Tagged "darlene-sutherland"

by Darlene Sutherland As direct service providers, we have the responsibility of providing the people we serve with the tools they need to thrive. Clearly this is no small order yet the resources we need to do our work may not always be available; aside from meeting the demands of the people we serve, we must also navigate lack of support, limited compensation, and increasing performance demands. As a result, as a sector we face [ continue reading ]

by Darlene Sutherland The Funding Frenzy: The funding frenzy is best characterized as the last five to six months of the fiscal year when the city is preparing its budget for the coming fiscal year it is also a time when agencies find out if they have been placed on the proverbial chopping block. Typically, this is a time when you as a leader must take stock of your program and staff and take the [ continue reading ]

by Darlene Sutherland Why Professional Development? Professional development is a vital tool for leaders in the non-profit sector.  As responding effectively to societal maladies is becoming more challenging, staff members need to understand best practices to better serve their communities. Unfortunately, professional development often takes a back seat at many organizations for a variety of reasons:: Cost effectiveness-Sometimes the cost of professional development opportunities—whether it be to attend conferences, workshops, or bring in consultants– can [ continue reading ]

by Darlene Sutherland Irrefutably, this country is reeling from the impact of this volatile economy, and perhaps most severely here in New York City.   Drastic cuts were proposed to children and youth services provided by Administration for Children’s Services and the Department of Youth and Community Development. Although partial funding was restored to programs that were on the chopping block, the agencies that provide these services are now being expected to do more with less. [ continue reading ]

by Darlene Sutherland As an up and coming leader in non-profit sector, you’re probably familiar with one of the most pressing challenges in the field: staff turnover.  In fact in 2010, 37 percent of non-profits reported that retaining staff was a significant challenge.  The three main contributors are low wages, discontent employees, and competitive job offers from other agencies. Many of us have dealt with these issues first hand.  Beyond being frustrating and leading us [ continue reading ]

by Darlene Sutherland “We’ve always done it this way.” These six words have been undermining the efficacy of the non-profit sector for years. For decades the solutions to societal maladies such as, care for the elderly, poverty, and child maltreatment were expected to be found in the non-profit sector. In keeping with that expectation, the federal government has always made sure that funding poured into non-profits to enable them to do what they do best-fix [ continue reading ]

We know our members are looking for information that will help them be successful nonprofiteers.  To that end, we’re excited to introduce the YNPN-NYC blog team, a group of YNPN-NYC members who will bring you fresh advice, information, and resources! We have two teams: editorials (folks who will share  tips, interviews, and news) and events (folks who will cover YNPN-NYC events).  Allison Jones, Communications Committee Co-Chair, is the editor of the blog and works closely [ continue reading ]