Connie Golds CONSULTING

Hey Nonprofit Leader, What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? I recently met with a friend who’s an Executive Director of a mid-sized nonprofit. The moment she sat down, she let out a full-body sigh . You know the kind. I started my usual guessing game:“Is it your Board?”No.“Your year-end appeal?”Nope.“That big grant decision?”Still no. “So what’s going on?” She finally said it: “It’s my management team.” Wait . . . the team you said was one of the strongest you’ve ever worked wit

Hey Nonprofit Leader, What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? Last week an Executive Director looked at me, sighed the sigh of a thousand overworked nonprofit souls, and asked: “Can I just get rid of my Board?” He wasn’t joking.And yes—I smiled, because he’s definitely  not the first to ask. It got me thinking (as these things always do): Why do Boards so often leave Executive Directors awake at 2 a.m. wondering if Costco sells Tums by the pallet? In my experience, it usually co

Hey Nonprofit Leader, What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? Last Friday, our local nonprofit universe donned its sequins and sensible shoes for the Desert Cities Chapter’s National Philanthropy Day —the Oscars of the nonprofit sector. Minus the red carpet wardrobe malfunctions, of course. If you're unfamiliar, National Philanthropy Day  (NPD) is the day we roll out the gratitude and spotlight those unsung heroes—philanthropists, volunteers, staff, and organizations—who give with

Hey Nonprofit Leader, What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? Is it the sound of your donor letters being returned to sender ? Or the creeping realization that it’s almost the end of the year—and your biggest fundraising push hasn’t even left the station? Welcome to Fall! Where the leaves change color (unless you live in the California desert—then it’s just the overseeded golf courses going green), kids head back to school, and if you're lucky, you can finally give your air condit

Hey Nonprofit Leader, What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? Let me guess…You’re lying awake thinking: “How do I keep this ship afloat with a crew of volunteers who are wonderful—but also have jobs, families, and a tendency to ghost me during tax season?” You're not alone. Just this past week, two different nonprofit leaders confided in me—both saying essentially the same thing: “We love being volunteer-run! But we’re totally exhausted, and no one wants to touch the admin work!”

Hey Nonprofit Leader, What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? Let’s take a moment to talk about something no one warns you about when you...

Hey Nonprofit Leader, What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? Well then, my friend… you might be experiencing a classic case of Board...

Hey Nonprofit Leader, What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? Let me guess: it’s 2 a.m., and instead of sleeping, you're mentally reviewing...

Hey Nonprofit Leader, What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? Recently, an old colleague called me with a note of panic in his voice. He’d...

Hey Nonprofit Leader, What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? Let me tell you a little story. Back in 2008, I started a nonprofit in the...

Hey nonprofit leader—what’s keeping you awake at night? Is it the nagging feeling that your board isn’t pulling its weight in...

Hey Nonprofit Leader, What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? We spend a lot of time talking about the ask —how to identify the right donor,...

Hey Nonprofit Leader, What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? Some of you may remember my blog from last December when I shared a milestone:...

Hey Nonprofit Leader, What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? This week, I’m stepping away from my usual nonprofit musings to bring you a...

Hey Nonprofit Leader, What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? Let’s be honest: for many nonprofit folks, the word “fundraising” is right up...

Hey Nonprofit Leader, What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? Throughout the month of June, we’ve been unpacking the barriers that keep people...

Hey Nonprofit Leader—What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? I recently sat in on a fundraising workshop (yes, even veteran consultants...

Hey Nonprofit Leader—What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? Welcome back to our noble mission of breaking down that invisible (but deeply...

Hey Nonprofit Leader—What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? Let’s be real. Running a nonprofit isn't for the faint of heart. Between donor...

Hey Nonprofit Leader—What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? Back in December 2024, I wrote about how important it is for nonprofits to have a...