Ambassador Insights

“Ambassador Insights” are drawn from online discussions of the Leap of Reason Ambassadors Community, a private community of nonprofit experts, leader practitioners, and instigators.

“Ambassador Insights” are curated from the online discussions. While they do not represent the views of all ambassadors, those who offered input have vetted and approved their contributions. Each “Ambassador Insight” has also been presented to the full Leap of Reason Ambassadors Community for review.

They are intended to help provide context, resources, and information and are by no means an exhaustive review of available resources. Though we strive to keep this information current and accurate, errors can occur. They are therefore provided “as is” with no guarantee of accuracy, completeness, or timeliness.

Current Ambassador Insights

• Board Stewardship for Mission Effectiveness and High Performance
  Just as boards have fiduciary responsibilities to provide stewardship, ensure compliance, and hold management accountable for legal, financial, investment, and audit requirements, there is a growing need to apply this same focus and rigor to their organizations’ mission effectiveness and performance.
• Graceful Exit: Succession Planning for High-Performing CEOs
  Leadership transitions can be challenging. But with reflection and planning, it can be a positive experience for all. Learn how to proactively plan for change.
• CEO Supervision: Is a Nonprofit Board Really Best-Suited to Evaluate its CEO?
  The board-executive relationship is often complicated. What are the most effective approaches when the status quo is negatively affecting the organization’s outcomes?
• CEO Transition: Should I Stay or Should I Go?
  How to best navigate the complicated role of a departing iconic leader depends upon a number of different factors.
• Determined to Survive: Factors to Consider
  The Leap Ambassadors Community shares tools and resources helpful for the survival and sustainability of nonprofit organizations.
• Develop Strong Fiscal Muscles for High Performance
  The greatest strategies and theories of change don’t matter if they can’t be funded or sustained. A high-performing organization needs strong fiscal muscles to take advantage of financial opportunities and be prepared for financial challenges.
• Is Earned Income Worth It?
  Hard-won lessons from leaders who have used earned income as a strategic opportunity.
• Helping Your Team During Crisis
  All leaders are managing crises these days as they navigate a pandemic, economic downturn, and civil unrest. Leap Ambassador Linda Johanek shares her lessons-learned on helping your team during crisis.
• Measurement Reconsidered
  The greatest strategies and theories of change don’t matter if they can’t be funded or sustained. A high-performing organization needs strong fiscal muscles to take advantage of financial opportunities and be prepared for financial challenges.
• Performance-Based Contracting: Rules for the Road
  Performance-based contracting has a potential role to play in driving local governments to do business differently and help move performance to center stage. But proceed with caution.
• Congratulations! You’ve gotten PPP…Now what?
  The Leap Ambassadors Community shares advice and resources for navigating the Paycheck Protection Program, a component of the CARES Act.
• Responding to COVID-19 in an Equitable Way: Resources to Assist Nonprofits
  The Leap Ambassadors Community shares tips and resources for nonprofits working to center diversity, equity, and inclusion as they respond to COVID-19.
• SIBs: What’s Missing?
  Ambassadors weigh in on factors that may not be getting enough attention in the public debate about social impact bonds.
• Statistical vs. Social Significance
  Recap of discussion about the value of statistical significance vs. social (or policy) value in external organizational evaluation.
• Strength in Numbers: Building the Case for Full-Cost Funding from State and Local Government
  Learn from these ambassadors who have hard-won experience in building the case that local, state, and federal government entities listen to nonprofits’ calls for funding indirect costs.
• Structuring a Director of Outcomes and Evaluation Position
  A question posed to the community revealed a gold mine of knowledge related to creating an internal position focused on measuring and assessing organizational outcomes.
• Technology Helps and Hinders
  For as many benefits that technology has offered nonprofit service delivery, there are also barriers. Four nonprofit leaders share what they’ve learned about virtual operations as they respond to COVID-19.