BoardStar Resources

Setting policy is one of the key functions of every Board of Directors. Best practices dictate that an organization have certain governance policies in place, and in active use by the organization. In addition, the new IRS Form 990 requires the organization to adopt specific policies in order to comply with current standards of governance, accountability and transparency.

The following policy templates have been compiled by BoardStar, reviewed by M-LINC at Marquette University, and are available for free download. They should be reviewed and modified as needed before being adopted by your organization's Board of Directors. This is not intended to be a complete list of recommended policies.

Additional policy templates will soon be available on our Members Only page (login using your email address as UN, if you do not remember your password it will be emailed to you).

More policy templates are available from Wegner CPAs.

Book Review:

"The Perfect Board"

Written by Calvin K. Clemmons, CAE, CMP

"The Imperfect Board Member"

Written by Jim Brown

Reviewed by Maegan Holman

In the immediate post-Sarbones-Oxley Act world, greater scrutiny began for Boards of Directors in the private and not-for-profit sectors. These similarly titled Books, The Perfect Board and The Imperfect Board Member both offer quick, light reads for those serious about Board service in the new era, but who for perhaps all the reason that they were approached about serving, lack the time to investigate nuaces of the role. By providing (in the case of Perfect) a tool-kit for newly minted members primarily in the nonprofit sector, and (in the case of Imperfect) a trademarked Governance Excellence Model focused more on the private sector, the books actually contain little overlap and have certain selections that together would make a useful primer for pre-orientation reading. Read more...

Regional Resources

Association of Fundraising Professionals - Greater Milwaukee Chapter

Better Business Bureau - Wisconsin

Donors Forum of Wisconsin

ENTECH - Empowering Nonprofits in Technology

Helen Bader Institute for Nonprofit Management

Marquette University Funding Information Center

M-LINC

Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee

Nonprofit Management Fund

Nonprofit Portal of Greater Milwaukee

Strategically Speaking

Stritch Leadership Center

UW-Parkside Center for Community Partnerships

UWM Center for Urban Initiatives and Research

UWM Professional Certificate in Nonprofit Management

Volunteer Center of Greater Milwaukee

Wegner CPAs, LLC - Sample forms & Policies

Wisconsin Nonprofits Association

Book Review:

"Boards that Make a Difference"

Written by John Carver

Reviewed by Sara Wilson and Angie Rester

A “Board that Makes a Difference” is the Board we aspire to serve on, to contribute to its development as it strengthens our community.

This book presents the philosophy and governance model created by John Carver, an internationally known intellectual on Board leadership and governance. The premise of this book is that the way most Boards make decisions and “govern” is not designed for Boards to make an impact—to make a real difference. Rather, the way many Boards govern may make incremental improvements in the organization for which they serve, but their impact could be much more using the “Governance Policy Model” John Carver promotes. Read more...

Book Review:

“Governance as Leadership:

Reframing the Work of Nonprofit Boards”
Written by Richard P. Chait, William P. Ryan and Barbara E. Taylor
Copyright 2005 BoardSource; published by John Wiley & Sons

Reviewed by Karen W. Higgins and Amalia Schoone

In the aftermath of numerous local and national nonprofit leadership scandals, there has never been a stronger need for Board Directors to “mind the shop” to satisfy a cautious donor public. While numerous nonprofit leadership books expound upon the prescriptive obligations of stewardship, few look at the potential of governance to re-energize and revitalize leaders and the institutions they serve. “Governance as Leadership: Reframing the Work of Nonprofit Boards” attempts to do so. Read more ...

Book Review:

"Moving Beyond Founder’s Syndrome to Nonprofit Success"

Written by Thomas A. McLaughlin and Addie Nelson Backlund

Reviewed by Christi Murn and Denise Patton

The authors define a founder as, “not just those who found an organization but also those who serve for many years as its chief executive and those who have served for the vast majority (if not all) of a new organization’s existence.”

Throughout the book founder’s syndrome is discussed in the context of situations where there is an “imbalance of power…” between founder and board and situations where behaviors of the founder have “strayed in some major way…” affecting the well-being of the organization. Read more...

(members only content)

Book Review:

"Benchmarking for Nonprofits"

Written by Jason Saul

Reviewed by Joan Jacobs and Mary Unkel

“Benchmarking for Nonprofits” encourages nonprofits to strive for continuous quality improvement, and gives practical advice on how to quantify efforts. Jason Saul, a leading expert on strategy and performance measurement, defines benchmarking as “a systematic, continuous process of measuring and comparing an organization’s business processes against leaders in any industry ... to improve its performance.” A nonprofit can benchmark any method, policy, program, or process that it wishes to improve.

The first step in benchmarking, according to Saul, is to prepare the organization for the process, which involves six steps: Read more...

(members only content)

Website Review:

Reviewed by Karen Higgins

bbb.org/charity

The website for the national Better Business Bureau has an area dedicated to the nonprofit sector. Although its stated goal is to help prospective donors make informed decisions about giving, there are also guides and resources on the site that can be useful for Board Directors. The most significant of these is the Standards for Charity Accountability, which can be accessed from several links on the site.

These twenty standards for nonprofits establish best practices in the areas of governance, fundraising, finance, and ethical decision making. Organizations that meet all twenty standards receive a national seal of approval from the BBB. On a local level, the Wisconsin chapter of the Better Business Bureau also has a website at www.wisconsin.bbb.org/charity. This website has a listing of nonprofit organizations that have filled out a report for the BBB and indicates whether they have met the Standards for Charity Accountability.

This list, along with knowledge of the standards, can provoke some interesting conversation inside the Board room about how the organizations you serve measure up to these standards. Do you want to prioritize being endorsed by the BBB? And what would it mean for your organization to meet those twenty standards?

Book Review:

"Doing Good Even Better:

How to be an Effective Board Member of a Nonprofit Organization"

By Edgar Stoesz, former chair of Habitat for Humanity International

Reviewed by Sam Macklem and Bonnie Prochaska

Every year, new books are published for Board Directors of nonprofit organizations, on subjects such as how to start a nonprofit, raise more money, set up a succession plan and the list goes on. One title stands the test of time; Doing Good Even Better: How to be an Effective Board Member of a Nonprofit Organization was first published in 1994, and updated in 1997 and 2007, with expanded and more current information. The book provides practical, ready- to-use information for Board Directors from those who are very new to nonprofits to weary veterans who want a concise, easy-to- read, inspirational book.

The book provides Directors with technical and tactical suggestions to increase their effectiveness in Board governance. Read more...

Website Review:

Reviewed by Joan Jacobs

www.idealist.org

This website is a project of Action Without Borders, a nonprofit organization founded in 1995 with offices in the United States and Argentina. Idealist is an interactive site on which individuals and organizations can exchange resources and ideas. The home page is very “busy”, so it takes a while to locate information, but once you find it, it is very useful. On the top, choose “Nonprofit FAQ” – the last item on the middle menu. There you will find a menu with five categories: 1) organization; 2) regulation; 3) development; 4) management; and 5) resources. There are many fine articles/documents (anywhere from 100 to 500) under each of these topics. Under each general topical area, there are several more specific topics, each of which includes numerous articles. For example, under “Organization” some of the specific topic areas are the following: Board of Directors; charter documents; collaborations and mergers; conflict of interest; evaluation; liability; and several others.

Website Review:

www.boarddevelopment.org

This is a Canadian website created, hosted, and maintained by the United Way of Canada. The information is relevant and useful for nonprofits in the United States as well. The website is easy to navigate with eight major topic areas:

1) the Board’s role and responsibilities;

2) the importance of Board governance;

3) the components of Board governance;

4) steps to effective Board leadership;

5) a series of checklists which can be used as tools to measure the overall effectiveness of organizations and to identify potential areas for improvement. This section also includes a Board orientation checklist and sample documents;

6-8) these three sections provide resources/links for other tools and resources, including those for Board and staff training.

These last three sections include resources for both Canada and the United States. Section 5, with the various checklists and sample documents, is especially useful. Examples of checklists and sample documents include the following: what to include in a Board Orientation manual; a checklist for meetings; key elements of a healthy organization; sample financial and human resource policy manuals; and sample job descriptions for Board Directors and officers.

Website Review:

Reviewed by Bonnie Prochaska

Governance Matters

www.governancematters.org

Governance Matters is a nonprofit organization working with New York City nonprofits, educating and advocating for good governance in the nonprofit sector. Through the website, any nonprofit leader or Board Director can access the tools and information on the site. This includes a Board Toolkit, a section on Governance Issues, a Good Governance Guide and a wide array of resources, many of which are downloadable. A comprehensive Links section of resource information is listed by various topic areas such as, board development, legal oversight or financial oversight. Current information and trends in the sector are available by signing up for the e/newsletter.

Help 4 NonProfits

http://www.help4nonprofits.com

Help 4 NonProfits is a company supporting the social sector through training, speaking engagements, facilitating, products and tools, and a free nonprofit library. The greatest asset to the website is the information on the three different libraries; General Help 4 Nonprofits, Brain Teaser and Use-it-Today Tips. The library material, authored by the president of the company, covers board governance, creating the future, fundraising and resource development, marketing and community engagement, personnel, and personal-professional development information. Current information and trends in the sector are available by signing up for the e/newsletter.

Website Review:

Free Management Library

http://www.managementhelp.org/

Free Management Library is one of the oldest free services on the internet, administered by Authenticity Consulting, LLC. Designed to be a community resource with contributions from the general web public on over 650 topics and 5000 links, it is one of the most comprehensive websites for information on nonprofit organizations. The site gives two primary search modes, one as a broad topic area, the other by specific topic area. There is also information links on general information such as, organizations that help, free training, peer and online groups, supersites, blogs, periodicals, reference materials and job banks. From the Board Director to a volunteer anyone would be able to find information from advertising and promotion to volunteering with hundreds of topics in between.

Website Review:

Reviewed by Karen Higgins

NPTimes.com is committed to helping staff and volunteers in the nonprofit sector find helpful information promoting excellence in the governance and management of the organizations we serve. It is an extension of the business publication, The Nonprofit Time (NPT). While part of its purpose is to market subscriptions to a biweekly magazine (and promote advertisers of NPT), this website has a variety of free resources helpful to anyone that cares about the nonprofit sector.

Its content is divided into categories including:

Top stories that have been published in the NPT biweekly publication
NPT’s “most read” articles
Fast Management Tips
“Ask the Expert” column regarding fundraising questions
Articles on a variety of topics written exclusively for the website.

Some articles recently posted on the website covered Executive Compensation, “Give or Get” Board giving policies; and addressing when an organization should hire a development director.

People can subscribe to automatic downloads of weekly e-newsletters on particular topics that include fundraising, technology, and management issues. There is also a downloadable “desktop delivery service” that provides daily nonprofit breaking news directly to your desktop.

PHILANTHROPYJOURNAL.ORG is a publication of the A.J. Fletcher Foundation, committed to providing “news for change.” Through a website and a free, weekly email bulletin, Philanthropy Journal (PJ) delivers helpful news, resources, and announcements for people engaged in the work of nonprofits.

Some of the content focuses on the State of North Carolina, but two specific category offerings, News and Resources, offer invaluable and current information related to anyone working in the nonprofit sector.

A section on governance within the Resources area has some useful ideas and links for Board Directors. These sections are augmented by bimonthly, web exclusive special reports on topics such as fundraising, finance, and technology.

It’s worthwhile subscribing to weekly updates on what’s happening in the sector. You will receive relevant, timely information about the sector, in an e-newsletter format or via Twitter. Anyone utilizing Twitter can find PJ and other entities delivering daily news about the nonprofit sector via the twitter directory of: http://wefollow.com subscribed under: #Nonprofit #Boards #Governance. Overall, the site is a good and useful tool to help stay abreast of current news and trends affecting the nonprofit sector.

ABOUT.COM is a publication of the New York Times which promises that “We’ll provide you with accurate, engaging content”, “We’ll save you time”, and “We’ll help you get to the point.” Under the Nonprofit Charitable Organizations tab, information abounds on a variety of topics related to the nonprofit sector. Current topics include: The Nonprofit Hard Times Survival Guide; Surviving the Recession; Mission Driven Fundraising; and Alternatives to Starting a Nonprofit.

The website provides links to blogs focusing on nonprofit issues, giving voice to seasoned professionals in the sector who blog to share their thoughts. It is possible to subscribe to weekly downloads of the latest articles on governance and management issues in the nonprofit sector. Overall, there is a lot of information, but don't expect great depth. The site has a tendency to use brief, bulleted lists of ideas that are helpful but also very basic. This is a good reference site for Directors who are relatively new to their role on a Board.

Website Review:

Reviewed by Sara Wilson and Christianne Murn

The Charity Channel is a dynamic website with a tremendous amount of information on philanthropy and nonprofit topics for Board Directors, non-profit staff and consultants.

CharityChannel was founded in 1992 by Stephen Nill, who saw a need for colleagues to connect, share and discuss pertinent challenges and issues. The website describes itself as a “resource that connects you to your nonprofit colleagues around the corner and around the world."

Our Purpose: To foster a place where nonprofit professionals can learn from each other, share information and work together to advance the cause of philanthropy.

The CharityChannel community is comprised of nonprofit-sector professionals from around the world who volunteer their time, advice, information, tips and articles for the benefit of the community.”

The website has seven primary sections, all which provide significant resources that are substantial in content and are also current. Sections include:
• Articles;
• Charity University (tele-classes);
• Charity Radio: interviews with Stephen C. Nill, Charity Channel CEO and nonprofit sector leaders;
• Consultants Registry: listing of consultants and their services;
• Career Search: listing of nonprofit job opportunities;
• News: current headlines and links to third-sector news articles; and,
• Special (blogs, etc.)

The Articles section is extremely valuable with many articles on topics including Board governance, grant writing, fund development and technology, donor cultivation and volunteer management. Articles are written by experienced nonprofit practitioners and experts. The articles section will be one of the most valuable to board and staff and consultants.

The follow descriptions are provided by CharityChannel regarding the Articles section.

Grant Opportunities
Grants and Foundations Review covers all facets of grantsmanship, and tackle just about every topic imaginable.

E-Philanthropy and Technology Review particularly focuses on the use of technology in fund development, but also explores technology challenges faced in other facets of nonprofit organizations, such as management, accounting, and governance.

Major Gifts and Planned Giving Review focuses on large gifts from individual donors, from two perspectives. Articles examine the creation, challenges, opportunities and best practices of fund development programs.

Nonprofit Boards and Governance Review address the challenges faced by nonprofit organizations and their boards.

Nonprofit Consulting Review is written by nonprofit-sector consultants for consultants. Topics cover a broad range of challenges, such as billing, ethics, marketing, running one's consulting office, and much more.

Volunteer Management Review provides the best practices for volunteer resources management.

General Comments about the website

Information is easy to locate through drop down selections. The website is very cluttered, which may overwhelm some users, and it may take a long time to load on computers without a high speed connection. Subscribers can sign up for newsletters on the topic of their choice (related to Articles topics).

Website Review:

Reviewed by Denise Patton and Mary Unkel

www.npgoodpractice.org

The Nonprofit Good Practice Guide is a nonprofit and philanthropy library specializing in resources for nonprofit and foundation professionals, students, consultants and volunteers. It is a practical, relevant, easy to read and navigate resource. The site is sponsored by Johnson Center at Grand Valley State University and Clark Hill, PLC, Attorneys at Law and supported by the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation. Resources on this site are free.

The site provides resources and information on relevant topics that include: Nonprofit Resources, Organizational Management, Fundraising, Marketing and Communications and Volunteer Management. Each of these topics is linked to additional resources such as case studies, tools, reports, articles, books, addressing current issues within the nonprofit sector.

The site also offers a feature articles collection, webinars, experts in residence available to respond to questions, and a section on preferred practices and pitfalls related to each of the topic areas listed above. This site is also linked with the “Free Management Library” another resource to nonprofit organizations.

www.independentsector.org

Founded in 1980, Independent Sector is a nonprofit organization comprised of approximately 600 organizations joined together in a common mission to advance the common good by leading, strengthening, and mobilizing the charitable community. The organization achieves its mission by convening opportunities for planning and strategy development, promoting public policies of interest to the nonprofit sector, supporting citizen engagement, encouraging high standards of ethical practice, and serving as the voice of the sector to the community-at-large.

The organization’s website is organized into categories related to each of these focus areas. A review of the section on accountability, for example, provides up-to-date information relative to the impact of the Sarbanes-Oxley legislation on the nonprofit sector, links to valuable information on nonprofit standards, guidelines for ethical fundraising, etc. By following the research tab, website visitors are introduced to multiple reports and publications about volunteerism and philanthropy. Each report is conveniently summarized into statements on key findings, enabling viewers to retrieve important data without having to read entire reports. The public policy section of the website provides a convenient listing of key issues as debated by Congressional leaders. In addition to summarizing those issues, the website analyses implications for the nonprofit sector, publishes the organization’s position on the issue, and provides an easy-to-use tool for readers to immediately communicate with appropriate congressional representatives.

Suggestions for Improvement: Although the Independent Sector website is a valuable resource for understanding the issues facing nonprofits today and for mobilizing action to achieve positive change, the website is text heavy and virtually devoid of graphical elements and interactive media that could improve viewer engagement and participation.

Website Review:

www.managementhelp.org

The Free Management Library is a comprehensive integrated online library for nonprofits with approximately 650 topics spanning 5,000 links. Each topic has additional recommended books and training links. Hosted by the Management Assistance Program (MAP) for Nonprofits of St. Paul, Minnesota, the library is a free community resource to be shared and contributed to by users and authors across the world. The site allows users to add their own content following guidelines and community rules, and can also be linked to your organization website. Copyright and reprint guidelines are provided for contributing and extracting materials.

The Library provides easy to access, clutter-free comprehensive resources related to leadership and management relevant to both large and small organizations, and designed to be useful to a variety of people with different views about leadership and management. Users can access information from broad topics and then link to specific subtopics that provide more detail. Use the Library to improve your organization and add to your own learning.

The Library provides diagnostic tools to examine your organization and its management compared to critical proven benchmarks that must occur for high performance in organizations. Based on the diagnosis users can decide what types of activities and library topics need the most attention and then select the appropriate topics and resources to use in addressing development and change, i.e. Board Directors, planning, programs, staffing, marketing, finances, etc.

The Library also offers users the ability to: subscribe to be notified via email of changes to any topic; conveniently reference a wide variety of general resources including organization that provide technical assistance for nonprofits; join peer groups; participate in online discussion groups; enroll and complete free training programs; receive free periodicals; access supersites (websites with vast free resources) and; keep track of your path through the Library by using the “breadcrumbs” feature which lists the pages you have visited.

The site offers a comprehensive management training program, the Free Online Nonprofit Organization and Management Development Program – Micro-eMBA, a self-paced program useful to nonprofit executives and Board Directors, nonprofit entrepreneurs, organization leaders and managers, consultants and volunteers. While the program is non-Degree granting, it provides a wealth of learning. Log on to the site for more details and visit the links on program content, design, format and catalog of learning modules.

www.vskn.ca/lead/gov

The Voluntary Sector Knowledge Network, hosted by the Centre for Nonprofit Management in Victoria, British Columbia, is an excellent web database on nonprofit governance in the United States and Canada. With sections devoted to leadership, community and government relations, fundraising, financial management, accountability & evaluation, managing people, and information technology, the VSKN website provides summaries as well as detailed information on other websites, articles, and publications pertinent to each topic.

Although the VSKN website is a portal to a wealth of solid, easy-to-find information of interest to nonprofits at any stage of development, much of the information is targeted to organizations seeking to understand the basics of good practices in nonprofit governance. By leading with a focus on the basics, the website speaks with a common “voice” – a communication device that enables the reader to more easily navigate its many options.

Website Review:

Evaluated by Sam Macklem

Wisconsin State Statutes Chapter 181, Nonstock Corporations
www.legis.state.wi.us/statutes/Stat0181.pdf

Keep your nonprofit legal under Wisconsin law for nonstock corporations. This webpage provides the electronic reproduction of Chapter 181 concerning your nonprofit organization.

You will find requirements for incorporation, legal responsibilities of Boards of Directors, expectations of directors and officers, membership regulations, amending your bylaws, mergers, dissolution and much more. This is the guidebook for reviewing and updating your organizational bylaws for compliance with Wisconsin law.

Website Review:

Evaluated by Joan Jacobs and Angie Rester

www.muttart.org

The Muttart Foundation is a private foundation which supports charities in Canada, primarily in Alberta and Saskatchewan. The laws that govern nonprofits in Canada differ from those in the US, however, this web site provides a number of valuable tools to support Boards of Directors. Notably and definitely worth the look are free downloadable resource books, fellowship books, and surveys.

www.robertsrules.com

The Official Robert’s Rules of Order Web Site is the place to go for suggestions on how to adopt Robert’s Rules of Order into your organization; Frequently Asked Questions; Official Interpretations of Robert’s Rules; or you may wish to participate in their Questions and Answers Forum. The most useful part of this web site is indeed the frequently asked questions with the author’s official responses.

Website Review:

Reviewed by Amalia Schoone

Core Strategies
www.corestrategies4nonprofits.com

CoreStrategies, a consulting group based in Florida, offers a wealth of information in nonprofit governance (including board leadership and planning), fund development and communications. The Free Resources tab includes book reviews, sector conferences, and links to other websites (including Boardstar).

The “On Nonprofits” is the most intriguing part of this area. Terrie Tempkin, Ph.D., a principal with CoreStrategies, writes this monthly column that addresses difficult situations submitted by readers, such as, “Dad Chairs the Board and Two Daughters are Vying for Employment,” and “Board President Starts New ‘Competing’ Organization.” Tempkin offers well-reasoned, objective feedback while acknowledging the challenging circumstances that may arise in nonprofit leadership.

CoreStrategies has generously posted many of their own tipsheets, worksheets and templates on the website, in the categories of Board Development/Governance, Fund Raising, PR/Marketing and Nonprofit Management.

Website Review:

Reviewed by Amalia Schoone

GuideStar www.guidestar.org

Guidestar is a nonprofit organization with a mission to revolutionize philanthropy and nonprofit practice by providing information that advances transparency, enables users to make better decisions and encourages charitable giving. The Guidestar website has long been the go-to place for grantseekers who desired more detailed information about the funders to which they would apply. Over the years, the website has evolved to provide a greater scope of information for prospective donors, grantseekers and nonprofit leaders. Guidestar offers free registration, with several fee-for-service upgrade options that provide more detailed information about the nonprofit organizations Guidestar tracks, as well as reports on the nonprofit sector.

Guidestar provides access to listings on thousands of nonprofit organizations, including private foundations. The free service includes access to a brief description of the organization -- mission, history, programs, staffing and contact information. Additionally, the 990s of organizations that are required to file can be found and accessed on the website.

Other facets of the website include links to articles on numerous subjects related to the nonprofit sector, including sections on boards, fundraising and sustainability, insurance, laws & regulations and resources. Last but not least, Guidestar offers users free classified ads in the areas of events, jobs, nonprofit needs, products and services, and volunteer opportunities. These ads are searchable by keyword and broaden opportunities to recruit employees and solicit support.

Website Review:

Evaluated by Christi Murn

www.effectivemeetings.com

The primary focus of this website is all aspects of planning and carrying out effective meetings. It is an online resource designed to provide useful information in the form of articles, tips and quizzes. Topics are sorted into the following sections: plans, teams, technology and design (meeting space). The information is static rather than interactive but has very helpful information to get the most out of your meetings and provides helpful tips. Easy to navigate.

www.nonprofitmanagementhelp.org

This is a free library site offering for profit and nonprofit management assistance with topics ranging from advertising to volunteers. There are 650 topics with over 5,000 links to more information. It is easy to navigate with main topics on the home page in alphabetical order. Information is clear, helpful, useful and easy to find. Whatever you need, you will find it here.

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Strategic restructuring is a hot topic in today's economic environment, and is one possible long-term solution for closing the gap between revenue and expense. Frank Martinelli of The Center for Public Skills Training has developed an excellent resource on the subject through his blog, Strategically Speaking.

BOARDSTARS FEATURED...

Mario Costantini: an Entrepreneurial Approach to Leadership by Amalia Schoone & Angie Rester

Mario Costantini, a Board Director and volunteer for numerous organizations serving urban children including the Holton Youth Center and Danceworks, credits his childhood experience as an immigrant from Argentina for his nonprofit sector service today. “I came to Milwaukee when I was 10 years old. I feel grateful to the country and this city. Lots of people helped us, and this is a way to pay back that help,” explained Costantini. His payback has helped many in the greater Milwaukee area, particularly young people and the Riverwest neighborhood. Read more...

Tom Fisher: Leadership through Organizational Change by Bonnie Prohaska and Mary Unkel
Tom Fisher, a Director of the Board of We Four, Inc., took extraordinary measures to rally the Board of Directors when We Four found itself at a Crossroads in late 2003. We Four, now Supportive Community Services, is a Milwaukee-area nonprofit organization with a history of more than 30 years of providing guardianship and case management services to individuals with chronic mental illness, developmental, and other disabilities. Five years after its reorganization, Supportive Community Services, Inc. now serves 415 clients per year, up from 120 clients in 2003; has increased its income three-fold; set aside several months of financial reserves; grown from a staff of four to 15 full time employees; and relocated to larger, attractive, and accessible office space. Read more...

Pastor Dee Anderson: Leadership by Example by Rob Meiksens and Christi Murn
A Board Director for Granville Interfaith Program for Older Adults and Pastor of Granville Presbyterian Church, Pastor Dee Anderson leads through building the leadership capacity of others. Granville Interfaith Program, created over 20 years ago as one of the affiliates of Interfaith Older Adult Programs, runs a Neighborhood Outreach Program to help older adults live as independently for as long as possible. For most of its history, Granville Interfaith was most visibly known for its Senior Center. Originally comprised of representatives of various churches on Milwaukee’s Northwest side, Pastor Dee joined the Board soon after its inception and was one of several pastors representing congregations on the Board. In the middle of 2008, Granville Interfaith faced a significant fiscal crisis after losing government funding of the Senior Center, and some very tough decisions loomed. Read more...