Finance

11 Best Small Business Insurance Companies for 2026
A recent email asked: “Do you have an article or statement on what is the standard “special event fundraising equation” used to determine financial success? Obviously, one would set a goal, and if that goal is set, you have been successful. Raising awareness and “making friends” is priceless. But, is there a basic non-profit formula …
Forming an LLC is a smart move to shield your personal assets from business liabilities, but that protection only holds if you keep your finances separate. One of the first and most important steps? Opening a dedicated business bank account. The choices you make early on can have a lasting impact on your business, and …
Tennessee’s vibrant mix of urban centers like Nashville and Memphis, historic small towns, and scenic rural communities means residents need banking solutions as diverse as their lifestyles. Whether you’re a music industry professional, a college student in Knoxville, a retiree in the Smoky Mountains, or a small business owner in Chattanooga, your bank should offer …

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Many nonprofit organizations boast lists of honorary trustees, board members, and/or directors. And the vast majority of those named individuals are “there” in name only. The question that must be asked is how does that benefit the NPO. There are two basic reasons why a person gets the “honorary” title. S/he may have been of …
In the nonprofit sector there are two types of “Advisory” groups: those that advise, and those that don’t. In my experience, Advisory Boards are created for just about any reason you can think of; but very often – in the non-profit sector, the term is a euphemism for a group of major donors who have …
Considering the two major objectives in conducting the interviews, determining how/if a program/project/activity should be implemented and beginning the cultivation of those folks who could help make it happen, it is essential, as with all serious development activities, that those interviews be face-to-face. You can’t be taken very seriously and you can’t read body language …
The first step in the planning study process is determining what it is that you want the study to accomplish. Second, is the creation of a list of those folks you’d like to interview – a list that can be as long as you’d like … as long as you’re realistic. No one goes on …
Want to create a Major Gifts Program, a Bequest Program, a Special Event, a Recognition Program, a Capital Campaign ?? The most important information you’d want to have is whether your (prospective) constituents/donors will agree with what you want to do, and what would motivate those folks to want to support and/or participate in your …
To be sure that all board members will do all that’s required of them, the Planning Committee meets with them to outline the board’s role and emphasize that a visible demonstration of the board’s support is essential to “set the example” for potential leaders and donors. And, as the planning process proceeds, it’s part of …
This piece was motivated by Renata Rafferty’s Posting of June 8: see “The-Politically-Incorrect-Guide-To-Donors” Renata’s method of “classifying” donors by motivation, which revisits a subject that doesn’t get enough attention, reminded me of a series of articles I read, many years ago, in The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Those articles, based on the book, “The Seven Faces …