Dear Friend:

One of the joys of working for a nonprofit is the satisfaction of being part of an organization with goals and values that match your own. As president of GuideStar, I'm a member of a team of hard-working individuals who are effectively promoting positive change throughout the entire nonprofit sector by putting their core values into action every day.

An integral part of this value system is our conviction that GuideStar has a responsibility to make nonprofit information available in a manner that encourages broad use regardless of a user's ability to pay. Anyone can log on to our Web site and find solutions with free and reliable nonprofit information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

This type of open availability is crucial and can have tremendous impact on both donors and the nonprofits they support. Let me share with you, as an example, a comment we received from one of our nonprofit users in Ohio:

After you've been told the fabulous news of your winning a sizable grant award, and the champagne in your Dixie cups has gone flat, I (the head of a foundation myself) recommend you do three things:

Benefits are a key factor when job seekers evaluate job opportunities. Even though budget constraints often dictate a ceiling on nonprofit salaries, a competitive and robust benefits package can be an effective way to attract talent and retain employees. A nonprofit can decide on a variety of monetary and non-monetary benefits. With some care and creativity, organizations can turn a benefits package from average to competitive.

Where is our dream trustee who can solicit gifts with passion and energy? Unfortunately few board members fit this ideal. One of the biggest myths perpetuated in fundraising is that most board members are willing and able to raise money.

The reality of the situation is that our board members have some very real challenges when they are confronted with fundraising. Their actual performance in this area is quite different from our expectations of them.

While we hope, wish, and dream of board members who will help raise friends and funds, this desire is often based on a myth we are making up in our heads, not actual reality. Let's clearly acknowledge the reality of the situation with our boards—so we can change it—and ourselves. We can play a major role in resolving this problem.