What's happening in the economy? It's really hard to say. And it's hard to make decisive moves when you really don't know what's up.

What we do know is that things are shifting, and we need to make a Plan A, B... and C. This episode addresses the need for planning, and how to engage your board's deep hidden talents.

You can't fake authenticity. In our nonprofit work it's the backbone of our storytelling and our ongoing relations with the world we serve. This episode talks about authenticity and signs of when that may be waning. Keep it real to stay engaged.

In many smaller nonprofits the people involved are too busy to make communicating to the public a consistent priority. Yet by simply outlining a plan for an entire year, it all gets much easier. This episode is about the 'how' to talk about the 'why' of your organization.

Give Big is a statewide effort in Washington to get alll the nonprofits involved in a short sprint for gifts. It has morphed into something that I believe is destructive for healthy nonprofits. It's creating a dependence on a big organization and making the Scarcity Mindset the paradigm. We need to break that. Listen in to my totally biased take on this!

Jim Mueller of JMuellerandassociates.com is a consultant in Florida who has published a book all about defining the roles you need on your board, finding the right people, then assuring they have a good experience on the board. It's a great read, and Jim tells us a few gems in this interview.

There is risk of all kinds that we must prepare for. Risk can be not only bad, but also good. We should be prepared for anything that may come the way of our organization. Let's plan ahead!

For fun, I hammer out a few annoying clichés in this episode, and then focus on the real reason we do strategic planning: because we can't afford not to.

How do you do strategic planning with your nonprofit board, staff, and stakeholders when the future is so unpredictable? Plan for a lot of different possibilities - both the bad ones and the good ones! 

How are you relating to your donors? Are you doing it on their terms or on yours? You'll have a lot more success if you listen to donors... and then tell their story to the rest of the community. Donors need to be engaged on their own terms, and it really helps when we listen to what they have to say about our organizations. You'll hear why they love you, not why you love yourself!