Annual Traditions, Social Impact Architects, Summer Reading
In today’s fluid social sector environment, we cannot afford to sit still. Keeping your skills honed and current can make the difference between evolution or obsolescence. When we started Social TrendSpotter in January 2013, we endeavored to merge current thinking...
Annual Traditions, Nonprofit Trends
Words have power. Social sector organizations use them to compel philanthropists to donate, promote volunteerism, encourage advocacy, and differentiate themselves from other organizations. Our team has identified some subtle, yet important, word shifts in the social...
Collaborate, Ecosystem Mapping, Impact Measurement, Organizational Assessments, Social Impact Architects, Social Movements, System Change
In 1997, on my first day as a program developer at Phoenix House, a nationwide evidence-based substance abuse program, I started to learn bottom-up program design. And to ensure I really understood the journey of those we served, I spent a lot of time in our programs...
Business Planning, Guest Blogs, Social Impact Architects
Over a decade ago, I had an a-ha moment with a good friend – we were talking about an upcoming holiday and all the gift-giving that happens. We discussed the subtle difference between a present and a gift. A present is something that you want the recipient to have. A...
Communicate, Lead, Organizational Culture, Social Impact Architects, Storytelling
Many of the Southwest family were saddened when Colleen Barrett, the woman behind many of Southwest’s best ideas who rose from Executive Assistant to President & COO passed away last month. Many of these ideas are captured in her book, Lead with LUV, coauthored...