Every nonprofit, startup and small business needs a plan. That seems like common sense, and in fact, it is common sense among most professionals. Yet, there is a difference between a quick meeting out of the blue that turns into a long unstructured brainstorming session, and a structured three-part strategic planning session among stakeholders that provides valuable year-long insight. 

Erica Young - The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

Welcome to part two of our Thought Leadership series on building sustainable and forward-thinking HR departments in the social sector.

As the current workforce continues to churn and find its footing in the new not-so-normal, Mockingbird reached out for a two-part interview with Innovation Catalyst Erica Young whose background in nonprofit work and strategic business partnerships at The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) places her at the intersection of people management in today’s nonprofit world.

In early 2025, one thing became abundantly clear across the nonprofit sector: uncertainty is no longer the exception. It is the operating environment. How do we fund our work responsibly when the rules keep changing?

As nonprofits, it is important to maintain a nonpartisan stance when engaging with and talking about candidates. While nonprofits may take a stance on specific issues or policies, this is considered lobbying and can only take up a small percentage of your organization’s budget (see more on the IRS substantial part test below). Voting is inherently a nonpartisan issue, so as long as you encourage people to register and vote without tying that message to specific candidates or issues, you will be in full compliance with the law.

The urgency for incorporating cultural competence into all aspects of our society is as important as ever, so how can you advance cultural competence in your organization?

This is a repost of a blog originally written in June 2020.

It has been three months since all 50 states cited their first case of COVID-19.  Within three months cities have gone from complete shutdown, remote work becoming a norm, to slow reopening, and then moving back to shutting down again. 2020 promises to be a continuous roller coaster.

Data collection for nonprofits has always been important. It helps us understand the communities we serve and to monitor and measure the impacts of our work. Data collection helps inform the future direction of our work, it helps identify gaps and challenges, and it informs funders about not only our impact, but also about what is happening on the ground. Last but certainly not least, data collection helps us grow, maintain, and strengthen community relationships!

Ready to get started with your nonprofit? You might be tempted to DIY everything to save money. However, remember that your time is valuable, as well; could it be allocated to something more important? If you’re not sure how to do something – or it’s not a skill set at which you excel – you might waste time and resources as you scramble to complete tasks yourself. You could even end up spending unnecessary funds to fix rookie mistakes.

My professional journey into the world of fund development is not an uncommon one. Like countless other fundraisers, I fell into this work without a true understanding of the art, science, and/or process of asking donors to support the mission of an organization. Those first few years building an individual giving program for an organization were both exhilarating and frustrating. When I would meet with other fundraisers or attend trainings, it felt as if those who were more experienced than myself were speaking another language. These conversations always left me lost and searching. Sometimes, they even left me wondering if this work was truly for me.

There has never been a better moment to analyze the resiliency development of youth.

Things are running smoothly at your nonprofit: you’re seeing tangible results, everyone’s getting along and working together well, and your operation is growing by the day. When you’ve finally gotten into a comfortable groove, suddenly, something throws a wrench into your plans. It’s hard to see a crisis coming, but when an unexpected occurrence creates an immediate roadblock, you must find a way to process it and move forward as an organization. If you can’t deal with an internal crisis swiftly and appropriately, your nonprofit could crumble before your eyes.

Foundations, as one can imagine, get swamped with letters and proposals requesting funding. Many foundations have changed their policies regarding how they choose to give away funds.

If you’re a non-profit your Annual 990 form due date is right around the corner (yikes!) and the Mockingbird Team and I want to make sure that you’re ready! So we’ve put together a handy guide for getting your 990s done and out the door so you focus on other things. 

Nonprofit organizations don’t materialize out of thin air. They’re created for very specific reasons: someone saw a need for change and decided to take action. Whether your particular nonprofit is centered upon helping individuals or the planet as a whole, your goal is ultimately to make the world a better place in some capacity. However, while you’re furthering your cause, don’t forget about the important people working alongside you.

It’s time to talk about budgeting and the end of the fiscal year! Are you amped? Are you hyped?! Are you “lit AF” just thinking about looking into your financial data?!?

Evaluating advocacy efforts is no easy feat, but doing so can yield better results as well as lessons learned that can be shared with other organizations and/or used the next time you need to advocate for change.

Data. You’ve got it, and you worked hard to get it, too. You’ve mired yourself in questionnaires and surveys, dug deep into a thousand spreadsheets to get tangible figures, and carefully tracked the results of every email, letter, or flyer you’ve sent out. You’re up to your eyeballs in numbers – now what?

Every day, we face new and emerging issues which is exactly why we need fresh ideas and new perspectives that fuel new nonprofits. Contrary to popular belief, it has NOT all been done before.