FirstPoint Management Resources

On Leading From the Center

Everywhere we look these days we see division, anger, misunderstanding, mistrust, violence and destruction. As leaders of nonprofits, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to do better. We can do better when we choose behaviors that allow us lead from the center. Think about these behaviors and try to apply them as you lead […]

On Mission Creep

Mission is the unifying principle or statement of purpose that causes an organization to form and stay together. Mission is why we get up in the morning. In the beginning it is tightly focused and others rally to it because their beliefs align with the mission of the organization. This is one of the reasons […]

Celebrating Jerel Noel

Association Executives of North Carolina inaugurates a new president on August 3. Jerel Noel, CAE, is a Senior Account Manager with Raleigh-based FirstPoint Management Resources and serves as Executive Director of Cardiovascular Credentialing International. Noel will serve a one-year term ending in August 2021. AENC is a professional society promoting professional development and networking among […]

On Virtual Meetings

Like many other companies serving associations and non-profits, we have been working out the details of providing virtual events. In only a few weeks it is interesting to observe the sudden shift from avoidance of virtual events to a complete embrace of technology as a viable alternative to in-person events. While the technology is not […]

On Revival and Renewal

Over the last 8 weeks the world has seen a tremendous amount of suffering and sacrifice. As frustrated as we are and as helpless as we feel, we need to stay the course just a bit longer to allow the strategy to work. When I facilitate strategic planning sessions there is a point the group […]

We Have Homework

Once upon a time we all dreaded homework. It was a necessary condition of going to school and represented some kind of unfair intrusion into our freedom from school. Now, we consider ourselves fortunate if we are able to work from home since that means we are still employed. In the non-profit association world, this […]

FPMR COVID-19 Response

FPMR Status Report on COVID-19 Response March 20, 2020 Like so many companies across the United States, FirstPoint has been making rapid adjustments to our work environment and technology infrastructure to meet the challenges posed by COVID-19. These changes include: Working with many of our clients to reschedule or cancel and refund registrations for upcoming […]

Nonprofit Pandemic Resources

As we continue to learn more about Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and how it’s impacting communities across the country and around the world, the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits has collected updates and resources to help nonprofit organizations take steps to safeguard your employees, operations, and your communities. Stay Up-to-date on COVID-19 Centers for Disease Control […]

Stay Calm and Communicate

Communication strategies for dealing with emerging issues Associations are trusted advisers for their members and their members’ constituencies, customers and clients. In times of crisis and when people need information, they look to associations for guidance. Your association is the public face of your industry or sector, and it is important how you respond to […]

On Disaster Recovery

On July 21, 2018 we had an office fire. We also had a disaster plan and put it into motion immediately. Maintaining operations throughout the recovery period is one of our proudest moments so it is very sobering to think about how we would have responded if we had not planned for such an event […]

Re-accreditation

FirstPoint Management Resources just concluded a six-month process of preparation for re-accreditation. Our policies, procedures and documentation was updated by staff teams, required items were communicated to clients, and an internal audit was conducted to make sure we had all required elements in place for the final re-accreditation audit. The final step in our re-accreditation […]

On Ethics and Compliance – Conflicts of Interest

In order to operate ethically and in the spirit of transparency and full disclosure, all nonprofit organizations should have a conflict of interest policy. According to the National Council of Nonprofits a Conflict of Interest Policy is critical. “A policy governing conflicts of interests is perhaps the most important policy a nonprofit board can adopt. […]

On Planning – Mission as a Measuring Stick

Your nonprofit probably has a mission, vision or purpose statement. Some may have all 3 and other statements like a brand story, tag line or values statement as well. These statements are extremely powerful because they represent a shared understanding of the purpose of the organization. If you have read “Start With Why” by Simon […]

Understanding the Financial Statement

As a volunteer leader on the board, you have a responsibility to be a fiduciary of the organization. That means you have been elected or appointed by trusted individuals and you represent the interests of all other individuals and organizations that have contributed time and resources to the organization. There are personal liabilities associated with […]

On Leadership – Too Much Poking

“Governing a large country is like frying a small fish. You spoil it with too much poking.” Tao Te Ching 60, Lao Tzu. When assuming a high position of governance in a nonprofit organization there is a great temptation to be involved in everything and try to control the outcome as much as possible. This […]

Nonprofit management blog

Thanks for finding this resource to support nonprofit boards. Hopefully you will find items here that will help you and your organization guide the growth of your nonprofit organization and create a more effective and fun environment for governance. Feel free to share these postings with other board members. If quoting, please credit FPMRNonprofit.Management.