Governance and Leadership Resources
The success of Cedarmere Foundation grants is dependent on our grantees utilizing the skills and expertise of outside consultants, services, and other resources. As a result, we believe it is important to help our grantees find the resources best suited to help them strengthen their board governance and staff leadership capabilities.
Below is a list of excellent resources that provide information and technical assistance to nonprofit organizations that seek to enhance their effectiveness. We will continue to add new links as we discover them, so check this page each time you visit our website.
*New resources were added on 12/03/2009. Those with an Asterisk (*) are the new additions since our last posting:
Links to Helpful Information:
Association of Fundraising Professionalswww.afpwashington.org/resources.php
AFP's website has many resources related to fundraising including a quarterly newsletter that is available online.
BoardSource
www.boardsource.org
(Formerly The National Center for Nonprofit Boards) BoardSource provides outstanding resources on a broad range of topics of interest and concern to nonprofit organizations. In addition to an extensive list of written resources, they provide training and consulting services to all types of nonprofit organizations.
Bridgespan Group
www.bridgespangroup.org
The Bridgespan Group is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization applying leading-edge management strategies, tools and talent to help other nonprofits and foundations achieve greater social impact. TBSG's website provides much useful information for nonprofit leaders including two online newsletters that are available at no charge and the opportunity for nonprofits to post job openings for positions they need to fill.
Capaciteria
www.capaciteria.org
Capaciteria is a free service designed to help nonprofits find the best resources to build their institutional capacity. Capaciteria is a comprehensive, searchable database directory of categorized administrative resources that help nonprofits leverage their own capacity. It promotes peer review because site members can comment on and rate individual resource links as well as add useful new links they come across.
Charity Channel
www.charitychannel.com
This website not only has resources for nonprofit organizations, but it also provides a variety of listservs on different topics relevant to nonprofit organizations that you can join. Board Digest, which provides a forum for discussing all board-related topics, is one example. From the home page, click on "Forums", then "All Public Forums."
Compass Point
www.compasspoint.org/resources
Compass Point provides a variety of useful publications and information of interest to nonprofits. This link takes you to a page containing links to many other useful web pages: http://www.compasspoint.org/links/index.php. The link to Accidental Techie Resources provides information on nonprofit technology issues: http://www.compasspoint.org/acctech/index.php. Follow this link to sign up for Compass Point's e-newsletter written exclusively for nonprofit board members, called Board Café: http://www.compasspoint.org/boardcafe/index.php. Short enough to read over a cup of coffee, Board Café offers a menu of ideas, information, opinion, news, and resources to help board members give and get the most out of board service. There are over 70 great issues in the archive!
Fieldstone Alliance
This site has a wealth of information and resources for nonprofits. The following link will provide you with links to many other useful and informative web pages: http://www.fieldstonealliance.org/client/client_pages/links.cfm This link takes you to a page where you can sign up for a free e-newsletter on “Tools You Can Use”: http://www.fieldstonealliance.org/client/client_pages/signupNEW.cfm This link takes to you an extensive list of free tools/articles on common nonprofit challenges and issues: http://www.fieldstonealliance.org/client/client_pages/tools.cfm
The Foundation Center
www.foundationcenter.org
This site includes an online foundation directory and provides a wealth of information for nonprofits seeking grants and other sources of funding.
Free Management Library (for Nonprofits)
www.managementhelp.org
This website contains a wealth of information on a wide range of topics relevant to nonprofit organizations. It has a detailed index, which makes it easy to find information on whatever topic interests you.
GuideStar
www.guidestar.org
This website provides a national database of nonprofit organizations that is searchable and includes all 850,000 charities that are registered with the IRS.
Independent Sector
www.independentsector.org
This coalition of nonprofits, foundations and corporations is involved with research, advocacy and education for the nonprofit sector.
Management Assistance Program for Nonprofits
www.mapfornonprofits.org
This website contains many helpful resources for nonprofits. Click on the link titled "Classes" to see the standard board governance workshops they offer. They will also develop a custom training session for your board if there is a specific topic that needs to be addressed.
Mission Movers Group
www.missionmovers.com
MMG's website has many innovative resources for nonprofits not easily found on other nonprofit resource websites. It's worth checking out.
My Nonprofit CPA
www.mynonprofitcpa.com
Colleen Boland publishes a very helpful e-newsletter called "My Nonprofit CPA" that is available at no charge. One of the best newsletters available; it typically covers topics that are not addressed by other newsletters, like nonprofit financial management issues, fundraising, compliance issues, etc. You can sign up to receive it by email on this website. The site also contains numerous links to other helpful resources related to tax exempt status, compliance issues, financial management tools, audit kits, etc.
Nancy Bell Evans Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy, University of Washington
www.evans.washington.edu/research/nbec/
This website provides information on nonprofit programs, research and resources that are available at the NBE Center, which was established in the fall of 2006.
Northwest Development Officers' Association (NDOA)
www.ndoa.org
This website provides a list of training opportunities for development staff and others who work in fundraising for nonprofits. Check out their training schedule for upcoming sessions.
Philanthropy Northwest Membership Directory
http://www.philanthropynw.org/directory/index.htm
PNW's membership directory is a comprehensive resource for grantseekers to use in identifying funding options. The Online Member Directory facilitates more appropriate grant requests, which saves time for grant writers as well as grant makers. Annual subscriptions are available on PNW's website.
Tech Soup
www.techsoup.org
Tech Soup is set up to be the portal to the nonprofit technology world. It contains articles and a variety of resources related to the technology issues and challenges facing many nonprofits.
Success Measures
www.successmeasures.org/SMDS/login.aspx
Success Measures is an innovative approach for community-based organizations and their partners to document outcomes, measure impact, and inform change. Success Measures provides a practical and user-friendly participatory evaluation method that engages an organization's stakeholders in developing, implementing, and analyzing results.
Conferences, Training
and Technical Assistance:
BoardSourcewww.boardsource.org
Board Source's annual Leadership Forum provides an excellent opportunity to participate in workshops by leading authorities and researchers in the field of nonprofit governance and leadership, as well as to network with other nonprofit leaders from across the country and abroad. This year's conference will be in San Francisco Oct. 12-13, 2007. BoardSource also provides workshops in various locations nationwide throughout the year. In addition, it has many associates who are available to consult with individual organizations on specific issues whenever the need arises. To check these out, click on the "Workshops and Events" tab from their home page.
Bridgespan Group
www.bridgespangroup.org/con_consulting.html
TBSG also provides consulting services to nonprofit organizations.
Cascade Center
www.cascadecourses.org/mngmtOverView.html
Cascade Center courses are intensive two-day, three-day, and five-day training courses designed for public and nonprofit managers. The full array of Cascade courses offers a variety of selections to develop the core set of management and leadership skills needed for successful public and nonprofit management.
Center for Learning Connections
www.learningconnections.org
CLC designs training and manages projects to help individuals and organizations respond to change and improve quality. We are especially effective in working with educators, welfare and workforce development professionals and community based organizations. CLC is a self supporting office located at and legally part of Highline Community College.
Compass Point
www.compasspoint.org
Compass Point provides a variety of technical assistance services including consulting, coaching, training, executive transition management, peer learning, and conferences designed around specific nonprofit issues/challenges.
*DZO Strategists
www.dzostrategists.com
DZO Strategists' founders, Peter Drury and Amy Zimmerman, apply sound business principles and strategic financial management skills to nonprofit leadership and management. They assist nonprofit leaders in using the best policies and practices from the for-profit world to strengthen their organizations, ensure sustainability and maximize mission achievement. They also provide a variety of skill building workshops that will help give nonprofit leaders the tools they need to survive and thrive in the challenging environment in which they operate.
Executive Service Corps of Washington
www.escwa.org
This organization can assist with financial issues, planning, board development, human resources, facilities and other areas of nonprofit management. Programs include training on financial management and presentation skills. Consulting, coaching, facilitation and training are provided on a sliding fee scale.
Fieldstone Alliance
www.fieldstonealliance.org/client/consulting/index.cfm
In addition to its many publications and other written resources for nonprofits, FA provides many services designed specifically to strengthen the performance of nonprofit organizations. This link takes you to FA's information on its training services: http://www.fieldstonealliance.org/client/consulting/pages/trainingservices.cfm This link takes you to a description of FA's consulting services: http://www.fieldstonealliance.org/client/consulting/pages/consultingservices.cfm
Mission Movers
www.missionmovers.com
Mission Movers Group specializes in provoking organizations to use innovation and process improvement programs to maximize outcomes. Every group that comes in contact with us is challenged to go beyond its own conventional wisdom and explore the amazing resources that are now available, easy to use and affordable. They provide consulting services, executive coaching, conferences and training and a useful website that provides many innovative resources to nonprofits (see above).
Nancy Bell Evans Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy, University of Washington:
evans.washington.edu/research/nbec/education/index.php
The NBE Center at the University of Washington provides a variety of training opportunities for nonprofit executives and other nonprofit staff members.
Nonprofit Assistance Center (NAC)
www.nacseattle.org
NAC provides technical assistance to Seattle area nonprofits. Its home page lists the current training opportunities that are available locally.
The Nonprofit Center (Tacoma, WA)
www.npcenter.org
This organization provides many services to nonprofits including conferences, workshops, professional forums and seminars. Check out its website to learn more about upcoming events.
Nonprofit Finance Fund
www.nonprofitfinancefund.org
"provides capital and advice to help nonprofits achieve their mission, improve their capacity to deliver services and strengthen their communities."
Nonprofit Staff Development Coalition Project
www.learningconnections.org/coalition/index.htm
Its mission is to help staff in non-profit human services organizations reach professional and personal excellence by protecting, nurturing, strengthening and enhancing the staff development function in their organizations. They offer a number of relevant workshops and other training opportunities.
NPower
www.npower.org
This organization provides technical assistance in technology to nonprofit organizations through workshops and consulting. Their services are available to both members and non-members, but members received preferred rates.
Taproot Foundation
www.taprootfoundation.org
Taproot Foundation engages teams of marketing, project management, HR and IT professionals to volunteer on pro bono projects for local nonprofits. Taproot Foundation awards “Service Grants,” rather than cash, that build a nonprofit's capacity to pursue its mission. Each project involves a team of 4 – 6 carefully selected business professionals, produces concrete & pre-defined deliverables that match the recipient's needs, and follows a tightly structured process that ensures success. Each Service Grant is valued at $30,000 to $50,000. Visit the “Nonprofit” page of our website to apply for a Service Grant.
*TCC Group
www.tccgrp.com
The TCC Group helps its clients honestly assess their strengths and weaknesses, take a step back from their daily work and to think in new ways, and mobilize their resources to address critical issues and become more effective. This consulting group does extensive research to support their work with clients. They assist nonprofits in thinking strategically and planning for the future of their organizations in order to accomplish their mission and vision by providing the following services: strategic & business planning, program evaluation, governance assessment & restructuring, and capacity building. TCC also provides many free briefing papers and other resources on their website. In addition, they frequently offer excellent webinars and podcasts on their website that are also available to you at no cost.
United Way of King County
www.uwkc.org/nonprofit/governance/
This website takes you directly to a list of governance and management training opportunities available to area nonprofit board members and staff. The fees for these workshops are typically very reasonable. There are also links on this webpage to other resources you may find helpful.
Technical assistance is also available through a number of local, regional and national consulting firms and individual consultants. The Foundation can make referrals to its grantees that seek a specific type of resource or training opportunity but need help in locating the best source for that assistance. However, we do not post the names of individual consultants or firms on our website.