CNE Blog

What We’re Reading

The Secret to Leading Organizational Change Is Empathy

This Harvard Business Review article discusses the importance of empathy when leading an organization and the benefits that accompany positive leadership.

Maintaining Balance During the End-of-Year Push

With its short dreary days, year-end fundraising crunch, and pressure to make the most of our time with friends and family, the holiday season can get some of us down. But we can and should work against the effects of the…

What We’re Reading

How to Successfully and Sustainably Scale Your Nonprofit

Every nonprofit will face a time when they will ask themselves, “How do we scale our organization?” Here are some key aspects that will help answer that question.

What to Do Before Getting Started

If you are thinking about starting a nonprofit, CNE’s updated Starting a Nonprofit Toolkit is a great place to begin. Our toolkit provides information on what it means to be a nonprofit and questions to ask to determine…

What We’re Reading

Our Default Organizational Decision-Making Model is Flawed: Here’s an Awesome Alternative

The decision-making model where the ED/CEO makes the final decision can be problematic and lead to decision fatigue. Read about an alternative model that changes the way decisions…

What We’re Reading

Measuring Nonprofit Outcomes and Progress: What Data Should You Collect?

Learn about how to collect and analyze the right data in order to measure the progress of your nonprofit.

Recruiting and Retaining Talented Staff

Nonprofits compete with corporations for talented and skilled staff. But as our regional 2017 Compensation and Benefits Report suggests, nonprofits are not competitive in compensation. The sector has relied on recruiting mission-focused employees, but with the growth of for-profit social enterprise, this…

What We’re Reading

What Drives Nonprofit Executive Compensation?

Read about a study that determined the reasons behind the salaries for executives in the nonprofit and for-profit realms and how it affects different subsectors of arts, education, health, and human services.

What We’re Reading

Nonprofits Use Creative Placemaking to Address Public Safety

Read about some nonprofits that have been successful in administering creative placemaking strategies to address public safety to inspire you or your organization to do the same!

What We’re Reading

Philanthropy in the Service of Democracy

Learn how philanthropy can be made to serve democratic ends and why it matters.

Philanthropy Day 2018

Each fall we celebrate the vibrant nonprofit community and the transformational power of philanthropy in Central Virginia. This year we were thrilled to welcome Vu Le, the Executive Director of Rainier Valley Corps, to share his insights on…

What We’re Reading

Philanthropy Day Speaker Seeks to Help Nonprofits “Understand their Awesomeness”

Read about our most recent Philanthropy Day speaker, Vu Le, and what he was trying to convey to nonprofits in our community.

What We’re Reading

About #GivingTuesday: Will Larger Trends Show Up as Reduced Community Revenue?

On the heels of 2019’s #GivingTuesday, read about the current trends of giving to organizations like yours, and why it is happening.

What We’re Reading

Why Are We Still Struggling with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Nonprofit Governance?

Read about why diversity, equity and inclusion are struggling to persist in nonprofits, and so strategies as to how to combat this in your organization.

What We’re Reading

From Feel Good to Real Good

How we can help those who want to do real good use their actions in the most helpful ways

What We’re Reading

Redefining the Path to Success: Moving from Ego-thinking to Eco-thinking in the Social Sector

Explore how using an ecosystem map can foster collaboration and communication in your organization and your community.

A Culture of Gratitude

Happy Thanksgiving! We at CNE want to add our voice of gratitude and appreciation. We are thankful for our nonprofit members who are deeply passionate about their work and strive tirelessly to serve communities across Central Virginia. We’re thankful for 

What We’re Reading

Building Financially Resilient Nonprofits: Lessons From the Field

Think about what financial resiliency means to your organization!

What We’re Reading

How Grantmakers Can Use Power Mindfully to Advance Equity

Learn how funders can start to use power positively to advance equity and justice in the nonprofit sector.

What We’re Reading

Mastering System Change 

Read about ways to lead your organization through a system change and some challenges that might come with it.

What We’re Reading

Yes, You Can – and You Should! Nonprofit Advocacy as a Core Competency 

Read about how nonprofits can, and should play a role in advocating for and enacting social change in the current political environment that is so strongly…

Stand Up, Fight Back

Center for Nonprofit Excellence, its board of directors, and its staff condemn in the strongest voice the recent murders of members of the Jewish community in Pittsburgh and the African American citizens in Kentucky….

What We’re Reading

Republicans Give More to Charity than Democrats, but There’s a Bigger Story Here

In honor of the recent Midterms Election, read about the differences in giving between Democrats and Republicans, and why those may be occurring.