Management Consulting Services - Strategy

How the Economic Crisis Will and Maybe Should Change the Nonprofit Sector

Stephen Rockwell — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 10:29:08 -0500

"Most prefer the security of known misery to the misery of unfamiliar security." Sheldon Kopp

There is no doubt that a great wave of fear has fallen over the nonprofit sector and indeed the nation. The constant barrage of bad news, while tempered by the jubilation surrounding the historic inauguration in Washington, affects our psyches as we approach each day a bit more unsure than the previous. Einstein said that problems can not be solved at the level of analysis that created them and yet we try. We are attempting to solve problems in which the allusive answers seem to create their own host of other problems. Downsizing may temporarily help our organization, but how then will we continue to provide essential services? We attempt to expand our individual donor base, but if all nonprofits make the same attempt how effective will we be? The conversation about the generational shift in leadership change has shifted to a fear that the sector will lose its young and entrepreneurial talent to layoffs. In most cases there are no good answers, only better solutions.

Networked Nonprofit Blog: How MCS Moved Completely to the Cloud and Why You Should Too.

Stephen Rockwell — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 10:57:11 -0400

Within the last year, MCS eliminated all of its technology infrastructure by moving our applications to “the cloud”. For those of you not familiar with cloud computing, its essentially hosted software applications and associated data on the Internet in a models. Such models are also known as “software as a service” or as IBM coined “on demand computing” (for more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing). MCS’s move is indicative of major changes underway in the technology world and could be a model for nonprofits.

TBF Report - Profitability as a Measure of Financial Health for NonProfits

janbeaven — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:29:47 -0400

What is the financial health of your organization? Recently, the Boston Foundation (TBF) report “Passion & Purpose” raised concerns about the nonprofit sector. According to TBF, nonprofits rightfully focus on mission – but they need to manage financially to deliver on their mission.

Exciting Schedule of Training Events Announced for Summer, Fall

Michaelfire — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:58:36 -0400

Michael Richards writing (MCS Intern, MBA in non-profit management at Brandeis University's Heller School):

MCS is planning a couple of informative summer lunchtime
programs, and an exciting fall schedule of training and education events,
including the “Networked Non-profit Series”, a leadership development program
for IT managers and leaders, and a new series on “Information Technology for
Non-profits”.

Please be sure and bring your lunch for our first summer
brown bag networking and education lunches ("Drowning in Paperwork") on Wednesday, July 16 (there are 3 deli’s within half a block
of MCS, 6 Beacon St., Beacon Hill) from noon to 1:30pm, and again on Wed.
August 13 (exact title coming soon). Look here on the MCS web site
for discussion groups regarding these lunchtime programs.

Networked Nonprofit Blog: Measuring 2.0 Success

Stephen Rockwell — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:31:09 -0400

Nonprofit leaders are becoming more familiar with the 2.0 tools and strategies that are creating a new paradigm for constituency engagement. A simple look at a nonprofit employment website shows a proliferation in new positions with titles such as "online community manager" or "new media communications associate". Even if an organization has yet to adopt the new technology, there is a growing awareness of a brave new world in which the organization must seek to engage.

Networked Nonprofit Blog: Technology Term Cheat Sheet for Nonprofit Leaders

Stephen Rockwell — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:12:14 -0400

MCS hosts leadership groups for nonprofit leaders. The group asked me to develop a list of terms for an upcoming training so that we're all starting from the same page. I figured it would make for a good blog post. Here's the cheat sheet:

Networked Nonprofit Blog: The Online Community Manager

Stephen Rockwell — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 14:27:40 -0500

Over the last couple of months, I have seen more and more job postings from innovative nonprofits that are hiring for online community manager positions. This is a welcome sign that we are fast reaching an inflection point in the adoption of 2.0 technologies. Whether creating new positions or adjusting current positions, nonprofits are adjusting their human resources to meet the growing demands of building online community.

There a number of skill sets that one ought to look for when hiring the online community manager:

Networked Nonprofit Blog: Tagging and Social Bookmarking

Stephen Rockwell — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 15:28:32 -0400

Tagging and social bookmarking are topics that are frankly fairly new to me. I have heard a lot about this new phenomenon, but admittedly have spent relatively little time engaged in developing and executing strategies around these Web 2.0 technologies. Given my lack of knowledge I started experimenting. Here’s what I have found out so far.

Tagging

Networked Nonprofit Seminar: Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) in a 2.0 World

Stephen Rockwell — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 11:56:06 -0400

Review of CRM solutions and strategies for leveraging your data to enhance your communication strategy

Sign up for the seminar on November 14

Whether a spreadsheet with names and addresses or a sophisticated corporate CRM solution, almost all nonprofits have some mechanism to track their donors, volunteers and other stakeholders.

Web 2.0 Radio Program/Podcast: Fundraising Success

Stephen Rockwell — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 12:12:23 -0400

I recently was on Dr. Stephen Goldstein's WXEL public radio program, "Fundraising Success." I discussed some introductory Web 2.0 items.

http://wxelpodcasts.org/2007/08/14/fundraising-success-081207.aspx

MC 2.0 Blog: Defining Social Value Through an IT Lens

Stephen Rockwell — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 10:30:55 -0400

Defining value is a difficult task within the nonprofit sector because of the double bottom line with which organizations must contend. Nonprofits must concern themselves with both financial performance and mission-related social value. As a result of the varied missions throughout the sector, the desired outcomes of nonprofits do not readily lend themselves to a standard definition of value.

Paper Can Be Found Here

Stephen Rockwell — Tue, 22 May 2007 15:47:57 -0400

http://www.mcsorg.org/?q=node/40