Get updates and best practices delivered right to your inbox

I started AltruNext back in 2008. For years, it was just me: one person, partnering with nonprofits to advance the greater good. Ten years ago, that changed. AltruNext grew from a solo practice into something bigger, and my husband, Don, left his job to build it with me. It was a leap of faith for both of us. Two parents, young kids, and the very real uncertainty that comes with betting on your own business. Ten years in, I can tell you it hasn't always been easy, but it rema

This time of year, gardeners are eagerly watching to see what emerges. Some plants seem to burst to life overnight, while others take their time. I’m not great at keeping plants alive, but I’ve been trying to add pollinator-friendly perennials to our yard over the last few years. The problem is that they seem pitiful in that first year. I water them, I hope, and I wait. But I’m not even sure they’re alive. I found out there’s a gardening axiom for that: the first year it slee

Have you seen NPR’s brilliant new marketing campaign ? It “defend[s] the right to be curious.” I’m absolutely smitten . As NPR’s Chief Marketing Officer, Mishka Pitter-Armand, put it, "Curiosity is the fuel of a functioning democracy." It’s also essential for thriving, creative nonprofits. Get Curious About Curiosity Curiosity can be intrinsic or externally motivated. It can focus on intellectual topics or interpersonal issues. Regardless of its particularities, the ben

We’ve all been there. You’re coaching a new hire, a volunteer, or a team member on a specific task, and it’s just not landing. You’ve explained the process, shared resources, and even offered support—yet two weeks later, the task is still undone. What’s the disconnect? I realized the problem wasn’t in what I was explaining, but how I was coaching. I could outline steps and cheer people on, but that’s not the same as effective coaching. True coaching requires understanding wh

It’s officially summertime—hello high humidity, long days, family vacations, frozen treats, and, of course, a fresh wave of superhero...

Oh, how I loved “choose your own adventure” books when I was growing up! And, of course, as an overachiever and avid reader, I made sure...

“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” Frodo says. “So do I,” says Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that...

As a nonprofit leader, you’re in the business of hope. You take care of the vulnerable. You provide food, shelter, education, health...

A nonprofit client recently shared with me about their inspiring and audacious vision for the future. To bring this dream to life, the...

“Trust is built in drops and lost in buckets.” Kevin Plank, Founder of Under Armour ® Declining Trust Distrust is rampant. The country...

Goosebumps. Misty eyes. If you see a Paralympic montage or hear an Olympic athlete's childhood story, you might get a little choked up....

You are a superhero! Whether you’re a nonprofit professional or a dedicated volunteer, you show up to do the hard work of changing the...

Most organizations assume that a strong major gifts program is a prerequisite for a capital campaign. After all… how can you meet your...

Meteorological spring is here… even if the temperatures where you live suggest otherwise. Perhaps, like me, you’ve looked in your yard...

At some point, you’ve probably lamented the constant nature of change: volatile markets, evolving global conflicts, the aging process,...

I often tell folks that I take after a crock pot: I need time to let ideas simmer before I can articulate them to others in a clear and...

One of my book club friends always reads the last page of the book first. Scandalous! But, I understand her desire to know how it turns...

Governance may be one of the most misunderstood and misused words in the nonprofit sector. It seems to cause unnecessary angst or...

When I stumbled into the nonprofit sector after grad school, I had lots of misconceptions about this work—especially about major gifts....

If you’ve been around the AltruNext community for more than a hot minute, you know that we love nimble tools—those that can be deployed...