Categories
Resources for Nonprofit Directors

How Therapy Dogs from an NYC Program Motivate Students in Practicing Their Reading Skills [Video]

By Ergil Ermeno

Reading is a fun escape, but for most kids, learning the skill can be challenging. The difficulty often roots from pressure, limited exposure to reading materials, struggles with speech sounds, and lack of confidence. Rather than face the challenge, they prefer to play outdoors or watch television. That’s why it takes a whole lot of patience to teach a kid how to read. Schools and education-based programs have established strategies for years. Kids need to realize the value of reading skills at an early age. It’s best to opt for an approach that will motivate them instead of making them think that they should be flawlessly reading at the first few attempts. Reading must be introduced as a fun activity that can open their eyes to more knowledge and wisdom.

Several nonprofit organizations are also aiming to help more children practice their reading skills. New York Therapy Animals is one …

Watch/Read More
Categories
Resources for Nonprofit Directors

Nonprofit's Questions of the Week [Video]

A lively talk about maintaining a culture of philanthropy within nonprofits, covering the importance of communication, transparency, and ethical practice in all fundraising efforts. This engaging Ask & Answer episode highlights the evolving nature of nonprofit fundraising and the ongoing commitment to ethical practices within the sector. Jack Alotto, a seasoned expert in nonprofit fundraising, shares his enthusiasm about the increasing participation in his CFRE (Certified Fundraising Executive) training programs, noting that the numbers remain high with classes reaching around 170 participants. He describes a new initiative tailored for Muslim-affiliated nonprofits, reflecting the inclusive approach of the training sessions. This enjoyable learning episode focuses mainly on the ethical dilemmas fundraisers often face. Jack emphasizes the importance of adhering to ethical standards, especially when dealing with competitive situations between nonprofits, advising against disparaging other organizations, stressing that the goal should be to enhance the entire community's well-being rather than focusing solely on individual success. This approach aligns with the AFP (Association of Fundraising Professionals) code of ethics, which promotes integrity and respect among fundraising professionals. One of Jack's statements from the episode encapsulates his philosophy on this issue: "I am reluctant to engage in a conversation which would disparage another nonprofit... we should continue to talk about the benefits of giving to our organization and the importance of making a gift to advance our mission. It's OK if they also want to give to another organization doing similar work. It just makes the whole community much better." With input from host Julia Patrick, the episode explores the role of ethics in donor relations, with Jack advocating for the inclusion of the AFP code of ethics in donor packets to educate and align expectations with donors.#fundraisingethics #nonprofitfundraising #nonprofitmanagement

Categories
Resources for Nonprofit Directors

Charities webinar - Contract exposure: managing risks in legally binding agreements [Video]

On Wednesday 11 May, Edward Bouckley delivered the next webinar in our charities bite size series. In the webinar Edward looked at some of the key aspects of managing risk when entering into commercial contracts. He discussed:• What risk management is.• What risk is and why properly managing it is so important to charities.• Some of the ways risks can be managed in contacts.Edward also looked at some of the steps that you can take to better protect your charity when entering into contractual arrangements.Here are the timestamps to help guide you through this webinar:0:52 Birketts at a glance1:18 What we will cover today2:09 What is risk management?3:07 What is risk and why is it important?3:59 Contractual risk5:58 Identifying risk10:05 Written contracts11:34 Assessing Risk13:10 The danger of "pre-contractual" agreements14:27 A cautionary tale16:21 Rights and obligations17:51 Risk - allocating and controlling18:48 Transferring risk: indemnities20:00 Controlling risk: limitation of liability21:29 Practical tips23:18 QuestionsThe webinar ended with a Q&A. Disclaimer: The content of this webinar is for general information only. It is not, and should not be taken as, legal advice. If you require any further information in relation to this webinar please contact us in the first instance. Law covered as at May 2022. Meet our expert, Edward Bouckley: https://www.birketts.co.uk/our-lawyers/norwich/edward-bouckleyContact us at: https://www.birketts.co.uk/contact-usSign up to future webinars: https://www.birketts.co.uk/events​​​​ To ensure that you are invited to future webinars and receive our newsletters please opt in to our mailing lists and select the appropriate areas of interest. https://www.birketts.co.uk/register