We are officially in the “dog days” of summer. Interestingly, this phrase refers to the sultry days of summer and came from the Romans, who associated it with the star Sirius. They considered Sirius to be the “dog star” because it was the brightest star in the constellation of Canis Major (Great Dog). According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, the dog days begin on July 3rd and end on August 11th. Although it is often connected with heat, it also refers to an extended period without rainfall (which seems to be true in Dallas this year!).
As we officially enter the summer months, we hope you have time to catch up on your reading and reflections. To that end, we want to share our Social TrendSpotters’ favorite posts on hot nonprofit trends.
Hottest Topic:
Tie between Strategic Planning & Retreats
Everything changed two years ago – so much so, many futurists, including myself, shifted gears from long-range planning to week-to-week survival. Now, many nonprofits are shifting back to long-term planning, and rightfully so. Whether you start fresh with a strategic plan or do a “refresh,” this exercise accomplishes two important summer goals in one: 1) it brings people together to bond and builds a sense of belonging (see our blog on retreats); and 2) it creates a collective shared vision, which helps build organizational resilience to navigate the inevitable twists and turns ahead. These curated blogs will give you the essential steps to take as you move forward.
Most Popular Blog Post:
As we move into tougher economic times, we all are looking for ways to save money & share costs. This post discusses “shared services,” which is a remarkable new strategy being used by nonprofits as well as communities to create synergy.
Most Popular Guest Blog Post:
Do you dread performance reviews? You are not alone. This blog post – by fan favorite, John Troy of WorkMonger – will truly help you rethink the entire experience.
Best Blog Post for Your Summer Beach Reading:
Are you coming back from vacation and worried that you will fall into old traps? This amazing blog post – by zen master Dorsey Standish – is just what you need to not only help strengthen your own habits, but also those of your entire team.
Most Likely to Succeed – #WayBackWeekend Blog Post:
After COVID, we all need a chance to re-evaluate our work and ensure it is still relevant to today’s needs. We also need a way to combat mission-creep (and even need-creep). The right tool for the job is the data-driven Mission-Money Matrix. Every team that uses it walks away with refined thinking about each program and event and where to prioritize efforts.
Favorite TrendSpotter:
Donna Busler, Director of the Nonprofit Center at Angelina College, is not only knowledgeable about the nonprofit space, but expertly brings the best thinking to the East Texas area. We are so proud to work with her and love our cross-pollination efforts.
Favorite Quote:
“You are not required to set yourself on fire to keep other people warm.” — Unknown
Favorite Quote Pic:
Top Tweet:
To Level Up: find out why #nonprofit #trendsetter & #socent CEO @snstexas favors #EnergyManagement OVER #TimeManagement as key to #selfcare. PLUS, tips & tricks on how to monitor both in this week’s blog goo.gl/hGMPau #burnout #stress #mentalhealth #worklifebalance
Most Talked About Video:
As nonprofits ramp up even more, we have amazing hits on our webinar link, which feature several of our archived sessions, including Board Governance, Volunteer Management, Strategy & Planning, Entrepreneurial Culture and Collaboration.
Favorite Reader Comment:
We so appreciate our readers in all formats – Servane Mouazan saw us on Medium and loved this piece:
“Where ideas, business models and mindset collide: What is the Difference between #SocialInnovation, #SocialEnterprise & #SocialEntrepreneurship? By @socialtrendspot Discuss! #socent #socialchange”
It is our privilege to deliver new and engaging content to your inbox every Thursday that helps you delve deeper into the hottest topics in the social sector. If you enjoy our work, please help us spread the word by forwarding this newsletter to your colleagues and follow us on social media. We curate trends just for you every day on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram and post a lot of great videos on Vimeo and YouTube. This summer, we hope you take some time to step back to recharge and develop new ways of thinking and doing.
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