As we close the doors on an eventful year of 2016 the DSA staff looks back on some of our favorite blog posts from the year.  We unabashedly admit that we think all the 2016 posts are great and if you have time you should take advantage of this free resource for your organization.

Ted’s Pick

How to save on donor processing fees 

One of the biggest revelations for me this year was how easy it is to recoup the processing fees you spend and depending on the size of your organization, how donors paying for these fees can be a new significant source of income.  My biggest takeaway is that customers/donors now have the mindset that fees are a cost of doing business and they assume the end user rather than the organization is responsible for payment of these fees.

Kate’s pick

No if, ands, or buts;nonprofits need to follow best practices

Kate here. This decision was tough for me. My tendency is to default to social media posts as my faves because of their relevance & importance. Reading through old posts, however, I had to go a different route and travel the best practices path. Best practices are what make a nonprofit successful, period. Doing things correctly saves organizations time, money, and makes you reputable. Bonus: learn how to avoid making excuses for ignoring best practices & use these same tactics to stick to your NYE resolutions.

Richelle’s Pick

When to give a board member the boot

This post touches upon an issue that I have seen to be reoccurring  in the nonprofit field. Working with different nonprofits at school and with DSA, it is very clear that an organization does not run smoothly when there are issues with board members. When there are board members stuck in the past it makes it challenging for an organization to grow and expand. I have seen this occur with a lot of nonprofits serving youth. Having a board that is willing to step outside the box and try something new is key to success.  

Michelle’s Pick

Join the Club:  How Friendship Raises $ 

I love, love, love this post because I think relationship building is the foundation for everything, and by everything that certainly includes donor relations but extends to communication efforts, employee relations, etc.  I think to really succeed as an organization your staff, constituents and contributors need to feel engaged and cared about.   Part of our responsibility as managers inside these organizations is to figure out how to best do that and come up with a strategic plan as a result.   So coming into 2017 ask yourself how you are doing on that front and let your actions follow from there.