This year strategic planning is different. Many MAS clients have quickly realized that it doesn’t make sense to plan for 3 years out when there is so much uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is still important to discuss strategy with your board, even for the short term. Shifting to an 18-month view […]
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Why Evaluate your Programs? By Dianne Macfarlane
Many public funders and private donors are now requiring non-profit organizations to provide evidence that the programs they offer are benefitting their clients. This evidence goes beyond the traditional measures such as the number of clients served and client satisfaction data. When MAS clients ask for help in deciding how to develop a process for […]
Financial Literacy for Boards by Brian Traquair, MAS VC
What’s worse than sitting in a meeting and not understanding the presenter? When it’s numbers, that’s when! Board members come from all walks of life, with quite varying backgrounds and talents. This is great news for the many ways that directors can contribute, but a challenge in one particular area: financials. All Board members have […]
Pros & Cons of Charitable Status by Graham Boyce, MAS VC
“To be a charity or not?” is a dilemma that many organisations face. Unfortunately, they often do not think through the answer sufficiently. Many just apply for charitable status without understanding what might be involved and, particularly, what the downside might be. The reality is that being a charity means, among other issues: Much stricter […]
Reopening your Workplace by Jo Anne Langshaw, MAS VC
The Premier of Ontario recently announced a 3-phased plan to support the gradual reopening of the province. As we await confirmation of dates, non-essential workplaces look forward to re-opening and not-for-profit organizations need to be prepared to deal with the new-normal thrust upon us by COVID-19. Since mid-March, most non-essential workers have been away from […]
Financial Reforecasting by Brian Traquair, MAS VC
Every organization, and every family for that matter, is trying to understand the financial impact of the pandemic. In such times, we need to adapt our approach so that we can prepare for an uncertain future. We all want to protect and preserve our not-for-profits through this crisis. When so many things have changed […]
Risk Management by Chris Govern
Today I want to focus on the role of the board in risk management. All boards must have an understanding of the key risks in the organization and how those risks are managed. The Board should start by demonstrating good risk management through appropriate governance practices, including effective oversight. Beyond that, the role of […]
15 best free apps for your organization
Non-profits can definitely put their best foot forward by using these free apps. From time-saving scheduling apps, creative tools and analytics we have found many teams benefits by checking out these top marketing apps. HootSuite – This Canadian, timesaving social media dashboard tool allows staff to schedule 30 posts in advance for free to up to […]
What a 2019 non-profit marketing skills student learns.
I regularly meet with people looking to make a career change or with students who are eager to chart a career path in the charitable sector. It’s not surprising as with over 170,000 non-profits in Canada, employing over 2 million people (not including volunteers) the sector is a vibrant, innovative and often rewarding place to […]
How well is your board performing?
Looking at Board Self-Assessment A board’s responsibility is to continually improve its governance practices and effectiveness. Regular evaluation of the board is a governance best practice. Evaluations may focus on different points like: The performance of individual directors, The overall board, The board chair, The board committees The orientation and training among other aspects of […]