From the Editor: Since I’ve been down with a nasty virus all week, and the future of nonprofits is heavy on my mind, this short article I wrote in 2021 keeps coming to my mind. There is a lot of fear in the nonprofit community, especially among our 501c6 segment because of the rapid pace of change brought on by the new Administration. But what makes us special is the place where we came from – the individual’s right to freely associate. That is what sets us apart and that is why we are important to the fabric of society. Our contributions are valuable and unique; that is why we are needed.

Did that headline get your attention? Good. Why do I say that is good? Because everyone doesn’t share the same viewpoints, dogmas, or policy positions. Assuming that everyone agrees with you is a mistake, and within our nonprofit management profession, assuming everyone agrees that the sky is falling because there is a new administration in Washington, DC, is short-sighted and divisive.

I'm in a lot of professional networking groups. We talk about different programs that organizations can offer their members, how new offerings could work, and we try to figure out why some organizations don't give the members what they want even after repeated requests.

Recently in ASAE Collaborate, I’ve seen the conversation again about “The Bus Book” scenario. I say again because this is an evergreen topic and we should all be thinking about it on a regular basis. The Bus Book, if you are not familiar with this term, is the book that SHOULD exist that contains all the information others will need if something happens to you like you get hit by a bus. Or you win the lottery. Or you take a new job. Or you retire.

In a previous post titled “Making Peace,” (September 23, 2023), I noted the following:
"After a time, the stubbornness becomes the goal, and we often forget WHY we are being so stubborn. Both parties will not give way in any shape or form. Old grievances are listed again and again as we are determined to prove that we are right and they are so very wrong."

If you subscribe to USAE News, you may have seen my September 3, 2024, guest column “The Unexpected and Accessibility: A Trip to a Cleveland Conference.” This article outlines my experience attending a conference in a wheelchair and using a walker as I recover from a broken leg. Anytime anyone loses mobility or needs accommodations for participation, it is a disability whether short-term or long-term.

Listen to the audio version of the article.

As regular readers of this newsletter, our blog, or my LinkedIn newsfeed know, I broke my leg in May and am continuing a lengthy recovery process. Getting around is still challenging as I cannot put a lot of weight on my leg yet. The bone is healed – the rest is rebuilding muscle strength.

This week’s message is based on my response to a discussion in the ASAE Collaborate Consultants community posted the week of July 15, 2024. The initial post by one of my colleagues addressed the issue of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) removing the “E” (equity) from their DEI program, leaving them with just “D&I” (diversity & inclusion).

Radio Free 501c is the voice of Rogue Tulips Consulting. The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting newsletter, Rogue Speak. This week's topic is: The 200th Episode: It started with Love, Joy, Peace.

Radio Free 501c is the voice of Rogue Tulips Consulting. This episode: the author reads her weekly Rogue Speak message.

The pandemic lockdown of 2020 provided a pause for most of the world. We had the opportunity to think, contemplate, and practice introspection. It’s amazing how a situation like the lockdown exposes what is actually important and what has no real value.

There are a few basic rules of member service that all associations should keep in mind. No matter the size of your budget or staff, what counts is how your members feel at the end of an interaction with the organization.

There’s an old saying (isn’t there one for everything?): “Familiarity breeds contempt.” If you are not familiar (pun intended) with this cliché, it means that the longer you are around someone or something, the higher the odds that you will begin to hate it.

It’s late summer so that means it’s individual award season again in the nonprofit community. As associations look forward to their annual conferences, Awards Committees are formed. Nominations are announced. Sometimes self-nominations are encouraged. Deadlines are extended to make sure there are candidates to review.

All types of 501(c) organizations – including associations, association foundations, and charitable organizations – seek to maximize their relationships with corporate sponsors and partners.

All types of 501(c) organizations – including associations, association foundations, and charitable organizations – seek to maximize their relationships with corporate sponsors and partners.