The LinkedIn for Nonprofits Weekly Digest

During periods of disruption and uncertainty, it’s easy to become focused on immediate challenges and demands. But while nonprofits need to move day-to-day operations forward, they also need to keep one eye firmly planted on the big picture. That’s why the theme of this week’s LinkedIn for Nonprofits Weekly Digest is longer term improvements and lasting change. 

We’ve compiled articles exploring board diversification efforts, policy advocacy, and innovation in education. You’ll also find insights into the overarching trends impacting the sector and a major opportunity for nonprofits to improve their approach to marketing. 

Here are five must-read articles and reports for nonprofits this week:

1. 6 Steps for Nonprofits to Be Effective Advocates of Community-Supporting Policy (Nonprofit Quarterly)

To better support the communities they serve, nonprofits often have to speak up about or even push back against potentially detrimental policies at both the local and regional level. Nonprofit Quarterly outlines some steps that nonprofits can take to engage in public advocacy effectively, from collaborating with other organizations to empowering communities with the information they need to get involved.

2. Lessons in diversity: How PDX Women in Tech overhauled board recruitment (CIO)

Diversity is important at all levels of an organization, but the composition of the C-suite and board can have a massive impact on whether employees feel represented and like they belong. To inspire other organizations working toward diversifying their boards, PDX Women in Tech (PDXWIT), a nonprofit that seeks to encourage, support, and empower underrepresented groups in tech, shares how it moved from a board that was 80% white and cisgender with no LGBTQ+ representation to one that was 80% BIPOC with LGBTQ+ representation in under two years. 

3. 11 Trends in Philanthropy for 2021 (Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy)

Now in its fifth year, the Trends in Philanthropy report from Grand Valley State University’s Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy shares insights into emerging issues in the sector—while underscoring the fact that many consistent themes in nonprofit work have gained new meaning and urgency in 2021.

4. How A Community Of Leaders Can Innovate Education (Forbes)

To take education to the next level and drive economic opportunity in their region, leaders at education-focused nonprofits must be actively engaged in preparing learners for the future of work, not just the present. To provide a roadmap for other nonprofits, Denny Barney, CEO of PHX East Valley Partnership, shares some of the steps his organization has taken. 

5. Fewer Than 50% Of Nonprofits Have A Digital Marketing Strategy (The NonProfit Times)

In the age of social distancing, digital marketing has never been more important for nonprofits looking to reach new audiences and connect with potential donors. But new research from Tapp Network and TechSoup suggests that fewer than half of all nonprofits—particularly those with smaller teams—have a formal digital marketing strategy in place. The NonProfit Times summarizes the key findings from this research, highlighting the opportunity for improvement. 

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