I’ve never been a big fan of the phrase “best practice.” It’s too transactional—like there is one right answer waiting on a shelf. Our social… Read More »There’s not one playbook: Teaching for real-world challenges
I was recently talking with an Executive Director and asked about her program. She looked at me apologetically and said that the model underpinning her… Read More »Physics vs. Engineering: Why people don’t understand your model and how to fix it
Boards are under pressure to “step up” as federal and state cuts constrict the oxygen that nonprofits need to breathe. Urgency, however, doesn’t translate to… Read More »“Should” isn’t motivating: How to help boards step up
In March 2025, something big happened: a new evaluation curriculum designed for small nonprofits launched in Charlotte, NC. It marked the culmination of a year-long… Read More »Learning lives in community
On Monday, February 24, 2025, the National Council of Nonprofits shared a timeline of actions they had taken in January and February. I love everything… Read More »Can you put that in a graphic?
I was halfway through writing a different blog when I picked up Andrew McMaster’s new book, Listening Without Agenda. It’s a cold Sunday afternoon on… Read More »Listening
I’ve been thinking a lot about boards lately. I was one of five petitioners in an unsuccessful school board recall effort. (If you are interested in… Read More »How to Prepare Nonprofit Boards for Uncertain Times
Too often, focusing on adult learning is sidelined as unnecessary introspection. This belief rests on the view that the experience of learning as a child somehow… Read More »Using Science to Communicate Science
In college we had an old-fashioned mailroom. Letters were sorted into rows of wooden slots, the front side of which were glass doors with dial… Read More »The power of story to share context and create connection
In the nonprofit world, there’s a deeply ingrained belief in the power of bringing people together. We gravitate toward convening events—board meetings, workshops, conferences, etc.—believing that… Read More »A Mindset Shift to Achieve Real Change
As long as I have worked at the intersection of adult learning and nonprofits, I have felt humbled by the responsibility entrusted to me. I have… Read More »Are you ready to deliver nonprofit learning that makes a difference?
I’ve just returned from San Francisco where I spent the day with the fund development team of an organization raising money for science research. Their… Read More »Using adult learning to raise more money