Creating Our Future with Organizations by Design

  This may be a Scandalous Post in the Nonprofit Sector! I came home from my state's nonprofit conference yesterday energized by the work of the organizations and downhearted by the repeated complaints about weak and disengaged boards. These complaints are nothing new - as nonprofit organizations strive to address complex social issues with limited resources, the need for effective governance structures has never been more pressing.  It’s time to rethink how nonprofit boards function, particularly the assumption that board members should act as fundraisers rather than focusing on oversight and compliance. Can we do this? The Current State of Nonprofit Boards Traditionally, nonprofit boards have been tasked with a mix of responsibilities: providing legal oversight, shaping strategy, and ensuring financial sustainability. In practice, this often translates into board members being expected to secure funding—a role that many are neither equipped for nor inclined to fulfill. This ...

I like to live in my bubble. It’s comfortable and familiar, surrounded by people who think and feel just like I do. It feels great to be on the same wavelength with everyone, right? But sometimes, like this week, I have to admit, living in that bubble isn’t healthy. When we’re all nestled together in our little comfort zones, we can get blindsided by what’s happening outside our circle. It’s almost like wearing blinders—we become so focused on our own views that we start to miss out on different perspectives. The result? We could find ourselves caught off guard by changes or events that others saw coming. Plus, if we only engage with like-minded folks, we might not recognize the signs of bigger issues brewing beyond our bubble. Social changes, cultural shifts, and political movements can evolve without us even realizing it. Before we know it, we’re stunned when these things rip into our reality. So, while I love the coziness of my bubble, I know it’s important to peek outside every now...

  I had the amazing opportunity to join with the Ramapough Lenape Nation in a sacred ritual in a sweat lodge this weekend. The structure is the lodge, and the ceremony performed within the structure may be called by some cultures a purification ceremony or simply a sweat. The sweat is a spiritual ceremony – it is for prayer and healing, and it is only to be led by Indigenous Elders who know the language, songs, traditions, and safety protocols of their culture's inherited tradition. Without going in the reason I was in the sweat lodge, I do want to share some thoughts that came to me as a result of the experience - some answers to questions percolating around in my mind, specifically about change. I've long known that the fear of change is a complex and multifaceted human emotion that can affect people from various backgrounds and privilege levels. What became so clear to me, however, is that it's true that change can be perceived differently by those who are privileged a...

  Yom Kippur means “Day of Atonement,” as the verse states, “For on this day He will forgive you, to purify you, that you be cleansed from all your sins before G‑d.” It’s been many years since I’ve considered myself a practicing Jew. But on this day, I always pause. I take time to examine my relationships and commit to doing what I can to make sure they are right. I look at my relationship with the world, and my role in it, and re-commit my energies to peace and justice. And, I think about my relationship with myself to ensure that I go into this new year with grace and forgiveness, knowing I’m doing the best that I can at this moment. For those observing, have an easy fast. And for all of us, Gmar Chatima Tovah; that you should be sealed for goodness in the end. Barbara