadership, the two fundamental responsibilities of a not-for-profit governing board are to assure that their institution makes continued progress in the furtherance of its mission, and to guarantee the availability of the financial resources necessary to do so. Both of these latter charges come into sharp focus in relation to capital campaigns.

Continue reading

Creating a Leadership Strategy and a Roadmap for Personal Success

Written by website@neigerdesign.com on . Posted in Uncategorized.

A Three Step Guide for New Nonprofit Leaders in a Competitive Environment

You’ve just overcome the competition and were offered the leadership position at your nonprofit organization of choice. But, if you believe that you’ll walk in to find a  smooth running development operation, a culture of stewardship, a pristine database and technology system, absolute financial transparency and a Board that is fully engaged in the philanthropic process — you should re-think that assessment.

Continue reading