Category: Blog

Fundraising Events: The Double-Edged Sword of Nonprofit Events: Profit, Pitfalls, and the “Girl Scout Cookie” Effect

Fundraising Events: The Double-Edged Sword of the Nonprofit World – Profit, Pitfalls, and the “Girl Scout Cookie” Effect

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Key Takeaways

  • Fundraising events resemble “Girl Scout Cookies” due to their appealing and transactional nature, yet they come with hidden costs.
  • While they provide psychological comfort and visibility, it often costs nonprofits $0.50 to raise $1.00 through events.
  • Events can alienate introverted potential donors, as only about 40% of attendees genuinely want to be there.
  • To succeed, nonprofits should diversify funding sources and view events as engagement tools rather than just revenue generators.
  • Effective planning and cost-minimization can lead to profitable fundraising events that advance the organization’s mission.

Fundraising events are often the “Girl Scout Cookies” of the nonprofit world. They are attractive, familiar, and comfortable because they fit neatly into our standard economic system: a product or experience is exchanged for money. This transactional nature makes the “ask” feel less like a plea for help and more like a fair trade, which puts both the charity and the donor at ease.

But like any business venture, the “profit” (the money raised) depends entirely on keeping expenses low and sales high. While events can be a goldmine for visibility and donor cultivation, they also carry hidden costs that can drain an organization’s resources.

Here is a look at the real pros and cons of event fundraising, backed by industry observations and data.

Table of contents

The Good: Why Events Work

The primary appeal of an event is its flexibility. From black-tie galas to local firehouse “beef ‘n beers,” events can be tailored to fit any community. Beyond the immediate cash flow, they offer benefits that are hard to quantify but essential for growth:

  • Psychological Comfort: Everyone understands the deal. You buy a ticket, you get a dinner/show/experience. It removes the awkwardness of a direct donation request.
  • Visibility & List Building: Events are excellent for expanding your mailing list and cultivating high-net-worth donors.
  • Success Rates: According to The NonProfit Times, 77% of nonprofits reported meeting or exceeding their event fundraising goals in 2025. When done right, they work.

The Bad: The ROI Reality Check

However, the “free labor” of volunteers and donated materials often masks the true cost of these productions.

  • The Cost of a Dollar: While major gifts or grants might cost pennies to secure, events are historically the most expensive form of fundraising. Industry data suggests it often costs $0.50 to raise $1.00 through special events (Graham-Pelton & The Kipos Group).
  • The Time Drain: Events require a massive investment of time—recruiting, training, and managing volunteers, plus the endless logistics of venues and vendors.
  • Financial Risk: Despite best efforts, many events break even or lose money once the hidden costs of staff time are factored in.

The Ugly: The “Introvert” Problem

Perhaps the most overlooked downside is the demographic limitation. Events tend to raise money only from people who like events. This automatically excludes the “introvert crowd” and those who prefer private philanthropy.

Furthermore, an honest look at the room often reveals an uncomfortable truth:

  • Observation: Only about 40% of event attendees truly want to be there. The rest are often tag-along spouses, employees at corporate tables, or people attending solely out of social obligation.

How to Win at Events

To make events worth the effort, stop viewing them solely as ATMs. Instead, view them as engagement tools.

  • Diversify: Never rely on events for 100% of your budget. Balance them with grants and direct appeals.
  • Focus on “Friend-raising”: If an event breaks even but adds 200 new names to your donor list, it was a success.
  • Minimize Expenses: Ruthlessly cut costs by leveraging volunteer labor and in-kind donations.

To help you overcome the logistical hurdles and maximize your ROI, we recommend these trusted tools:

Event Logistics & Branding

  • Best of Signs: Professional, affordable signage to make your event look polished.
  • ApparelnBags.com: The go-to source for event t-shirts, tote bags, and volunteer swag.
  • 48 Hour Logo: Need a logo for your specific event (e.g., “Annual Gala 2025”)? Get professional designs fast.

Marketing & Visibility

  • 24-7 Press Release: Don’t just hope the local paper shows up. Distribute professional press releases to get media coverage.
  • DialMyCalls & Text Magic: Use mass texting and voice broadcasting to remind attendees and coordinate volunteers instantly.

Virtual & Hybrid Events

  • Gatherly.ai: If you are going virtual, this platform offers a more engaging experience than a standard Zoom call.
  • WebinarJam: Perfect for educational fundraisers or virtual galas that require high reliability.

Fundraising & Volunteer Management

  • DonorBox & Bloomerang: Capture donor data effectively. Don’t let those new contacts slip away on sticky notes!
  • Connecteam: Simplifies the chaos of managing event volunteers, schedules, and communication.

Ready to Master Your Next Event?

Don’t let your next gala become a drain on your resources. Learn the secrets to planning unforgettable, profitable fundraising events that actually move your mission forward.

👉 Learn more at NonprofitEventCourses.com

Affiliate disclaimer: This content includes affiliate links. That means when you buy something we’re linked to, Nonprofit.Courses earns a commission, at no extra cost to you. It’s a win/win. You get some great content, and we keep the lights on!

Sources

  • Donors Can’t Resist Good Events, The NonProfit Times (2025).
  • Event Fundraising ROI Data, Graham-Pelton & The Kipos Group.
  • The “40% Engagement” Observation, Author’s anecdotal analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why are events compared to “Girl Scout Cookies”?

A: Because they rely on a transactional exchange (money for a product/experience) which makes the “ask” feel comfortable. However, like cookie sales, the actual profit margin can be slim once expenses are deducted.

Q: What is the “Introvert Problem” with events?

A: Events typically only appeal to extroverts who enjoy social gatherings. Relying too heavily on events excludes a large segment of potential donors who prefer private philanthropy or direct giving.

Q: How do we calculate the true cost of an event?

A: You must factor in staff time. While cash expenses might be low due to donations, the hundreds of hours staff spend planning are a massive hidden cost. Industry data suggests it often costs $0.50 to raise $1.00 through events.

Q: If we hold an event, what should the goal be?

A: View it as “friend-raising” rather than just fundraising. If an event breaks even but adds 200 new names to your mailing list, it can be considered a strategic success for long-term growth.

The Art of Disposable Writing: Why Your Fundraising Appeals Shouldn’t Last Forever

Why Your Fundraising Appeals: Why they Shouldn’t Last Forever and the Art of Disposable Writing

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Key Takeaways

  • Fundraising appeals are often disposable; they get read and then discarded.
  • Embrace the concept of ‘disposable writing’ to focus on persuasion over perfection.
  • Use bold headers, short paragraphs, and a clear P.S. to capture attention quickly.
  • Aim for fundraising copy to convey the message, highlight donation options, and inspire action before it ends up in the recycling bin.
  • The emotional impact of your appeal should remain even after the physical letter is gone.

As writers, we often harbor a secret desire for immortality. We want our words to resonate, to stick, to be cherished. We want to write the next “Great American Novel.”

We pour hours into crafting the perfect opening line. We wrestle with word choice, agonize over tone, and endure rounds of edits to get every nuance right. It is real labor, and we are proud of the result.

But if you work in fundraising, I have a hard truth for you—one that might sting after all that hard work: Your writing is disposable.

Think about it. Nobody, except maybe your mother, is saving the fundraising appeals you send. No one is binding your email appeals into a leather volume or archiving your direct mail packages as part of the serialized “Great American Fundraising Story.”

Your letter, email, or social media post has a very specific lifecycle: it is received, acted upon (hopefully), and then thrown away.

Yes, you compose “disposable writing.”

Table of contents

1. The Liberation of the Trash Can

Should you care that your fundraising appeals are destined for the recycling bin? Not really. In fact, you should embrace it.

The vanity of the writer often gets in the way of the fundraiser. We worry about whether a sentence is poetic when we should worry about whether it is persuasive. We worry about the shelf-life of the letter, when we should worry about the shelf-life of the impulse to give.

There is actually a massive freedom in disposable writing: The Freedom of Repetition.

Because your donors aren’t archiving your letters, they aren’t cross-referencing them, either. This means you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time. If a story worked three years ago, use it again. If a headline crushed it last quarter, recycle it. The fact that your writing is disposable means your best hits can be evergreen.

2. Writing for the “Walk to the Bin”

Once you accept that your letter is likely being read on its way to the recycling bin, it changes how you write. You stop writing for a reader and start writing for a glancer.

This is why “ugly” often works better than “polished.” A messy, handwritten note or a plain-text email feels personal, whereas a glossy, perfectly formatted brochure looks like marketing. People save personal correspondence; they toss marketing.

Since the physical object is disposable, your structure must survive the skim test:

  • Bold headers that tell the story without the body text.
  • Short paragraphs that don’t look like work to read.
  • A P.S. that restates the offer for the skimmers.

3. The Only Timeline That Matters

You don’t need your donor to keep your letter forever. You just need them to keep it long enough to act. Ideally, the lifespan of your fundraising copy should be exactly long enough to achieve three things:

  1. Reveal your message. (Stop the skim and engage the heart.)
  2. Highlight the vehicle. (Guide them to the reply envelope or the “Donate” button.)
  3. Trigger the gift. (Inspire the transaction.)

Once those three things happen? It is perfectly okay for that letter to hit the recycling bin. Its job is done.

4. The Emotional Afterimage

Ultimately, the goal isn’t for the paper to last—it’s for the feeling to last.

Think of it as an emotional afterimage. Even though the letter is gone, the feeling of being a hero, a problem solver, or a compassionate human being should remain. The artifact is disposable; the emotional impact is the permanent part.

So, give yourself permission to write disposably. Write so that the job gets done—nothing less, and nothing more.

5. Resources to Help the Job Get Done

If you want to make your “disposable” writing more effective and efficient, these tools can help you craft the message and capture the gift before the recycling bin beckons:

  • Grammarly: Don’t spend hours agonizing over commas. Let Grammarly handle the polish so you can focus on the persuasion.
  • The Storytelling Nonprofit: Learn how to craft stories that stick emotionally, even if the letter itself doesn’t stick around.
  • DonorBox & Keela: When your writing succeeds in getting them to the “vehicle,” make sure the ride is smooth. These platforms ensure your donation forms are seamless.
  • Bloomerang: Keep track of who gave (and who didn’t) so you know exactly when to send that next disposable letter.
  • Getting Attention: Before they can read (or toss) your writing, they have to find you. Use this for strategies like Google Ad Grants to get your nonprofit noticed.

Ready to master the art of the ask?

Learn more at FundraisingCourses.com.

Affiliate disclaimer: This content includes affiliate links. That means when you buy something we’re linked to, Nonprofit.Courses earns a commission, at no extra cost to you. It’s a win/win. You get some great content, and we keep the lights on!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is “Disposable Writing”?

A: It is writing designed to be acted upon immediately and then discarded, such as fundraising emails, direct mail, or social posts. Unlike a novel, its value lies in the immediate impulse it triggers, not its longevity.

Q: Why can “ugly” writing be more effective?

A: Highly polished, glossy brochures look like marketing. “Ugly,” simple, or handwritten notes look like personal correspondence. People tend to save personal letters and throw away marketing materials.

Q: Should we worry about repeating stories in our appeals?

A: No. Because your writing is disposable, donors do not archive or cross-reference your letters. If a story or headline worked well three years ago, you can often recycle it successfully. Think of it this way: fundraising writing is more like advertising, not journalism.

Q: What is the “Walk to the Bin” test?

A: It refers to the few seconds a donor glances at your mail while walking to the recycling bin. Your letter must use bold headers, short paragraphs, and a clear P.S. to convey the message and the “ask” during that brief skim.

Beyond the Meat: How Micro-Volunteering Can Transform Nonprofit Engagement

Beyond the Meat: How Micro-Volunteering Can Transform Nonprofit Engagement

Key Takeaways

  • Micro-volunteering allows individuals to complete small tasks that make a significant impact without overwhelming them.
  • Traditional volunteering can feel intimidating due to the ‘Bubble Effect’ and organizations’ desperation for help.
  • Micro-volunteering can enhance volunteer commitment and satisfaction, leading to a more engaged workforce.
  • Organizations can benefit by getting tasks done efficiently while recognizing volunteers’ skills and building enthusiasm for their mission.
  • Starting a micro-volunteering program involves breaking down larger tasks into smaller, manageable jobs with clear endings.

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Table of contents

See all of the Volunteer Management Content on Nonprofit.Courses!

Image: See all the volunteer management content

Do they feel like red meat?

You’ve never been there before… you walk in… and you feel the eyes on you… like fresh meat for the lions.

Night club? No. Car dealer? No. You’re at a nonprofit’s open house.

You feel a tap on your shoulder. “Want to join our committee?” “Ahhhhh,” you reply with hesitation and surprise. “C’mon, it’ll be fun!” Before you even have a chance to ask what the committee does, you’re dragged off to meet “the committee.” One other person, looking tired, and just as puzzled as you are.

Six months later the other two are gone, and you’re “the committee.”

You wake up in a cold sweat! Whew! Just a nightmare. “There has to be a better way!” you mumble as you go back to sleep. When you wake up, there’s a new, strange phrase in your mind: Micro-volunteering!

What’s Micro-Volunteering?

What’s Micro-volunteering?  It asking a volunteer to do small tasks that make a meaningful difference. How’s it different than regular volunteering? It’s a matter of scale.

Organizations that use volunteers have two (among many, yes) problems.

First, their enthusiasm for their mission. While enthusiasm is great and helps get a lot done, the downside is that it creates a “bubble effect,” where the enthusiastic people can’t imagine that everyone isn’t enthusiastic for their mission, just like them. If someone expresses even a small interest in their mission, the enthusiastic volunteer or staff member might think they’re all-in. They treat them like they are. Newcomers can find it off putting, even scary. They’re just not ready for the commitment.

The second, often paired with enthusiasm is, let’s face it, desperation. The important mission needs so many more people helping than they have now. Anyone with a pulse is good enough – and even better if they have any special skills.

The result is asking new volunteers to do more than they bargained for. (Was it really “only one night a week”?) The newbie burns out and leaves – sometimes quietly, sometimes not.  You’re left lying in wait for the next newcomer to pounce upon – starting the cycle all over again. No wonder they can feel like “fresh  meat.”

Micro-volunteering takes some discipline on the organization’s part, but the payoff is a longer volunteer commitment and everyone happier – staff and volunteers.

Starting a Micro-Volunteering Program

It starts with identifying small tasks that make an impact but don’t demand too much. These are volunteer tasks that have a beginning and an end. Their time horizon may only last a few hours, a few days or a few weeks. They can be tasks where a volunteer can adjust their schedule for a short time and not feel too burdened. They’re tasks where you can recognize their accomplishment by saying “thank you,” when you both know they’re done.

There are lots of advantages to micro-volunteering for the organization and the volunteer. The volunteer feels like they’re contributing in a way that they can handle. They build connection with the organization. They build confidence and feel successful when the job is done. And maybe the best? They don’t feel like they’re on a perpetual volunteer hamster wheel – so they’re not scared to volunteer again.

What’s the organization get?  A task accomplished. A view of the capacity and skills of the volunteer. A building enthusiasm of the volunteer for the mission. Someone who is willing to come back and do more.

Here’s an Example

Let’s say that you are taking a youth group on an overnight trip. You have a team of parents joining you.

  • Micro-volunteer Task 1: Collecting the receipts on all trip expenses and creating a spreadsheet of them upon return.
  • Micro-volunteer task 2: Act as the navigator for your vehicle caravan.
  • Micro-volunteer task 3: Confirming the hotel accommodations, managing the check-in process and rooms assignments.
  • Micro-volunteer task 4: Collecting everyone’s pictures and create a “photomontage” to share with everyone’s families when they get back.

At the end of the trip, everyone’s micro-volunteering task is done. Everyone feels like they contributed. And most important? Because no one felt burdened, they’ll all volunteer again.

Give It a Try!

More people than you know care about what your organization does. Why don’t they help? Because they have enough stress in their lives. They don’t want to feel like volunteer meat in front of a hungry nonprofit lion. It could be time to develop a culture of micro-volunteering.

Q: What is micro-volunteering?

A: Micro-volunteering involves asking individuals to perform small, manageable tasks that still make a meaningful difference for an organization. Unlike traditional volunteering, which can sometimes feel like an open-ended commitment, micro-volunteering focuses on tasks that have a clear beginning and end, often requiring only a few hours, days, or weeks of time.

Q: Why do some traditional volunteer experiences feel overwhelming to newcomers?

A: Two common factors can make traditional volunteering intimidating:
– The “Bubble Effect”: Highly enthusiastic staff or core volunteers sometimes assume newcomers share their intense level of commitment, which can be off-putting if the new person is just testing the waters.
– Desperation: Organizations often need more help than they have, leading them to quickly assign large or ongoing responsibilities to anyone who shows interest, which can result in burnout.

Q: How does micro-volunteering benefit the volunteer?

A: It allows volunteers to contribute meaningfully without feeling overburdened. Because tasks have a clear endpoint, volunteers experience a sense of accomplishment, build confidence, and deepen their connection with the organization without feeling trapped on a “perpetual volunteer hamster wheel.”

Q: What are the benefits of a micro-volunteering program for the organization?

A: Organizations benefit by getting specific tasks accomplished efficiently. More importantly, it gives the organization a chance to see a volunteer’s skills in action while building their enthusiasm for the mission. This positive experience makes volunteers much more likely to return and help again.

Q: How can our organization start a micro-volunteering program?

A: Start by breaking down larger needs into smaller, clearly defined tasks that have a specific timeframe (e.g., a few hours to a few weeks). Ensure these tasks make an impact but allow the volunteer to easily adjust their schedule without feeling burdened. When the task is complete, be sure to recognize their effort and say “thank you.”

Q: Can you give an example of micro-volunteering tasks?

A: Yes! Imagine organizing an overnight trip for a youth group. Instead of asking one person to manage the whole event, you could assign these micro-tasks to different parent volunteers:
– Collecting receipts and creating an expense spreadsheet after the trip.
– Acting as the navigator for the vehicle caravan.
– Managing hotel check-ins and room assignments.
– Collecting photos and creating a montage to share with families afterward. Once the trip is over, the tasks are done, and everyone feels they successfully contributed.

Demystifying Nonprofit Jargon: The Ultimate Glossary for Board Members & Staff

Nonprofit jargon. If you’re new to nonprofit work, it’s confusing. If you’re a veteran of the sector, you’ve seen it evolve. Either way, nonprofit jargon is here to stay, so learn (or brush up) below.

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Key Takeaways

  • The article outlines 10 critical”nonprofit jargon” terms for board members and staff, including 501(c)(3), fiduciary duty, and restricted funds.
  • It provides a full glossary divided into sections like fundraising, grants, finance, governance, and program evaluation.
  • Key definitions include ‘annual fund’ as essential for operations and ‘logic model’ as a visual roadmap of organizational activities.
  • Commonly misused nonprofit jargon terms are clarified, such as distinguishing impact from output and social enterprise from fee-for-service.
  • Understanding these terms helps board members and staff effectively manage their nonprofit organizations.

Table of contents

The 10 Most Critical Nonprofit Jargon Terms for Board Members & Staff

  1. 501(c)(3): The specific section of the US Tax Code that grants an organization tax-exempt status and allows donors to receive tax deductions for their gifts.
  2. Fiduciary Duty: The legal and ethical obligation of board members to act in the best interest of the organization, ensuring its assets are managed responsibly.
  3. Restricted Funds: Donations that are legally “locked” to a specific purpose or timeline set by the donor. They cannot be used for general operations without donor consent.
  4. Annual Fund: The “lifeblood” of an organization—fundraising dedicated to supporting the everyday operating budget (salaries, rent, utilities).
  5. Logic Model: A visual roadmap that connects what you have (Inputs) to what you do (Activities) and the results you achieve (Outputs/Outcomes).
  6. Stewardship: The ongoing process of thanking, informing, and engaging a donor after they have given, which is key to donor retention.
  7. Overhead: The administrative and fundraising costs necessary to run the organization. While often scrutinized, it is essential infrastructure for impact.
  8. Form 990: The annual “tax return” for nonprofits. It is a public document that provides transparency on the organization’s finances, mission, and executive pay.
  9. Mission Drift: A danger zone where an organization strays from its core purpose to chase grant money or popular trends.
  10. Theory of Change: The big-picture “Why” behind your work. It explains the underlying logic of how your specific interventions lead to the desired social change.

Full Nonprofit Jargon Glossary by Subject Area

I. Fundraising & Development

Advancement

  • Definition: Often used in hospitals and higher education to define an office including fundraising, marketing, and admissions.
  • Usage: “We’ll have to pass it by the Advancement Office to see if he is on their radar.”

Annual Fund

  • Definition: A program soliciting gifts to support the annual operating budget.
  • Usage: “Please consider a contribution to our annual fund to keep the lights on.”

Bequest (Planned Giving)

  • Definition: A donation made through a person’s will or estate plan.
  • Usage: “We need to market our planned giving program to encourage more bequests.”

Capital Campaign

  • Definition: A targeted fundraising effort for a major project, usually a building or massive endowment boost.
  • Usage: “We are launching a $5 million capital campaign to build the new center.”

Case for Support

  • Definition: The core document outlining why a nonprofit needs funding and what the money will accomplish.
  • Usage: “We need to tighten up our case for support before the big gala.”

Community-Centric Fundraising (CCF)

  • Definition: A model that prioritizes the entire community over individual donor appeasement.
  • Usage: “Moving toward CCF, we stopped hosting exclusive galas for potlucks.”

Cultivation

  • Definition: The process of building a relationship with a prospect before asking for a gift.
  • Usage: “After months of cultivation, we finally invited him for a site visit.”

Donor Retention Rate

  • Definition: The percentage of donors from a previous year who give again in the current year.
  • Usage: “Our retention rate dropped to 40%, so we need to improve our stewardship.”

LYBUNT / SYBUNT

  • Definition: Acronyms for “Last Year But Unfortunately Not This” and “Some Years But Unfortunately Not This.”
  • Usage: “We are running a special campaign targeting our LYBUNT donors.”

Major Gifts

  • Definition: The largest donations an organization receives, requiring personalized cultivation.
  • Usage: “The campaign relies on securing three major gifts of $1 million or more.”

Moves Management

  • Definition: A system for “moving” a prospect into a deeper relationship with a nonprofit.
  • Usage: “Our officer uses moves management to track each prospect in the cycle.”

Stewardship

  • Definition: Relationship building after a gift is made (thanking and reporting).
  • Usage: “Good stewardship means the donor feels appreciated long after the check is cashed.”

II. Grants & Philanthropy

Community Foundation

  • Definition: A philanthropic institution that manages funds for a specific geographic area.
  • Usage: “We applied for a grant from the local community foundation for the cleanup.”

Donor-Advised Fund (DAF)

  • Definition: A vehicle where donors receive a tax benefit and recommend grants over time.
  • Usage: “We received a grant recommended by a family through their DAF.”

Letter of Inquiry (LOI) / RFP

  • Definition: An LOI is a brief introductory letter; an RFP (Request for Proposals) is a formal invitation to apply for a grant.
  • Usage: “The foundation requires an LOI before you can submit a full proposal.”

Program Officer

  • Definition: The person at a foundation who manages a specific mission area and works with applicants.
  • Usage: “Our program officer advocated for our proposal to be approved.”

Program-related investment (PRI)

  • Definition: A low-interest loan made by a foundation that must be repaid but counts as a charitable gift.
  • Usage: “The foundation provided a $1 million PRI to help us build affordable housing.”

Trust-Based Philanthropy

  • Definition: An approach focusing on unrestricted funding and streamlined reporting to address power imbalances.
  • Usage: “The foundation adopted trust-based philanthropy, so we no longer submit detailed expense reports.”

Articles of Incorporation / By-laws

  • Definition: Legal documents that establish the organization and its governing rules.
  • Usage: “According to our by-laws, we must have at least three officers on the board.”

Directors and Officers (D&O) Insurance

  • Definition: Liability insurance protecting board members from personal losses due to legal action.
  • Usage: “She made sure the nonprofit carried D&O insurance before joining the board.”

Fiscal Sponsorship

  • Definition: An arrangement where a 501(c)(3) provides tax-exempt status to a project lacking its own.
  • Usage: “The project operates under the fiscal sponsorship of an arts nonprofit.”

Form 990

  • Definition: The annual nonprofit tax form in the USA.
  • Usage: “You can look up any nonprofit’s Form 990 on GuideStar.”

Restricted Fund

  • Definition: A donation that must be used for a specific purpose or timeframe.
  • Usage: “We cannot use the restricted fund for the electric bill; it is for scholarships.”

Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT)

  • Definition: Taxes on income from activities not directly related to the charitable mission.
  • Usage: “Because we sell ad space in our magazine, we have to calculate our UBIT.”

IV. Governance, Strategy & Leadership

Ex Officio

  • Definition: A member of a board who is there by virtue of holding another office (usually non-voting).
  • Usage: “The Executive Director serves on the board ex officio.”

Founder’s Syndrome

  • Definition: When a founder resists growth or change, maintaining disproportionate power.
  • Usage: “The organization is suffering from Founder’s Syndrome.”

Mission Statement / Vision Statement

  • Definition: The mission is the purpose; the vision is the ideal world resulting from that purpose.
  • Usage: “Our vision is ‘A world where every child has access to clean drinking water.'”

Strategic Plan

  • Definition: A 3-5 year document outlining goals and strategies.
  • Usage: “Our new strategic plan says we will expand into three new counties.”

V. Program, Impact & Evaluation

Beneficiary

  • Definition: The individuals or groups directly served by the mission.
  • Usage: “The primary beneficiaries of this grant will be single mothers.”

Logic Model

  • Definition: A visual roadmap showing how resources lead to activities and results.
  • Usage: “We attached a logic model mapping out our inputs and expected outcomes.”

Outputs vs. Outcomes

  • Definition: Outputs are the work done (meals served); outcomes are the change achieved (reduced hunger).
  • Usage: “While outcomes are more important, our reported outputs included 10,000 meals.”

Theory of Change (ToC)

  • Definition: A description of how and why a desired change is expected to happen.
  • Usage: “Our ToC argues that housing first is the key to solving unemployment.”

VI. Operations, Management & HR

Capacity-building

  • Definition: Building systems and financial strength so the nonprofit can better serve its mission.
  • Usage: “We received a grant to upgrade our donor database.”

Infrastructure

  • Definition: The internal systems, technology, and staff required to keep the nonprofit functioning.
  • Usage: “We need funding to improve our IT infrastructure.”

Overhead

  • Definition: Admin and fundraising costs not tied to a specific program.
  • Usage: “Our goal is to keep our overhead expenses under 15%.”

Nonprofit Lingo 101: Commonly Misused Nonprofit Jargon Terms

Impact vs. Output

  • Impact is the long-term, systemic change (e.g., lower poverty rates).
  • Output is the immediate quantity (e.g., number of brochures printed).
  • Don’t say “Our brochure had a huge impact.” Say “Our brochure reached 1,000 people (output).”

Social Enterprise vs. Fee-for-Service

  • Social Enterprise is a business venture (like a thrift store) that funds the mission.
  • Fee-for-Service is charging the client a small fee for the mission activity itself (like a $10 clinic visit).

Hard Credit vs. Soft Credit

  • Hard Credit goes to the entity that signed the check (e.g., The Smith Family Foundation).
  • Soft Credit goes to the individual who made the gift happen (e.g., Mr. Smith).

Underserved vs. Underrepresented

  • Underserved means a community lacks resources (e.g., no health clinics).
  • Underrepresented means a group lacks a voice in leadership (e.g., no women on the board).

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Instead or nonprofit jargon why can’t we just use standard business terms like “customer,” “investor,” or “profit” in a nonprofit?

A: While some business terms are crossing over, using them exclusively can cause “mission drift” or legal confusion. Referring to a donor as an “investor” implies they will get a financial return, which is legally untrue in a nonprofit. Calling a beneficiary a “customer” can minimize the complex vulnerabilities they might face. And while nonprofits can make a financial surplus, legally they cannot distribute that “profit” to individuals; it must be reinvested back into the mission. Using precise nonprofit terminology protects the organization’s legal status and core values.

Q: Why is the concept of “overhead” treated differently in nonprofits than in businesses?

A: In the business world, administrative costs and infrastructure (like good software or HR teams) are viewed as necessary investments for growth. In the nonprofit sector, there is a historical, and sometimes problematic, expectation from donors that 100% of their money will go directly to the “cause.” As a result, nonprofits have to strictly categorize and defend their “overhead” (management and fundraising costs) in ways that businesses simply do not, leading to a heavy reliance on specialized accounting jargon.

Q: Are nonprofits completely separate from the business and government sectors?

A: Not at all! The most effective social change usually happens when all three sectors overlap. Governments often provide massive grants to nonprofits to execute social services on the ground. Businesses partner with nonprofits through corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives or employee matching programs. Nonprofits essentially sit in the middle, leveraging private wealth and government support to create public good.

Where Should Your Course Live? A Creator’s Guide to Hosting Platforms

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

Key Takeaways

  • Choosing the right platform is crucial for your online course’s success; options include Open Systems, Off-the-Shelf Platforms, Course Marketplaces, and Self-Hosted LMS.
  • Open Systems like YouTube and Vimeo allow basic hosting but lack course functionalities.
  • Off-the-Shelf Platforms offer all-in-one solutions with ease but come with monthly fees and limited control.
  • Course Marketplaces like Udemy and Skillshare simplify marketing but take significant portions of your revenue.
  • Self-Hosted LMS gives complete control and ownership but requires technical management.
Affiliate disclaimer: This content includes affiliate links. That means when you buy something we’re linked to, Nonprofit.Courses earns a commission, at no extra cost to you. It’s a win/win. You get some great content, and we keep the lights on!

How to choose an online course platform

You’ve spent countless hours outlining, recording, and perfecting your online course, maybe for Nonprofit.Courses, or maybe for somewhere else. You have valuable knowledge to share, but before you can start enrolling students, you face a major hurdle: where should your course actually live?

Choosing the right platform to host your video content and curriculum is one of the most critical decisions you will make as a course creator. The right choice will streamline your marketing, protect your content, and provide a seamless experience for your students. The wrong choice can lead to technical headaches and lost revenue.

To make the best decision, you need to understand the four main types of hosting environments available to you: Open Systems, Off-the-Shelf Platforms, Course Marketplaces, and Self-Hosted Learning Management Systems (LMS).

Let’s break down the differences so you can find the perfect home for your content.

Table of contents

1. Open Systems: YouTube and Vimeo

Open video platforms are the easiest and cheapest way to get your videos online, but they serve very different purposes.

  • YouTube: As the world’s second-largest search engine, YouTube is fantastic for discoverability. It is highly recommended for your top-of-funnel marketing—sharing free, bite-sized content to build an audience. However, it is not a course platform. You cannot easily charge for access, students are bombarded with distracting ads, and there is no way to track student progress, issue certificates, or host quizzes.
  • Vimeo: Vimeo is a premium video hosting service. Unlike YouTube, Vimeo is ad-free and offers robust privacy controls (e.g., you can restrict video playback so your videos only play on your specific website). While Vimeo is an excellent place to store your video files securely, it still lacks the structural features of a true online school. You will need to pair Vimeo with another website builder or LMS to create a real course experience.

The Verdict: Use open systems to market your course or host your raw video files, but don’t rely on them as your standalone online school.

2. Off-the-Shelf Platforms (All-in-One Solutions)

If you want to focus entirely on teaching and marketing without worrying about website maintenance, hosting, or coding, an “off-the-shelf” platform is your best bet.

These are Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) products where you pay a monthly or annual fee to “rent” space on their infrastructure. They provide everything you need out of the box: video hosting, payment processing, student portals, and sales pages.

There is a vast ecosystem of these platforms to fit different creator needs:

  • The Heavyweights: Platforms like Teachable and Thinkific are incredibly popular for their ease of use, beautiful student dashboards, and robust course-building tools.
  • All-in-One Marketing Powerhouses: If you want your course platform to also act as your email CRM and sales funnel builder, platforms like Kajabi, Kartra, and HighLevel offer massive, comprehensive feature sets.
  • Community-Centric: Platforms like Skool and Zenler are fantastic if your course relies heavily on community interaction, gamification, and ongoing student engagement.
  • Simple & Streamlined: If you want a lightweight, fast way to sell digital products alongside your courses, Gumroad and PayHip are incredibly easy to set up.
  • Interactive & Innovative: LearnWorlds offers highly interactive video features, while emerging platforms like OnlineCourses.ai are integrating artificial intelligence directly into the course creation process.

Understanding Off-the-Shelf Pricing Models

When evaluating these platforms, it’s crucial to understand how they charge. They generally fall into three pricing categories:

  • Pay Per Course Sale (No Upfront Monthly Fees): Platforms like Gumroad and PayHip are risk-free to start. They don’t charge monthly subscription fees; instead, they take a small percentage (transaction fee) of every sale you make.
  • Platforms with Free Course Hosting (Free Tiers): If you want to test the waters, platforms like Thinkific and Teachable offer limited “freemium” plans. You can host a course for free, though Teachable takes a cut of your sales on their free tier, and both limit premium features until you upgrade to a paid plan.
  • Strictly Monthly Subscription Fees: Most robust platforms (including Kajabi, Skool, LearnWorlds, Kartra, HighLevel, Zenler, and OnlineCourses.ai) require a paid monthly or annual subscription to keep your course live (typically after a 14- or 30-day free trial).

The Verdict: Off-the-shelf platforms are ideal for most creators who want a plug-and-play solution. The trade-off is that you don’t fully “own” the platform, and you are subject to their monthly fees and customization limits.

3. Course Marketplaces (Udemy, Skillshare)

If you don’t have an existing audience and the thought of marketing your own course sounds exhausting, course marketplaces like Udemy and Skillshare might seem like the perfect solution.

These platforms act like the Amazon of online courses. You upload your video content to their marketplace, and they handle the hosting, payment processing, and most importantly, the marketing to their massive built-in user bases.

  • Udemy: Best for comprehensive, skills-based courses (programming, business, marketing). Udemy is famous for running massive site-wide sales, meaning your course will frequently sell for $10 to $15, regardless of the list price you set.
  • Skillshare: Best for creative and project-based classes (design, photography, writing). Skillshare operates on a subscription model (like Netflix), and instructors are paid a share of a royalty pool based on the number of minutes students spend watching their classes.

The Catch: The trade-off for access to their millions of students is a significant loss of control and revenue. Platforms like Udemy take a large percentage of organic sales (often around 60% if the student didn’t use your personal referral link). Even worse, you do not own your student data. You cannot export your students’ email addresses to sell them future products, effectively preventing you from building your own independent mailing list.

The Verdict: Marketplaces are excellent for beginners looking to validate a course idea, gain teaching experience, or generate a side stream of passive income. However, they are not ideal if your primary goal is to build an independent, scalable course business and a loyal community you control.

4. Self-Hosted Learning Management Systems (LMS)

What if you want total control, zero monthly platform fees, and 100% ownership of your data and design? Enter the self-hosted LMS.

These are typically robust plugins that you install on your own WordPress website. The two leading titans in this space are:

With a self-hosted LMS, your course lives directly on your domain. You have infinite flexibility to customize the look, feel, and functionality of your school. You can add complex gamification, detailed reporting, and private forums, restricted only by your imagination (and perhaps your web developer’s skill).

The Verdict: Self-hosting is perfect for established creators, businesses, and organizations that need ultimate flexibility and want to build a long-term asset they fully control. The downside? You are entirely responsible for the technical side, including website hosting, software updates, security, and troubleshooting.

A Crucial Feature to Consider:The Possibilities of Affiliate Marketing

See our Learn How to Create an Affiliate on Popular Course Platforms page.

Regardless of which route you choose, there is one marketing strategy you shouldn’t ignore: Affiliate Marketing. Allowing your biggest fans, industry partners, and former students to act as a commissioned sales army is one of the fastest, most effective ways to scale your revenue.

When choosing a platform, you need to look at how it empowers you to work with affiliates. The possibilities vary wildly depending on your hosting setup:

  • Off-the-Shelf Possibilities: Most SaaS platforms (like Teachable, Thinkific, Kajabi, and LearnWorlds) have powerful affiliate centers built right into your dashboard. You have the possibility to generate unique tracking links for individual partners, set custom commission percentages (e.g., giving 30% to a standard affiliate but 50% to a high-volume VIP partner), and track their clicks and conversions in real-time. Even simpler platforms like Gumroad and PayHip make one-click affiliate link generation incredibly easy. In many cases, these platforms will even handle the automated payout of commissions so you don’t have to do the accounting yourself.
  • Self-Hosted Possibilities: If you choose to self-host with LearnDash or LifterLMS, or if you use a standard website builder like Wix, your affiliate possibilities are virtually limitless. By integrating third-party affiliate tools like GoAffPro or TrackDesk, you can set up advanced structures. Want to offer multi-tiered commissions (where affiliates get paid for recruiting other affiliates)? Want to offer lifetime recurring commissions for a membership course? You can do it all here, fully white-labeling the affiliate portal to match your brand.
  • Course Marketplace Possibilities: Marketplaces like Udemy bring their own massive, global affiliate networks to the table to push your course across the internet. The distinct possibility here is high volume with zero effort on your part. The catch? You have absolutely zero control. You don’t get to choose the affiliates, you can’t set the commission rates, and you can’t build direct relationships with the people promoting your work.

(If you want to see exactly how affiliate setup works across different software, check out this great breakdown on how to create an affiliate in popular course platforms).

Final Thoughts: How to Choose

To make your final decision, ask yourself these three questions:

  1. What is my tech comfort level? (Low tech = Off-the-shelf or Marketplaces; High tech = Self-hosted).
  2. What is my marketing strategy? (Want the platform to find students for you? Choose a Marketplace. Want to build your own brand, keep the emails, and run your own affiliate program? Choose Off-the-shelf or Self-hosted).
  3. What is my budget? (Off-the-shelf platforms range from free tiers and pay-per-sale models to ongoing monthly subscriptions; Self-hosted requires upfront development costs but lower ongoing fees; Marketplaces are free to upload but take a large cut of sales).

Take your time, take advantage of free trials, and pick the platform that aligns best with your business goals. Happy teaching!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the main types of online course platforms? There are four primary ways to host an online course:

– Open Systems (like YouTube or Vimeo)
– Off-the-Shelf Platforms (all-in-one software like Teachable or Thinkific)
– Course Marketplaces (like Udemy or Skillshare)
– Self-Hosted Learning Management Systems (LMS) (WordPress plugins like LearnDash)

2. Can I just host my online course on YouTube?

While YouTube is excellent for top-of-funnel marketing and audience building, it is not a true course platform. It doesn’t allow you to easily charge for access, track student progress, issue certificates, or provide an ad-free, distraction-free learning environment.

3. What is the difference between an “off-the-shelf” platform and a “self-hosted” LMS?

– An off-the-shelf platform (like Thinkific or Skool) is a monthly or annual subscription service that provides everything you need out of the box (hosting, payment processing, student portals). They are easy to use but offer less customization.
– A self-hosted LMS (like LearnDash or LifterLMS) is a plugin you install on your own website. It requires more technical skill but gives you 100% ownership, zero monthly platform fees, and infinite customization.

4. Are there any free platforms to host my online course?

Yes! If you want to test the waters with zero upfront costs, platforms like Gumroad and PayHip are completely free to use and only take a small transaction fee when you make a sale. Other platforms like Thinkific and Teachable offer limited “freemium” tiers that allow you to host a course for free before upgrading to premium features.

5. Is it a good idea to sell my course on Udemy or Skillshare?

Course marketplaces like Udemy and Skillshare are great for beginners because they handle the marketing and give you access to millions of existing students. However, the trade-off is that you surrender a lot of control, give up a large percentage of your revenue, and most importantly, you do not own your student data (like email addresses) to build your own independent business.

6. Can I set up an affiliate program so others can sell my course?

Yes, affiliate marketing is highly recommended. Most off-the-shelf platforms (like Thinkific and LearnWorlds) have affiliate centers built directly into your dashboard. If you self-host your course on WordPress or Wix, you can easily integrate third-party tools like GoAffPro or TrackDesk to create custom, multi-tiered affiliate programs.

7. How do I decide which platform is best for me? To make the best choice, assess three things:

– Tech Comfort Level: Choose off-the-shelf or marketplaces if you are low-tech. Choose self-hosted if you are highly technical.
– Marketing Strategy: Choose a marketplace if you want the platform to find students for you. Choose off-the-shelf or self-hosted if you want to build an independent brand and keep your email list.
– Budget: Choose pay-per-sale (Gumroad) if you have zero budget. Choose off-the-shelf if you can afford a monthly subscription for convenience.

The Nonprofit AI Revolution: How to Cure Burnout, Build Trust, and Scale Your Mission

The Nonprofit AI Revolution: How to Cure Burnout, Build Trust, and Scale Your Mission

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

Key Takeaways

  • The Nonprofit AI Revolution emphasizes that AI can enhance nonprofit operations without needing a large budget or technical expertise.
  • AI tools can alleviate management burnout by automating administrative tasks, thereby allowing leaders to refocus on mission-critical work.
  • Nonprofits can deepen donor relationships through AI by streamlining data entry and enhancing communication efforts with predictive analytics.
  • AI helps unlock new funding opportunities by optimizing grant writing processes and improving targeted outreach to potential donors.
  • The ultimate aim is to clear administrative burdens so that nonprofit staff can concentrate on their core mission: caring, connecting, and changing lives.

Nonprofit AI. If you’re a nonprofit leader in 2026, you’re likely hearing two very loud, very conflicting messages.

One voice screams that AI is the magic bullet that will solve all your resource constraints overnight. The other whispers ominously that if you don’t adopt AI yesterday, your organization will be left in the dust.

This whip-sawing between salvation and obsolescence has created a phenomenon known as the “AI Divide”—a deep-seated fear that only the well-funded, tech-savvy giants will harness these tools, while smaller, community-based nonprofits get drowned out by algorithmic noise.

But here is the truth that cuts through the hype: You don’t need a million-dollar budget or a dedicated engineering team to bridge that divide.

The most impactful AI tools available today are accessible, affordable, and uniquely suited to solve the specific problems keeping nonprofit leaders up at night—from the “hollow middle” of management burnout to the volatility of modern fundraising.

Here is how your organization can move beyond the buzzwords and use AI right now to build a more resilient, human-centered mission.

Table of contents

1. Cure the “Burnout Crisis” by Clearing the Clutter

One of the most immediate benefits of AI isn’t about generating flashy content; it’s about survival. Nonprofit staff are exhausted. We are seeing a “Hollow Middle” in management, where leaders are buried under so much administrative debris that they have no energy left to lead.

Think of AI as the administrative assistant you can’t afford to hire.

  • The Internal “Wiki-Bot”: Onboarding new staff is a massive time sink. Instead of answering “How do I submit expenses?” for the tenth time, an internal AI bot trained on your handbook (stored in secure cloud platforms like Box) can answer instantly. This saves HR countless emails and empowers staff to find answers themselves.
  • Smart Scheduling: For shelters, clinics, or crisis centers with shift workers, scheduling is a logistical nightmare. AI-driven employee management tools (like Connecteam) can build efficient schedules that respect time-off requests, minimize overtime costs, and ensure coverage—instantly solving a puzzle that usually takes a manager hours to fix.
  • Bias-Free Hiring: You can scan job descriptions using writing assistants like Grammarly to automatically flag and remove gender-coded words or biased language, helping you build a more diverse team without the manual labor of line-by-line editing.

By handing these repetitive tasks to a machine, you aren’t replacing staff; you are freeing them to do the work they were actually hired to do.

2. Deepen Donor Relationships (Don’t Replace Them)

In an era of “Donor Disappearance,” many fear that AI will make fundraising cold and impersonal. The reality is the exact opposite. AI’s true power lies in its ability to automate the research and data entry that keeps gift officers chained to their desks, freeing them to have more face-to-face conversations.

  • The “Lapsed Donor” Early Warning System: Instead of analyzing a spreadsheet to see who already left, predictive AI (often found in modern CRMs like Bloomerang or fundraising platforms like DonorBox) can analyze engagement patterns to flag donors before they lapse. It can trigger a task for a human team member to reach out personally while it still matters.
  • The Gift Officer’s Co-Pilot: Imagine walking into a lunch meeting with a major donor having read a 2-minute “cheat sheet” that summarizes their recent business news, philanthropic history, and past interactions with your org. AI generates this in seconds, turning hours of prospect research into instant actionable intelligence.
  • Prospecting for “Warmth”: Traditional screening looks for wealth. AI looks for affinity. Analytics partners like Staupell Analytics Group use data to help identify prospects who aren’t just wealthy, but who have supported causes exactly like yours in the last six months.

3. Unlock New Revenue: AI for Grants and Smart Funding

Funding volatility is the enemy of impact. AI offers new ways to stabilize your revenue streams, particularly in the high-stakes world of grant writing and digital grants.

  • Grant Writing on Steroids: AI tools can drastically reduce the time it takes to draft responses to standard grant questions (e.g., “Describe your organization’s history”). While AI handles the “zero draft,” human experts are needed to add the strategy and soul. Experts like Teresa Huff offer training on how to blend AI efficiency with winning grant strategies.
  • Maximizing Google Ad Grants: Many nonprofits struggle to spend their full $10,000/month Google Ad Grant because managing keywords is complex. AI-driven tools and agencies like Getting Attention use machine learning to optimize your ad spend, ensuring you capture every dollar of free advertising available to drive traffic to your cause.
  • Precision Funding Matches: Instead of “spray and pray” applications, AI can scan thousands of funders to find those who have funded projects exactly like yours in the last six months. For deeper prospect research skills and tools, resources from the Prospect Research Institute can help your team leverage this data effectively.
  • Seamless Fundraising: Modern platforms like Keela are integrating AI to optimize donation forms and suggest giving amounts, removing friction for your donors.

4. Scale Your Mission and Build Trust

How do you meet skyrocketing community demand with a frozen budget? This is where AI transitions from an operational tool to a mission-critical asset. It removes the friction that slows down service delivery.

  • 24/7 Crisis Triage: For organizations in legal aid, housing, or mental health, requests for help don’t stop at 5 PM. AI chatbots and automated text messaging services (like Text Magic) can handle intake at 3 AM, triaging immediate needs and scheduling follow-ups for human staff. This ensures no cry for help goes unanswered during off-hours.
  • Breaking Language Barriers: You can now instantly translate intake forms, educational materials, and legal updates into 20+ languages. This allows you to serve non-English speaking populations effectively without the massive delays and costs of traditional translation.
  • Turning Data into Direction: If you have 500 handwritten client surveys sitting in a box, they are useless. Feed them into an AI tool, and it can identify the top three recurring themes or complaints in seconds, turning raw feedback into actionable program improvements.

5. Sleep Better: Financial Armor for the ED

Fiscal instability is the number one fear for Executive Directors. AI provides a new layer of protection and foresight.

  • The “Fraud Watchdog”: AI tools can scan your general ledger in accounting software like Aplos or FreshBooks 24/7 to flag anomalies—like a duplicate vendor payment or an unusual withdrawal—that a human eye might miss during a busy month-end close.
  • Scenario Planning in Seconds: Instead of spending a week in Excel hell, you can ask AI: “What happens to our budget if our government grant is cut by 15% and rent goes up by 8%?” and get an immediate model of the financial impact.
  • Meeting Minutes on Autopilot: Let AI (or transcription tools like Audext) listen to your board meeting and generate a summary of “Decisions Made” and “Action Items Assigned” within minutes.

The Bottom Line

The goal of AI for nonprofits is not to become a tech company. It is to clear away the clutter of administration, data entry, and fatigue so that your human staff can do what only humans can do: care, connect, and change lives.

The “AI Divide” is only real if we let it be. The tools are there, affordable and ready. The only question is: Which problem will you solve first?

Ready to bridge the AI Divide?

Get the practical training you need to implement these strategies today. Visit NonprofitAICourses.com to start your journey.

Affiliate disclaimer: This content includes affiliate links. That means when you buy something we’re linked to, Nonprofit.Courses earns a commission, at no extra cost to you. It’s a win/win. You get some great content, and we keep the lights on!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will AI replace our fundraising staff?

A: No. The goal of AI is to automate the “robotic” tasks—like data entry, scheduling, and basic research—so your human staff has more time to build personal relationships with donors.

Q: How can AI help with staff burnout?

A: By acting as an “internal wiki” or administrative assistant. AI tools can handle repetitive HR questions, optimize complex shift schedules, and draft basic content, freeing leaders from the “hollow middle” of administrative overload.

Q: Is AI too expensive for small nonprofits?

A: No. Many impactful tools are affordable or free. You don’t need a massive budget to use AI for grant drafting, donor research, or language translation to better serve your community.

Q: How does AI help with grant writing?

A: AI can drastically reduce the time needed to write the “zero draft” of a proposal by answering standard questions about your history and programs. This allows human writers to focus on strategy and persuasion rather than repetitive typing.

Truths About Running a Nonprofit That Will Change How You Work The Gap Between Passion and Practice

Truths About Running a Nonprofit That Will Change How You Work The Gap Between Passion and Practice

The Gap Between Passion and Practice

Passion is the fuel of the nonprofit sector. It's the powerful belief in a mission that drives founders, leaders, and volunteers to dedicate themselves to creating change. But passion alone doesn't pay the bills, build a high-functioning board, or secure a game-changing grant. The gap between a powerful mission and a sustainable organization is often filled with the complex, demanding "business" of running a nonprofit—a reality that can challenge even the most dedicated professionals. To bridge this gap, leaders need practical insights that go beyond surface-level advice.


The "Nonprofit Deep Dive" podcast by Nonprofit.Courses was created for this purpose, synthesizing expert knowledge into actionable strategies on finance, governance, and development. This article distills five of the most impactful takeaways from its initial episodes—truths that reframe common challenges into strategic opportunities.

1. Your Budget Isn't Just a Spreadsheet—It's Your Mission's Blueprint

Nonprofit finance is often treated as a compliance requirement—a set of numbers to be reported and filed away. The Nonprofit Deep Dive podcast reframes this entirely, dedicating episodes to establishing budgets as the “blueprint for mission success” and, more specifically, framing “Your Grant Budget Is Your Vision.” This dual focus emphasizes that every financial document, from the organizational level down to a single proposal, is a tangible translation of the organization's strategic plan.

This mindset shift is critical. It transforms budgeting from a dreaded administrative task into a powerful tool for planning and storytelling. When leaders view their budget as the blueprint, it becomes a guide for making strategic decisions, communicating value to funders, and ensuring every dollar is aligned with achieving the mission.

Finance Tools:

  • Aplos: Move beyond spreadsheets with true fund accounting software built specifically for nonprofits.
  • FreshBooks: A user-friendly option for smaller organizations or consultants needing to track expenses and projects clearly.

2. Stop "Fundraising." Start "Development."

The term "fundraising" often conjures a narrow image of simply asking for money. In one of its most urgent directives, the podcast challenges leaders to abandon this limited mindset and immediately adopt the more comprehensive, relationship-focused strategy of "development." This isn't just a change in terminology; it's a fundamental change in approach.

Development encompasses the entire process of building long-term, sustainable support for an organization. It includes cultivating relationships, demonstrating impact, and creating a community of engaged stakeholders who are invested in the mission, not just a single campaign. This approach is critical for long-term financial health, as it moves the organization from a reactive cycle of asking for money to a proactive strategy of building lasting partnerships.

Development Spotlight:

  • Shift your focus from transactions to relationships using Bloomerang. It’s designed specifically to help you retain donors and build that long-term community.

3. Volunteer Labor Has a Hidden Price Tag

Volunteers are the lifeblood of many nonprofits, but one of the most counter-intuitive truths is that "Volunteer Labor isn't Free." While volunteers donate their time, supporting them effectively requires a significant investment of organizational resources. There are real costs associated with recruitment, screening, training, management, and recognition.

Acknowledging this hidden price tag is essential for realistic operational planning. It forces leaders to budget for a proper volunteer management program, ensuring that volunteers are well-supported, effective, and retained. By accounting for these real costs, an organization can build a stronger, more reliable volunteer corps and more accurately allocate its resources for mission delivery.

Management Tools:

  • Invest in your volunteer workforce with Connecteam. It allows you to schedule, train, and communicate with your non-desk volunteers directly from their phones.

4. An Audit Can Be Your Strategic Superpower

For many nonprofit leaders, the word "audit" brings a sense of dread. It's often viewed as a punitive check-up, focused on finding errors. The podcast flips this narrative, rebranding the audit as a "strategic superpower." This perspective changes the audit process from a compliance burden to a valuable opportunity for organizational improvement.

An audit provides an expert, third-party assessment of an organization's financial processes and internal controls. When viewed strategically, its findings are not criticisms but a roadmap for strengthening financial health, improving efficiency, and critically, building and maintaining public trust. Embracing the audit as a tool empowers leaders to proactively use its insights to make their organization more resilient, transparent, and effective.

Compliance Spotlight:

  • Keep your financial records, board minutes, and audit trails secure and organized with Box. It ensures you're always ready when the auditors call.

5. Winning Grants is a Competitive Sport, Not a Writing Contest

Submitting a well-written grant proposal is important, but it's rarely enough to secure funding in today's crowded landscape. A key insight from the podcast is that winning grants requires a "competitive strategy, not just good writing." Funders are not just reviewing applications; they are making strategic investments in organizations they believe can achieve maximum impact.

This is where the first truth—the budget as a mission blueprint—becomes a competitive weapon. Organizations must strategically position themselves, clearly articulate a compelling and unique vision, and present a budget that demonstrates a clear plan for success. The budget in a grant proposal isn't just a list of costs; it's the financial proof of the strategic vision, demonstrating to funders that the organization has a credible plan to turn their investment into impact.

Grant Resources:

  • Teresa Huff: Learn the competitive strategies that turn proposals into funded projects.
  • Grammarly: While strategy is key, clarity is still king. Ensure your proposal is error-free and easy to read.

Building the Engine for Good

These takeaways share a common theme: building a truly effective nonprofit requires transforming the engine room of the organization. True success is found when budgets become strategic blueprints, audits become assets for building trust, and fundraising evolves into a discipline of strategic development. Passion provides the "why," but this sophisticated infrastructure provides the "how," enabling organizations to scale their good and create lasting change.

Resources like the "Nonprofit Deep Dive" podcast are designed to help leaders build this engine. By moving past common myths and embracing these deeper truths, nonprofit professionals can transform their organizations from well-intentioned to highly effective.

Which of these truths will most radically change how you approach your mission tomorrow?

Find Your Solution

Ready to dig deeper into these topics? Visit the Nonprofit.Courses Focused Search Hub to quickly find the exact training and resources you need to bridge the gap between your passion and your practice.

Beyond the Mission: 5 Surprising Truths About the Jobs That Power Nonprofits

Beyond the Mission: 5 Surprising Truths About the Jobs That Power Nonprofits

More Than Just Heart

When you think of a nonprofit, what comes to mind? For many, it’s the image of dedicated individuals on the front lines—mentoring children, serving meals, or organizing community events. This passion is the sector's lifeblood, but it's often mistaken for the entire story, painting a picture of work that is more heart than structure.

But have you ever stopped to wonder what that structure truly looks like? What does the org chart look like for an entity that must simultaneously function as a sophisticated fundraising enterprise, a multi-channel marketing agency, a human resources firm, and a public policy advocate?

If you're new to the sector or considering a career change, you might be surprised to find that your professional skills are not just welcome—they're mission-critical. So, let's pull back the curtain on the complex and surprisingly corporate-like roles that are essential for any nonprofit's success.

Nonprofit Infrastructure
Needs Executive Level Talent


1. Fundraising Isn't a Bake Sale, It's a Sophisticated Business Operation

Modern nonprofit fundraising is far more than simply asking for money. It is a highly specialized field that functions much like the sales and business development department of a major corporation, requiring a diverse team with distinct, professional skills.

At the top, a Chief Development Officer (CDO) or VP of Development sets the strategy, supported by a Director of Philanthropy or Director of Development who guides major donor initiatives and a Campaign Manager who runs large-scale fundraising drives. The team is segmented to focus on specific revenue streams: a Corporate Relations Director builds partnerships with businesses, a Foundation Relations Manager cultivates grant-making foundations, and a Major Gifts Officer works to secure large donations from individuals.

Other specialists focus on long-term giving, like the Planned Giving Director, or build broad support through an Annual Giving Director. In member-based organizations, a Membership Manager or Alumni Relations Director is key.

This frontline effort is powered by a robust back office. A Grant Writer crafts compelling proposals while a Prospect Researcher identifies potential new donors. Once a gift is made, a Donor Relations Manager ensures donors feel appreciated, a Gift Processing Manager handles the transaction, and a Database Manager maintains the crucial CRM data. Even large-scale galas and charity runs require the expertise of a Special Events Director. This structure isn't bureaucratic bloat; it’s a required framework for building donor trust, ensuring a high return on investment for fundraising efforts, and diversifying revenue to weather economic shifts.

Tools of the Trade: Fundraising

  • For the Database Manager: Bloomerang, Keela and Donorbox are a top-tier CRMs designed to manage donor retention and complex relationships.
  • For the Grant Writer: Teresa Huff offers specialized training to turn grant writing into a strategic revenue stream.
  • For the Prospect Researcher: The Prospect Research Institute is the go-to resource for learning how to identify major funding opportunities.

2. Your Corporate Skills Have a Direct Counterpart Here

Many professionals believe that moving to the nonprofit sector means leaving their corporate expertise behind. The reality is the opposite. The core business functions that drive a for-profit company are not just present in nonprofits—they are absolutely critical for strategic growth and responsible stewardship. Individuals transitioning from business or government will find their skills in high demand.

A modern nonprofit often has a full C-suite, with a Chief Operations Officer (COO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO), and Chief People Officer (CPO) / CHRO guiding the organization alongside a General Counsel. These leaders typically report to an Executive Director or Chief Association Executive. This leadership structure enables the organization to operate at scale, manage complex risks, and compete for funding and talent in a crowded marketplace.

This corporate structure extends throughout the organization. The need for rigorous financial and legal oversight requires a complete, top-to-bottom finance team, from a strategic Controller or Director of Finance to an Accountant and internal Auditor. On the operational side, a Bookkeeper records daily transactions, a Payroll Specialist ensures everyone gets paid correctly, and a specialized Grant Accountant meticulously tracks restricted project funds. Likewise, the legal team may include a Staff Attorney, Paralegal, Risk Manager, and Compliance Officer to navigate complex contracts and regulations.

  • For the Finance Team: Aplos provides fund accounting software specifically designed for nonprofit compliance, while FreshBooks serves smaller organizations well.
  • For the Legal/Compliance Team: Terms Feed is essential for generating compliant privacy policies, and Box offers secure, compliant document storage.

3. Influencing Policy is a Professional Pursuit

For many nonprofits, fulfilling their mission means going beyond direct service to influence the laws and regulations that shape society. This advocacy work is not an afterthought handled by volunteers; it is a core strategy executed by a team of dedicated professionals.

This team works to advance the organization's agenda at local, state, and federal levels. A Government Relations Director manages relationships with elected officials, while an Advocacy Director leads public campaigns to build support for policy change. Behind the scenes, a Policy Analyst conducts in-depth research on legislation, and in many cases, a registered Lobbyist is employed to directly persuade lawmakers. This surprises many newcomers, who often hold a narrow view of charities as purely service-based and apolitical, rather than as key actors in shaping systemic change.

4. People, Data, and Technology are the Engine Room

While programs and fundraising are the most visible parts of a nonprofit, a complex internal infrastructure—an engine room of operations—keeps everything running smoothly. These teams, focused on people, data, technology, and communications, provide the foundational support that allows the mission to move forward.

The technology group ensures the entire organization has the tools to succeed. Led by an IT Director, this team includes a Systems Administrator who maintains networks, a Database Administrator who manages critical data, a Webmaster who runs the website, and a Technical Support Specialist who helps staff with day-to-day needs. A Data Analyst turns raw numbers into actionable insights, while a Member Records Administrator maintains clean data for associations.

The people and culture functions are equally vital. A Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Director works to create a more just workplace, while a Training & Development Manager fosters professional growth. The talent pipeline is managed by a Talent Acquisition Manager and Recruiter, with an HR Generalist, Employee Relations Specialist, Benefits Administrator, and HRIS Analyst supporting the employee lifecycle. For organizations that rely on unpaid staff, a Volunteer Director and Volunteer Coordinator build and manage that critical workforce.

To build a powerful public presence, a full-service marketing and communications department is essential. A Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) or Marketing Director guides the strategy, with a Brand Manager ensuring consistency. The team executes this vision through specialists like a Digital Marketing Manager, Content Marketing Manager, Social Media Manager, and Email Marketing Specialist.

This department's work is made visible through a Graphic Designer who creates visual assets and a Public Relations Manager who engages the media. A Community Relations Director builds local partnerships, ensuring the organization’s message resonates on the ground. This entire operation is guided by the strategic oversight of a Planning Manager, who ensure all functions align with the mission.

Tools of the Trade: Operations & Facilities

For the Office Manager: Bulk Office Supply is the go-to for keeping the "central nervous system" stocked and running within budget.

For the Facilities Director: Best of Signs is a great resource for safety signage, event banners, and building navigation.

For the Admin Assistant: Fax.Plus helps modernize old-school administrative tasks.

5. The Organization Has a Physical Footprint to Manage

Just like any other business, many nonprofits own or lease property, manage vehicle fleets, and run complex facilities. This physical footprint requires a dedicated and professional operations team to ensure everything is safe, efficient, and well-maintained.

The day-to-day administration is the central nervous system of the office. An Office Manager keeps things running, an Executive Assistant provides high-level support to leadership, and an Administrative Assistant or Receptionist / Front Desk Coordinator handles essential clerical duties. The logistics of running programs and offices often require a Purchasing Agent to procure supplies and a Logistics Coordinator to manage distribution, with a Data Entry Clerk ensuring all information is captured accurately.

When an organization owns a building or manages program sites, the facilities team is indispensable. A Facilities Director oversees all building operations, a Building Superintendent or Maintenance Technician / Worker handles repairs, and a Custodian / Janitor or Groundskeeper maintains the space. For safety, a Security Guard / Officer may be on-site, and if the organization uses vehicles for its programs, a Fleet Manager is needed to keep them operational.

Finding Your Place in the Mission

The nonprofit sector is a vast, professionalized field powered by a diverse array of skills, many of which are identical to those found in the corporate world. From finance and technology to human resources and logistics, there is a critical role for nearly every type of expertise. Now that you see the full picture, where does your expertise fit into the mission?

Learn more at NonprofitCareerCourses.com.

Affiliate disclaimer: This content includes affiliate links. That means when you buy it, Nonprofit.Courses earns a commission, at no extra cost to you. It’s a win/win. You get some great content, and we keep the lights on!

FAQs: Beyond the Mission

5 Surprising Truths About Nonprofit Careers

1. Is nonprofit fundraising just about organizing bake sales and asking for donations?

Far from it. Modern nonprofit fundraising is a sophisticated business operation similar to corporate sales and business development. It requires specialized roles like Chief Development Officers, Prospect Researchers, and Planned Giving Directors. These teams manage complex revenue streams, build corporate partnerships, and utilize high-end CRM data to maintain donor relationships.

2. Can I transition from a corporate career to a nonprofit without losing my professional edge?

Absolutely. In fact, your skills are likely "mission-critical." Modern nonprofits often feature a full C-suite (COO, CFO, CHRO, etc.) and require the same rigorous financial, legal, and operational oversight as for-profit companies. Roles such as Accountants, Internal Auditors, Risk Managers, and Staff Attorneys are essential for navigating regulations and ensuring responsible stewardship.

3. Do nonprofits actually participate in political advocacy and lobbying?

Yes. For many organizations, fulfilling their mission requires changing the systemic laws and regulations that affect their cause. This is handled by a professional team including Government Relations Directors, Policy Analysts, and even registered Lobbyists. It is a strategic, professional pursuit rather than an afterthought handled by volunteers.

4. What kind of "behind-the-scenes" technology and people roles exist in nonprofits?

The "engine room" of a nonprofit is powered by robust IT, Data, and HR departments. You will find positions for:

  • Technology: IT Directors, Systems Administrators, Webmasters, and Data Analysts.
  • Human Resources: Talent Acquisition Managers, DEI Directors, and Training & Development Managers.
  • Marketing: Chief Marketing Officers, Brand Managers, and Social Media Specialists who manage the organization’s public presence just like a marketing agency.

5. Do nonprofits have a physical footprint like traditional businesses?

Many do. Organizations that own or lease property require a dedicated facilities team. This includes Facilities Directors, Fleet Managers (for vehicle fleets), Logistics Coordinators, and Security Officers. Managing the physical infrastructure is vital to ensuring that programs are delivered safely and efficiently.

6. Where can I learn more about specific nonprofit roles for career changers?

The article recommends resources like NonprofitCareerCourses.com and highlights specific tools of the trade—such as Bloomerang for database management or Aplos for fund accounting—to help professionals understand the specialized software used in the sector.

Do You have an Ideal Volunteer?

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Do You have an Ideal Volunteer?

“We’ll take anybody.”

Have you said that when asked about volunteers? Did you mean it? How’d that work for you?

If you were lucky, then fine. But do you want to rely on luck to find good volunteers?

Ooooo… wait a minute. You want good volunteers, not just any volunteers, right?

So, define “good.”

Someone who shows up on time? A person who has a car, or who can walk or ride a bike to your location? How about showing up at specific hours?

Consider this: If you ran a business, would you want 1,000 browsers in your store, or 10 people who really want what your offer? The people who want what you offer, of course, because your chances are much higher in getting a sale. But how do you get those 10 people?  In business they call it “target marketing.” Think of it as a superpower that you’re going to use for a righteous cause - your mission!

But you may be thinking, “If I put too many conditions on what I need, I’ll never find anyone.”

Actually, you might start seeing the right ones. Let’s take a lesson from the business sector.

A business looks for “good customers” by defining exactly who that customer is. The closer they get to matching the customer to their product, the higher their chance of selling that product to the customer. Something else happens, too. When they know what their ideal customer looks like, their chances increase of seeing that customer - in their database, on the street, and ultimately, in their store.

There’s some brain science behind this, but suffice to say that it’s how our ancestors were able to find food, and keep out of harm's way. Once they could describe (mentally at least, and maybe verbally) what was good to eat and what was bad and eat them, they lived longer.

Start with what does your ideal volunteer might “look” like? I put “look” in quotes because it’s not really about appearance. It’s about personal attributes.

You might be thinking, “This feels like I’m profiling people. And I’ve been taught that profiling is bad.” That’s true when it comes to activities like policing, for example. Prejudging negative and positive attributes can be risky, especially when the consequences can be so dire. Humans don’t fall neatly into categories – except that sometimes they do.

The key is getting deeper than the superficial attributes like race, ethnicity and clothing, and identifying the attributes that will make a real difference for your mission. It’s also important to identify attributes that are essential, verses those that are nice to have,  but optional.

For example, let’s say that you are running an after-school program for neighborhood kids.

The “must haves” might include an 8th grade reading level, be comfortable reading aloud, at least one Monday through Friday availability from 3 PM to 6 PM or Saturday from 8 AM to Noon, and the ability to get themselves to/from your location at those times. An ideal candidate would have experience working with children, have already passed child safety clearances for your state.

Where would you find these people?

Retirees, high school kids, traditional age college kids and teachers may all make good places to look. Maybe people between jobs, too. How about someone who works 9 to 5, Monday through Friday? Sure, but that’s only likely to get you the Saturday people, and you want to “fish where the fish are,” so to speak, and start with the obvious ones who have the required availability to increase your chances of filling your need.

Let’s focus on the college and high school kids. Just by identifying these people, you’ve done some demographic profiling: age and where they live (within a school district, or on or near campus) and a certain education level (at least 9th grade). High school and college kids who might like to do this are probably some of the active kids on campus – and they tend to have better grades, and thus higher reading levels. That reduces your pool a bit, but increases your chances of finding motivated students. While the athletes may check the “active” box, practices may take them out, at least seasonally. Your better pools may be service clubs, future teacher organizations or education majors. Now, a bit of reality. Most young people interested in careers in education identify as female. Just take that into account as you recruit. Is that okay? Do you need more boys/men to pair with the boys in your program? Does it matter? This is a demographic decision to make.

What attributes disqualify after-school reading helpers? Do they have disciplinary issues? Is transportation a problem? How about parental approval for the high school kids? Are they just doing this to meet any service hour requirements? Are there laws, like those against operating motorized machinery?

Now that you have defined who you want and their attributes, you need to put yourself where the local, active, student-aged, people are. No, you’re not going be the creeper, hanging out near campus. You are going to use your network to contact teachers, professors or staff at the schools, and sell your opportunity to them. Yes, sell. (Need a confidence builder? Read “To Sell is Human” by Daniel Pink.)

Besides your worthy mission, your preparedness from the steps above will really help you make connections with “people who know people,” in this case, the teachers. You are giving them a profile of either the students you think are best, or a good idea of who among their colleagues who would know, like club advisors. And one more thing: like I said in [ASPA article edition] earlier, when you identify the right people, ask them one-to-one. That greatly increases the chances for a “yes.”

In the end you have two choices. The most popular is to cast a wide net and ask for anyone’s help. It’s easy and a minimal investment of your time. And you’re likely to get what you invested in. Chances are everyone will sit on their hands, but if you get high numbers, the number of “keepers” will be low. You’ll waste your time and energy training people who won’t stay or if they do, could be ineffective.

Or, you can put in upfront time, finding a smaller number, ones who match your needs, and be really happy.

Personally, I’ll put in the time.

Matt Hugg is president of Nonprofit.Courses, and mentor at the John S. Watson School of Public Service at Thomas Edison State University. 

 

(Do You have an Ideal Volunteer? first appeared in the August 25, 2025, edition of the American Society for Public Admiration’s PA Times. Reprinted with permission.)

 

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Can You Fire a Volunteer?

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Can You Fire a Volunteer?

Parting is sweet sorrow… or is it?

There’s a big misunderstanding in our culture when it comes to volunteers. It goes kind of like this… “They’re volunteers. You can’t fire them.”

Well, no. You can. And a lot of times, you should fire a volunteer.

Because someone offers their time or provides a service free-of-charge to your organization doesn’t mean you have to put up with disruptive work habits, inefficient work, or just plain bad behavior. Worse yet, don’t be held hostage by the idea that nobody else will replace them, you’ll look bad, make them look bad or that you feel bad about it. It’s life. Not everyone is suited to everything, whether they get paid or not.

Consider, however, that while the volunteer position may not mean much to you since you are not paying them, it could mean a lot to them. You’re breaking their social connections, sending a message that “you can’t even do a volunteer job,” or maybe putting an end to the dream of a possible paid career in your area or work. So, try to have empathy.

How do you do it?

The same HR rules apply as when ending a paycheck employee’s work.

Prepare for the dismissal. End their access to any facilities, computer systems, or equipment that they have access to either before or soon after. Outline your reasons for termination and record them in a file or computer system in case they want to return. Recruit a third person to join you at a meeting with them. (That helps prevent any “he said she said” situation in case there are any questions.) Decide ahead of time whether you will give them a good recommendation for future volunteer assignments at your own or other organizations.

Hold a meeting with the person. Try to make this a growing experience for them, and your organization. Ask the volunteer whether they’re happy with what they’re doing for you. Maybe they have some suggestion for improving things, or tell you that whatever it is they’re doing doesn’t fit them. Did you not understand their reasons for volunteering well enough for them to be successful? Do they feel that you did not support them in their assigned tasks? Were there conflicts with other volunteers or staff?

If there was a specific instance causing you to consider dismissing them, ask for their point-of-view. Try to be objective. Discuss what could have avoided the situation. What do they see as the issue? Wherever the conversation takes you, try  not to let it become a blame session.

Before the meeting ends, ask yourself whether the situation is salvageable. Is retraining or some other remediation better than asking the person to leave?

After the meeting. Write up and record some notes on the discussion with the aid of the third person in the meeting. Inform the appropriate people that the person will no longer be volunteering with you, such as a program head, receptionist or other volunteers. Reassign their tasks to someone else.

Whether you dismiss them or not, it’s important to ask yourself how you prevent the circumstances that led you from even considering asking them to leave. It’s the same way you would with a paycheck employee or contractor.

  • Recruit them right. Ask them one-to-one, not in a group, asking for a “show of hands.”
  • Screen them. Not just the legal screenings. Get references. Seek qualifications.
  • Understand their motivations for volunteering. Everyone volunteers for a reason. What’s theirs? Can you meet their needs?
  • Train them. Do you feel incompetent because nobody showed you how to do something, or what success looks like? They do too!
  • Start them small. Few people want to jump right in with a major project or responsibility right from the start. Besides, you need to get to know them.
  • Support them. What can you do to help make them successful? What do they need? Check in on them to find out.
  • Get their feedback. Was the job what they were expecting? Is there something more they needed, or something less?
  • Give them feedback. People want to know that they did  right, or if not, how. Don’t be shy. Let them know.

Churning volunteers is just like churning staff. It costs you time and money. It damages your reputation and stymies your future recruiting efforts.

Let me leave you with this: I heard this bit of wisdom that while intended for regular employees, should be put in action for any volunteer: hire slowly, fire quickly.

The more time we take recruiting, onboarding and connecting with volunteers after they’re working, the less you’ll be put into a position to let them go. But if you are in that position, then above all, don’t be afraid to fire.

 

Matt Hugg is president of Nonprofit.Courses, and mentor at the John S. Watson School of Public Service at Thomas Edison State University. 

(Can You Fire a Volunteer? first appeared in the July 21, 2025, edition of the American Society for Public Admiration’s PA Times. Reprinted with permission.)

 

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