Category Archives: Uncategorized

A few months ago, I wrote about the modest, but strategically important differences between nonprofit leaders who serve as a president and CEO versus those who are an executive director (“Understanding Nonprofit Titles,” March 9 issue of the Peninsula Pulse). More recently, I’ve been asked to comment on the roles of a charity’s board chairContinue reading “A Nonprofit’s Most Important Relationship”

As civic participation of all kinds continues to decline, so has the number of people who make contributions to charity. Over the past decade, the total number of folks who give has decreased by an incredible 19%. And according to the “Giving USA 2023: Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2022” from Indiana University’sContinue reading “A Dangerous Concentration of Risk”

Although I generally try to avoid using pithy catch phrases to oversimplify a concept, I have to admit that the so-called 5 T’s of charitable giving really do provide a good summary of the ways in which people can give to charity and thereby support the community they love. The 5 T’s of charitable givingContinue reading “The 5 T’s of Charitable Giving”

If we feed a man who is hungry, we are removing his incentive to work. If we treat a sick patient who is uninsured, we are rewarding those who fail to plan for their future. If we offer free prenatal care to the young and unwed, we are enabling and encouraging teenage pregnancy. I’m notContinue reading “Understanding Moral Hazard”

In about 80% of nonprofit organizations, the highest-ranking paid staff person is the executive director. For most others, it’s the CEO or the president & CEO. In the charitable world, we often use these titles interchangeably, with little thought to the distinctions among them. However, every year or two, some local charitable board begins contemplatingContinue reading “Understanding Nonprofit Titles”

People are often surprised when they hear me say that a market-based solution to a problem is usually the best one. I suppose I can understand their surprise. From the first recycling drive I helped organize in the 3rd grade to my current role at the Door County Community Foundation, I’ve spent nearly all myContinue reading “When Free Markets Fail”

For nearly a decade, the Bank of America Study of Philanthropy: Charitable Giving by Affluent Households has been conducted in partnership with the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. It is the most comprehensive, longitudinal study of the giving habits of America’s wealthy families. The 2021 version of the study was recently released, offeringContinue reading “Insights on Giving in Affluent Households”

Last summer I finally broke down and bought a pair of noise cancelling earbuds.  My father had hearing problems late in life so as I’ve grown older, I thought the active noise cancellation could help protect my hearing a bit while I’m mowing the lawn or blowing snow.  When you put them in your earsContinue reading “The Enormous Power of Weak Bonds”

The room smelled of disinfectant and the floor was cold, but the exceedingly kind staff had placed a blanket on the floor. I sat down and began to cry, leaned against the wall, then invited Buddy to join me on the quilt. He was nervous and uncomfortable, but mine was the face he trusted mostContinue reading “The Unexpected Things We Love”

Central to my father’s definition of love was presence. He was an army veteran who experienced the burden of command in World War II and Korea. My father trained himself to bury his feelings so the horrors he encountered would not distract him from accomplishing his mission. He became a highly decorated soldier because heContinue reading “Redefining Love in Door County”