A Strategic Planning Doc Should be a Decision-Making Tool, Not a Coffee Table Book
Release Date: 09/02/2026
Your Board Doesn't Have a Governance Problem -- It has a Courage Problem!
The Nonprofit Mentor -- Tips, Tools & Tactics from the Trenches for Nonprofit Leaders -- by Tom Iselin
Over the years, I've heard countless nonprofit leaders say some version of the same thing: "Our board has a governance problem." Sometimes they're right. A board may have outdated bylaws, weak committee structures, poor orientation for new members, or unclear policies. Those issues certainly matter, and they deserve attention. But after facilitating hundreds of board retreats and strategic planning sessions over the past twenty years, I've come to a different conclusion. More often than not, governance isn't the real problem. It's simply the symptom. The real issue usually runs much...
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Why "Any Questions" is Killing Your Board Discussions
The Nonprofit Mentor -- Tips, Tools & Tactics from the Trenches for Nonprofit Leaders -- by Tom Iselin
Why "Any Questions?" Is Killing Your Board Discussions I've facilitated hundreds of board retreats over the past 20 years, and I've noticed something fascinating. The moment a board chair or CEO finishes a presentation and says, "Any questions?" the room almost always gets quieter—not livelier. A few people glance at their notes. Someone takes a sip of coffee. Another checks the agenda. Then someone eventually says, "Nope." And just like that, the conversation is over. Ironically, everyone loses. The Fastest Way to End a Conversation Here's the problem:...
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You Essential Marketing Quiver - Here!
The Nonprofit Mentor -- Tips, Tools & Tactics from the Trenches for Nonprofit Leaders -- by Tom Iselin
Many nonprofits believe their mission alone should inspire support. Unfortunately, donors are not mind readers. They cannot automatically feel your impact, understand your programs, appreciate your culture, or grasp the urgency of your work simply because your organization exists. That understanding must be communicated clearly, consistently, emotionally, and professionally. And that’s where many nonprofits struggle. Some organizations are doing extraordinary work while presenting themselves with outdated brochures, confusing websites, blurry photos, weak messaging, and...
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A Strategic Planning Doc Should be a Decision-Making Tool, Not a Coffee Table Book
The Nonprofit Mentor -- Tips, Tools & Tactics from the Trenches for Nonprofit Leaders -- by Tom Iselin
I've seen some beautiful strategic plans over the years. Thick paper. Gorgeous photography. Inspirational quotes. Color-coded priorities. One organization even handed me a plan that looked expensive enough to have its own insurance policy. There was just one problem: Nobody was using it. That's more common than nonprofit leaders like to admit. Organizations spend months creating strategic plans, celebrate when the board approves them, distribute a few polished copies, and then quietly place them on shelves. Six months later, somebody pulls one out during the next strategic planning update...
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How Great Fundraisers Prepare for Donor Meetings
The Nonprofit Mentor -- Tips, Tools & Tactics from the Trenches for Nonprofit Leaders -- by Tom Iselin
Many fundraisers think successful donor meetings are primarily about charisma. Wrong. Charisma helps. Confidence helps. Storytelling helps. But more than anything else, successful fundraising meetings are usually the result of thoughtful preparation. The best fundraisers rarely “wing it.” They prepare like professionals because they understand something incredibly important: Preparation reduces anxiety It also increases confidence, clarity, credibility, and effectiveness. Unfortunately, too many nonprofit leaders and development staff walk into...
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Every Board Has an Elephant. Most Just Feed It.
The Nonprofit Mentor -- Tips, Tools & Tactics from the Trenches for Nonprofit Leaders -- by Tom Iselin
Elephants Have Excellent Appetites Boards feed elephants in all kinds of ways. They postpone difficult conversations. They soften uncomfortable language. They create committees. They commission another study. They put the issue on next month's agenda, where it enjoys a brief appearance before being returned safely to its natural habitat. Occasionally, they even hire a consultant. As a consultant, I appreciate the business, and it would be a privilege to help. But sometimes you don't need another consultant. You need someone in the room willing to say, "We all know what the problem...
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5-Step Formula for Setting Up a Donor Meeting
The Nonprofit Mentor -- Tips, Tools & Tactics from the Trenches for Nonprofit Leaders -- by Tom Iselin
For many nonprofit leaders and fundraisers, making the initial donor call feels about as comfortable as parallel parking a boat. Even highly confident professionals suddenly become nervous, overly formal, or strangely robotic the moment they pick up the phone to call a potential donor. And honestly, it makes sense. Fundraising calls carry emotional pressure. You don’t want to sound pushy. You don’t want to waste the donor’s time. You definitely don’t want to sound like a telemarketer calling during dinner asking whether they’d like to switch long-distance providers...
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The Biggest Lie in Strategic Planning
The Nonprofit Mentor -- Tips, Tools & Tactics from the Trenches for Nonprofit Leaders -- by Tom Iselin
Board members say it all the time. "We're just not ready to make that decision." It sounds thoughtful. Responsible. Even wise. After all, no one wants to rush an important decision. But after facilitating hundreds of strategic planning retreats across the country, I've come to believe this is often the biggest lie in strategic planning. Not because board members are dishonest. They're not. Most are intelligent, dedicated people who genuinely want what's best for the organization. The problem is that "we're not ready" is often a more comfortable way of saying, "We know what we need to...
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Your Board Isn’t Working: Why a Board Retreat Might Be the Best Investment Your Nonprofit Makes This Year
The Nonprofit Mentor -- Tips, Tools & Tactics from the Trenches for Nonprofit Leaders -- by Tom Iselin
Your Board Isn’t Working: Why a Board Retreat Might Be the Best Investment Your Nonprofit Makes This Year Most nonprofit leaders know the scene. You’re sitting in a board meeting watching the same three people carry the conversation while two members scroll their phones, one asks a question already answered in the pre-read materials, and another slips out early because “something came up.” The meeting ends politely. No one throws a chair. But nothing really moves forward. This is how board dysfunction often shows up—not through dramatic conflict, but through something quieter...
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Building a Donor Pipeline BEFORE You need It!
The Nonprofit Mentor -- Tips, Tools & Tactics from the Trenches for Nonprofit Leaders -- by Tom Iselin
Building a Donor Pipeline BEFORE You need It! Here’s a truth most development directors don’t want to admit out loud: Your donor base is quietly shrinking. Not because you’re doing bad work. Not because your mission isn’t compelling. Not because your fundraising team isn’t trying. But because donors are human. They retire. They relocate. They redirect their giving. They get distracted by grandkids. They fall in love with a new cause. And sometimes, without warning, they just have a change of heart before writing that six-figure check you were sure was coming. If you are not...
info_outlineI've seen some beautiful strategic plans over the years. Thick paper. Gorgeous photography. Inspirational quotes. Color-coded priorities. One organization even handed me a plan that looked expensive enough to have its own insurance policy.
There was just one problem: Nobody was using it.
That's more common than nonprofit leaders like to admit. Organizations spend months creating strategic plans, celebrate when the board approves them, distribute a few polished copies, and then quietly place them on shelves. Six months later, somebody pulls one out during the next strategic planning update session and says, "Huh. I forgot we said we'd do that."
A strategic plan isn't supposed to document what you decided. It's supposed to help you make the decisions that come next.
Tune in to learn more!