Blue Avocado is the bimonthly newsletter of American Nonprofits, a membership organization that provides practical financial information and support to U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, staff, stakeholders and volunteers. It is created by and for community-based nonprofits.

Blue Avocado publishes six times per year through an HTML newsletter delivered to more than 64,000 subscribers. American Nonprofits is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit. Donations are tax deductible.

Blue Avocado speaks for and from the people in community-based nonprofits.

There are a lot of “experts” trying to tell community-based nonprofits how to operate. Funders, governments, university professors, and the nonprofit consulting industry, all have plenty of advice directed at nonprofits about how we can be better, smarter, more efficient, more effective, and do more with less.

But, we think that there is plenty of wisdom and knowledge among the leaders and staff of the community-based nonprofits themselves. We just need a place through which to share it. Blue Avocado is that place.

And “community-based” isn’t the same as “small.” While many community nonprofits are small, some have budgets in the tens of millions and thousands of staff and volunteers. Some small nonprofits aren’t community-based; they may be the vehicles for individual expression, or have been set up for technical reasons.

Large or small, most community-based nonprofits are complex and complicated with conflicting demands from constituents including (but not limited to!) boards of directors, employees, clients, and government and other funding sources.

Community organizations come out of constituencies and hold themselves accountable to those constituencies.

Nurturing these community organizations, Blue Avocado gives voice broadly to the mission of American Nonprofits:

“We strengthen the financial health of nonprofit organizations.”

We believe that nonprofits can only be vibrant, healthy and effective when they have access to financial resources and practical know-how shared by experts and peers.

This applies not only to financial resources, but also to support from other smart and passionate peers that promotes a diversity of ideas, people and practices in our organizations.

Blue Avocado is practical.

At Blue Avocado we take every effort not to talk in the abstract jargon that dominates our sector and deadens our senses.

Blue Avocado might sound overly blunt or direct. We’re just trying to help you convey what’s on your minds.

Above all, our aim is to provide practical information and insights that are easy to understand, easy to implement that can improve your effectiveness and that of your organization.

We know that you are not the same as your organization.

At Blue Avocado we know that nonprofits are comprised of individuals who carry out an organization’s mission–people with all sorts of experience and backgrounds, with complex hearts and multifaceted minds.

We work to connect with individuals and the interests and concerns they have beyond the nuts and bolts of operating an organization.

You have learned a lot from the struggles and successes of leading or serving at a nonprofit. Let us help others learn from you.

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Got some thoughts and advice for us? Let us know what you think.