Category Archives: Technical Assistance
Pro Bono Partnership Pundit: How to Spot and Address Conflicts of Interest in the Board Room
May 16, 2017We’ve all seen the headlines about possible conflicts of interest in the news lately, in stories of national interest and importance. The topic is also important for all nonprofits to understand and address properly, regardless of whether those organizations’ activities … Continue reading
Pro Bono Partnership Pundit: Lawyers Giving Back to Their Communities
April 25, 2017Volunteers help make our communities stronger and nicer places to live. Their extraordinary efforts are the impetus for National Volunteer Week, celebrated this week, April 23-29, a time to recognize and thank volunteers who lend their time, talent, voice … Continue reading
Board Leadership: Financial Projections Help to Flesh Out Scenario Plans
April 11, 2017Allison Trimarco’s post “Living in (and Planning for) Interesting Times” does an excellent- — and practical — job of walking organization leaders through the process of scenario planning in conditions of uncertainty. As Allison says — “The right time to … Continue reading
Board Leadership: When Looking at Financials, Don’t Do What Seems Most Obvious
March 21, 2017In the nonprofit sector, we’ve gotten used to complexity when it comes to assessing the performance of our organizations. An organization’s “effectiveness” can be a complex combination of benefits to constituents, social and political impact, cost efficiency, and even environmental … Continue reading
Pro Bono Partnership Pundit: Keeping Your House in Order
March 14, 2017As noted in Allison Trimarco’s February post, these are interesting times, replete with significant issues. To borrow some phrasing from Kipling, if you can stay focused on your mission, when all around you there is challenge and change, you will … Continue reading
Board Leadership: Living in — and planning for — interesting times
February 28, 2017Staying on Track in an Unpredictable World We’re just a few weeks into 2017, and it already seems hackneyed to talk about how unpredictable the world has become. It’s not surprising that many nonprofits are already experiencing stress from the … Continue reading
Pro Bono Partnership Pundit: Does Your Organization Meet the Public Support Test?
February 21, 2017Where Funding Comes From Matters Your nonprofit is pretty new and still small. It’s been operating on about $5,000 a year. Now a funder wants to give you a grant for $20,000. Or, it’s a mature charity, but an offer … Continue reading
Board Leadership: How to use a competitive advantage exercise to better understand your organization’s strengths
January 24, 2017How to use a “competitive advantage” exercise to better understand your organization’s strengths New Jersey is the most densely populated state in the nation – so it’s no surprise that it’s also densely populated with nonprofits. The National Center for … Continue reading
Pro Bono Partnership Pundit: 7 Simple Suggestions for Making Your Lawyer Happy
January 17, 2017The New Jersey office of Pro Bono Partnership in 2015 helped 299 nonprofit clients with 654 formal projects and 788 resource calls. As we closed out 2016, we were well on the way to shattering those numbers, with the same … Continue reading
Board Leadership: David Grant Imagines If Hillary and Donald Had a Rubric
November 2, 2016The stunning levels of negativity, distrust, and cynicism evident in the political sphere this fall stand in stark contrast to the spirit I encountered recently in three days of workshops with staff and board members of New Jersey nonprofits, courtesy … Continue reading
Pro Bono Partnership Pundit: Board Engagement — When Missing Lunch is a Good Sign
August 23, 2016Pro Bono Partnership is served a regular diet of questions about nonprofit board roles and responsibilities and about developing an effective board. We can help explain the legal niceties that apply to the first topic, and provide some practical ideas … Continue reading
Pro Bono Partnership Pundit: Thinking About a Merger? Good Reasons to Get Legal Advice at the Start
July 19, 2016So you’re thinking about a merger. Your board and staff meet with the other board and management, decide that the benefits of combining are substantial, and are ready to move on to next steps. You are working with a … Continue reading
Pro Bono Partnership Pundit: Tips to Help Your Organization Comply with the DOL’s Revised White Collar Regulations
June 21, 2016A note to readers: On Wednesday June 22, Pro Bono Partnership will release a second employment law update on the recent U.S. Department of Labor changes to the rules governing white collar workers. For the benefit of readers … Continue reading
