Covenant News

Nonprofit Leadership Among Axelson Topics

CHICAGO, IL (May 2) - A generation gap in the leadership of nonprofit organizations and new financial realities will be among the major issues addressed May 16-17 at Symposium 2006, sponsored by the Axelson Center for Nonprofit management at North Park University.

Experts from across the country will lead workshops and plenary sessions to help nonprofits navigate the changing conditions. Roughly 500 people have registered.

"A recent survey revealed that 23 percent of nonprofit leaders plan to leave their jobs before 2007," says Melissa Morriss-Olson. She adds that 42 percent expect to leave their positions by 2009.

The result is a potential shortage of trained leaders to fill those vacancies, Morriss-Olson says. Fewer people also have been willing to fill board seats. Nonprofits need to change if they are to continue attracting staff and volunteers, she adds.

Difficult economic realities are forcing nonprofits to become more entrepreneurial, Morriss-Olson says. Those realities include heightened competition for donors' dollars. "The competition has increased 10 fold," Morriss-Olson says. That, however, she adds is driving innovation.

A growing phenomenon is the teaming of nonprofits with for-profit companies in ventures to raise funds, Morriss-Olson says. An example is the growth of affinity credit cards – cards that are connected with nonprofits to which the company returns a portion of the consumer's purchase.

The line between profit and nonprofit is increasingly narrowing, Morriss-Olson says. Churches are a part of that trend, with more forming nonprofit corporations to operate businesses that will funnel revenues to the congregation for ministry.

Nonprofits also have to do a better job of accounting for their spending, a change Morriss-Olson says is for the better. Donors and legislators have demanded more openness following the revelations of the misuse of funds by several large organizations. Still, she says, many smaller nonprofits have not made the transition.

To register for the conference, contact Kris Maldre by telephone at 773-244-5747 or by email at kmaldre@northpark.edu. Information also is available by visiting the Axelson website at Axelson Center.

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