Author: Valerie F. Leonard
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North Lawndale TIFs
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Here is a blast from the past–a link to the North Lawndale TIFs website. The late Terrance Harrington and I developed this back in 2011 to track the performance of every TIF that had some land mass in the North Lawndale community. We haven’t made any posts since 2015 or…
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What Would You Do If…? A Youth Development Case Study
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You are the newly-hired executive director of a community-based youth agency with a budget of $350,000. In this capacity, you would have 8 employees, including an administrative assistant, 2 program directors, a business manager and 4 case workers. You have a master of social work degree, and have recently served…
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13 Common Reasons the IRS Says “No” to Applications For Tax-Exempt Status
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There are a number of reasons organizations are not successful in receiving tax exempt status on the first try. I am sharing 13 reasons, based on the IRS’ recommendations for shortening the review process and my personal experience. 1. Using common language to describe your organization’s purpose. In the State…
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Look Before You Leap: 5 Things You Need to Do Before Joining That Board of Directors
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You have just been invited to join a board of directors of one of the hottest local nonprofits in the city. What should you do before accepting?
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Assess Your Organization’s Capacity in 7 Areas
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Nonprofits should have a well-documented track record in developing programs that have a meaningful impact upon the community and the clients served; the ability to exercise good stewardship over financial and human resources; the ability to manage relationships among various community constituencies; and the ability to respond to change.
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What is Organizational Capacity, and Why Should You Care?
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When we speak of capacity, we are generally referring to organization’s potential to marshal their human, financial and other resources to effect positive change in the communities and clients they serve. Organizational capacity is impacted by a number of factors, including leadership, the organization’s stage of development and changes in…