Confronting Wicked Problems 5 Strategies for Reimagined Leadership in the Social Sector

December 19, 2019

Our complex, changing world continually challenges leaders to be flexible and innovative. At the heart of efforts to create change, nonprofits, agencies, communities, and funders are working to uncover the roots of some of our greatest social issues, so-called “wicked problems.” At the Center for Creative Leadership, we have had the privilege to work alongside many social sector partners as they invest in improving the health of entire populations, transforming education to serve all, and alleviating persistent, intergenerational poverty. These experiences have led us to an increased understanding of the aspects of leadership that propel these efforts to greater success.

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Vital Strategies

Vital Strategies is a global public health organization that seeks to accelerate progress on the world’s most pressing health problems. Our team combines evidence-based strategies with innovation to help develop and implement sound public health policies, manage programs efficiently, strengthen data systems, conduct research, and design strategic communication campaigns for policy and behavior change.

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whitePaper | January 10, 2022

Philanthropy is defined and redefined by the choices that are made every day, not only by professionals in the field but by countless neighbors and local leaders. People go into the work of philanthropy in order to build the communities they want to live in.

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8 Traits of Successful Grant Writers

whitePaper | January 16, 2020

Grant writing success comes with experience. Done well, it can change the landscape of your nonprofit and the lives of your clients. Adding grants to your fundraising strategy can be daunting, but by emulating these traits of experienced and successful grant writers, you can increase your likelihood of success when submitting requests.

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Metrics for Mission Impact How Nonprofits Can Strengthen Outcomes through Quantitative Measures

whitePaper | March 25, 2020

In their seminal article, "Nonprofit Starvation Cycle", Ann Goggins Gregory and Dan Howard exhort nonprofit finance professionals to report to funders the real costs of running nonprofit organizations. The authors explain that the popular trend to restrict funding to specific programs without accounting for infrastructure expenses leads to an unintended consequence, a "nonprofit starvation cycle", where charities cease to function because they can't pay for overhead costs, such as administrative employees, computers and electric bills. To break this unhealthy cycle, the article encourages nonprofits to recalibrate funder expectations by providing accurate financial reports and other supporting information to reflect the true costs of nonprofit operations.

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Mastering Workflow in Nonprofit Management.

whitePaper | December 17, 2021

The ability to create specific approval processes, automate sequential steps, and enable remote employees to complete a variety of tasks, without physically moving paper from location A to location B can be incredibly efficient.

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KINDLY COIN: CREATING MEASURABLE SOCIAL IMPACT

whitePaper | July 4, 2022

The Kindly Ecosystem makes it easy to purchase, track and execute certified measurable social impact on the blockchain. It was built from the ground up to not only be transparent but to also satisfy the needs for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

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22 Ideas to reenergize your fundraising in 2022

whitePaper | January 6, 2022

Nonprofits successfully navigated the challenges posed by the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and though the traditional methods of fundraising and giving were challenged, new trends have emerged for both donors and nonprofits. To help you make the most of the new year, we’re going to take a look back at lessons learned in 2021.

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Spotlight

Vital Strategies

Vital Strategies is a global public health organization that seeks to accelerate progress on the world’s most pressing health problems. Our team combines evidence-based strategies with innovation to help develop and implement sound public health policies, manage programs efficiently, strengthen data systems, conduct research, and design strategic communication campaigns for policy and behavior change.

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