November 2019
Late March 2020
Bryan Orander, President, Charitable Advisors
How are you coping?
We want to hear what you are learning and be able to share it with your colleagues and peers. How are you supporting staff morale? Emotional health? Adjusting service delivery to new approaches? Other ideas to share?  Please share
We are here to help you!
As leaders, we are all struggling to define priorities, make hard decisions and see the future of our organizations. We are in this with you, dealing with these circumstances with our clients and in our own organization. 

The Charitable Advisors team is here to help with our consulting team and to share information across and within the community. 

Here are six ways we can help you and your organization weather the storm: 

1)   We can help your HR or volunteer efforts - While you and your leadership team are fighting fires, you may be delaying critical hires or volunteer screening. Our recruiting team at Charitable Advisors is available to help you keep important hiring efforts moving forward. We are accustomed to working by phone and Zoom.

  • Do you want to review your best applicants, not piles of resumes?
  • Are business layoffs creating a flood of new applicants that you can’t keep up with?
  • Are you even too busy to get that critical position posted?
  • Are your volunteer needs urgent, but you don’t have the capacity to quickly contact and screen people as they apply?

Traditionally, our searches fill Central Indiana nonprofit ED/CEO leadership roles but for the next several months, we are broadening our focus to assist you with screening and hiring for the positions you need most right now – leadership, program, administrative, fundraising, volunteer.

2)   Interim staffing needs – we anticipate that there will be some talented nonprofit professionals who are furloughed during these tough times. If you anticipate a need for an experienced professional to assist with a special project or fill in a key role, let us know at: [email protected]  

3)   Community connecting – We know that peer support is important in these times and nonprofit leaders need to connect with each other. If you are part of an informal peer group and open to more participants, please let us know. If you would like to be connected to an informal peer group, let us know. Please send your interest to: [email protected]  

4)   B oard discussions/board development – Every nonprofit is going through significant adjustments right now. You may need a facilitator to support your board to frame and make some tough decisions or develop contingency plans. For others, your board members might be going stir crazy and would be open to board training or board development discussions, so you are better positioned for the future. 

5) Developing major donor strategies – If you have an established donor base that is giving at least $100,000 each year, this may be the perfect time for our Fundraising Report Card® review and strategy sessions. For just $2,500, T.J. McGovern will run an analysis of your anonymized donor data and then lead strategy discussions with the staff, then the board.  Learn more

6) Covid - 19 pandemic resource page – We have recently launched a nonprofit resource page on our website that can help you identify resources for employees or the organization.  See Resource page

We are known for our affordable fee structure and will work with you to determine a project or hourly arrangement to quickly engage and support your efforts.

Contact me to schedule a 20-minute call to explore the possibilities and help you move forward.

Bryan Orander, President                    
317-752-7153         


Best advice – please share yours

Your donors want to hear from you , but this is not a good time to ask unless you are providing basic needs and then it is a very appropriate time to ask. Many of your donors may feel you only contact them when you want money, so call just to see how they are doing and share some proactive actions you are taking and some positives about your organization. -- T.J. McGovern, Charitable Advisors fundraising leader

Forecast your cashflow , if you aren’t already doing it. You need to know when revenues will be coming in
and expenses will be going out. -- Bryan Orander, Charitable Advisors

Use this crisis to identify more natural partners and consider the benefits of working more closely together. -- Don Gulbrandsen, Charitable Advisors

Now is the time to use scenario planning as you consider what you would do if the crisis is short-lived versus longer lasting. It’s also wise to assemble several budget scenarios. -- Don Gulbrandsen, Charitable Advisors

Retirements and leadership change are still happening , so be sure you have an emergency-succession plan in place and that both board and staff are familiar with it. -- Bryan Orander, Charitable Advisors

Morning task for ED/CEO: Put together the information (passwords, key contacts) necessary for business continuity in case you cannot continue leading the organization. Pass this along to the board chair and treasurer. Are you sick? NOT YET. -- Dana Harrison, Interim ED/CEO

What is the best advice you are hearing? Let me know and we will pass it along. [email protected]




As the Board leader,
what should we be doing now?
Here is some great guidance for board chairs and executive committee members from Nanette Fridman who recently led a webinar entitled, “Governing During a Crisis” https://www.fridmanstrategies.com/
 
  • Increase check-ins with the Executive (ED/CEO)
  • Schedule regular Executive Committee meetings
  • Communicate regularly with the board
  • Increase prudently the number of board meetings
  • Consider convening a committee or task force, especially around risk management
  • Stay in touch with peers and community leaders

We would add a couple more items:
  • Specifically reach out to the leadership of partner and similar nonprofits to see what you can be doing together or how you can help each other
  • If you have been considering an online board portal or platform our local favorite, www.Boardable.com, is offering 90 days free to new customers

Looking for a new leadership role?
Charitable Advisors has led 30 nonprofit leadership transitions in the past two years.

With more transitions on the horizon, we are building a leadership talent database of experienced nonprofit leaders. With a selection pool, we have made the process more efficient and effective for both candidates and employers. 

If you are thinking about or planning to change roles in the next year, or sooner, please consider   submitting your resume   and answer a few questions, in confidence.

Because we understand that your queries need to be confidential, we will not share your information without prior consent.
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Tell your staff, board of directors and colleagues about Frontline Perspectives by forwarding this email.
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