Estela Kennen's Blog

Posted by Estela Kennen

In one moment, I knew I had found the embodiment of something I've felt and tried to do for as long as I remember. Every choice we make, every action we take... or do not take... conveys a message. From the clothes we wear and cars we buy, to the food we eat and vacations we take, to our friendships and vocations, we are letting the world know what we think is worthwhile.

Many people go through life without consciously thinking about the message they are presenting the world about their values; this is perhaps not a bad way to live (it is certainly an earnest way), but it is not what I want to do. Other people know all to well the importance of conveying messages, so they communicate loudly, self-righteously their intentions. But their spoken messages and their behavior can be sadly misaligned. That, I do not want either.

I want my life to sing. I know I will not manage to do this every moment of every day... I know if I stopped to reflect on it, I would not care for what my life was saying much of the time. But I think that an awareness of the fact that my life is speaking gives me the opportunity to be a better person.

Though the thought is probably not framed quite that way, I think many people in the non-profit sector know that their life is speaking. Knowing that it is saying an important thing-- the right thing-- at least part of the time, is one of the reasons we do what we do. And we rarely have to stop to explain why, like I am doing now, because our actions are saying it for us.

Posted by Estela Kennen

Everyone has a story to tell… everyone has something to share that can help others make a wiser decision. If you are willing to share your story with the rest of the non-profit world, I want to hear from you.

• Program ideas: The same needs and the same passions occur over and over throughout the world. If your group has created a great little program to address a common need, don’t make others reinvent the wheel. Share your success instead!
• Special event ideas: Creating a standout event can be hard. If your organization has successfully created a signature special event, or has failed miserably at every attempt, we want to hear from you!
• Fundraising ideas: Have you figured out a way to make donors open their pockets time and time again? We would love to hear from you.
• Career advice: The nonprofit world has a dizzying array of job possibilities. Let others in on your experiences, from landing that first job, to forging a unique and challenging career path.
• Management lessons: Have you successfully troubleshooted something you suspect might be a common problem in the non-profit arena? Let others know what worked… or what didn’t.
• Other: If something got you thinking, it will probably be of interest to others. Let me know about it.

If you would like to share something with other non-profit personnel, please email me at nonprofitmanagement@suite101.com I will send you follow-up questions or schedule a phone interview.

Thanks, and hope to hear from you soon,

Estela

Posted by Estela Kennen

This is both straight-forward (especially when compared to things like filing articles of incorporations, creating bylaws, and applying for tax-exempt status) and difficult (the name is something that the nonprofit will theoretically have for life, will be how people identify it, and will help determine how people relate to it.)

The name should be exclusive

You may have noticed there are no baby-business name books out there. This is actually a good thing. First, the organization must not have the name as any other organization incorporated in that state. Also, it is a good idea to avoid a name of an existing organization outside of the state, in order to:

• avoid confusion
• avoid potential legal complications from trademark infringement
• make domain registration easier when you get a website for your nonprofit

The name should be clear

Ideally, people should get a sense of what the non-profit is all about just by looking at the name. For instance, while The Helping Place might capture a virtue important to the nonprofit, it does not tell the public who or what the organization helps. Don’t be vague.

One thing nonprofit founders sometimes do is name the organization after someone. This can be appropriate for private foundations, but for regular non-profits, it is often just confusing. For instance, what is Annie’s Home? If honoring Annie is truly important, something like Annie’s Dog Haven or Annie’s Women’s Shelter or Annie’s Senior Living Home would be more appropriate.

The naming process

• Make a list of potential names.
• Determine whether any business in your state has that name.
• Check to see if the names are available on the web.
• Show the board of directors (or any advisors, if the board is not yet in place) the vetted options.
• Pick a name and use it in filing all official paperwork.

Posted by Estela Kennen

The head of the staff (CEO, Executive Director, etc.) of an organization has to answer to the Board of Directors. An organizational chart, for instance, would have a “Board of Directors” box over the top staff position. That person would then be over the department heads, and so on.

When listing Board members individually – for instance, in a newsletter masthead or an annual report -- it is customary to list the board officers (ie, President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary) first, then list the remaining board members in alphabetical order. Staff would be listed separately. If a person is both a Board member and staff person, as an Executive Director often is, several things could be done. Some organizations list this person at the end of the Board, others right below the Board officers, and still others just list them on staff (particularly if the Executive Director is a non-voting member of the board.)

Boards, however, do not have the same kind of “ranking” that staff do. An executive director can tell the rest of the staff what to do, within legal limits. The president of a board usually has certain administrative duties and powers over the rest of the board (the ability to call and adjourn meetings, for instance). However, board members real power rests in their vote, and no board member has more of a vote than another. In this sense, no board member is above the other. The exception to this is that in certain organizations, the president or chair of the board holds the tie-breaking vote. (In other cases, the executive director who usually does not vote would have this power). Of course, this flat hierarchy does not apply to an organization where voting power is based on the number of shares each individual has.

Posted by Estela Kennen

One of the reasons I don’t appreciate the free charity labels is purely pragmatic. As far as I can tell, there are two types of people: those who get 0-1 free address labels per decade and those who seem to average about one a month. I fall firmly in the latter category.

When I move to a new place, I appreciate the first sheet of free address labels I get. Heck, I’m even grateful for the holiday-themed sheet. But after the fourth or fifth set of address labels, I just start throwing them away. With email and automatic bill pay, I send just a few letters each month. In any case, I know that if I should somehow run low, some well-meaning but misguided charity, to which I have no intention of donating money – will send me personalized address labels before long.

Which brings me to the second reason why I disdain charity labels – why do I have to get so many? Why am I constantly solicited by non-profits I have never heard of and have no intention of donating to? (Yes, getting something for nothing from a charity does make me feel guilty… and I don’t appreciate that aspect of it, either.)

Every time I get another unsolicited solicitation, with an unwanted freebie thrown in, I have to wonder whether the organization has nothing better to do with money than buy mailing lists…

To charities that recognized themselves in my words: be more selective in your marketing campaigns, and more creative with your choice of incentives. I assure you, I won’t be the only person thanking you.