Comments on: Nonprofit Post-Mortem http://blogometer.com/post/nonprofit-post-mortem/ Alan Gutierrez blogs on software, social networks, and himself. Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:27:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Jenny J http://blogometer.com/post/nonprofit-post-mortem/comment-page-1/#comment-13943 Jenny J Fri, 18 May 2007 18:51:55 +0000 http://blogometer.com/2007/04/07/nonprofit-post-mortem/#comment-13943 Hi Alan. Funny--I was just about to write you an email about how I'm hard at work trying to get a job min the Twin Cities non-profit world! As you may remember, I've had a lot of experience, both good and bad, with arts non-profits in DC, NOLA and Mpls. I've been a volunteer, an intern, an employee (and a temp), curated and shown photos in their galleries. The non-profit community organization whose board I'm now on is probably the one that has impressed me the most with its clear mission and both its employees' and board members' devotion to its work. I guess I'm saying to you and to Susan don't give up on non-profits just yet (but it is wise to be wary of being an employee!). There are good, stable organizations that do a great service to their communities and there are ones that are poorly run or staffed by people who are really only out to benefit themselves. At any rate, I wanted to also give you a link to the site of a small area plan for an area near my neighborhood that has just been released. I saw a presentation on it last night and was very impressed with the way in which its drafters have involved so many stakeholders (I hate that word but can't think of a better one yet) as well as public and private funding sources. www.38thandchicago.org Jenny Hi Alan. Funny–I was just about to write you an email about how I’m hard at work trying to get a job min the Twin Cities non-profit world! As you may remember, I’ve had a lot of experience, both good and bad, with arts non-profits in DC, NOLA and Mpls. I’ve been a volunteer, an intern, an employee (and a temp), curated and shown photos in their galleries.

The non-profit community organization whose board I’m now on is probably the one that has impressed me the most with its clear mission and both its employees’ and board members’ devotion to its work. I guess I’m saying to you and to Susan don’t give up on non-profits just yet (but it is wise to be wary of being an employee!). There are good, stable organizations that do a great service to their communities and there are ones that are poorly run or staffed by people who are really only out to benefit themselves.

At any rate, I wanted to also give you a link to the site of a small area plan for an area near my neighborhood that has just been released. I saw a presentation on it last night and was very impressed with the way in which its drafters have involved so many stakeholders (I hate that word but can’t think of a better one yet) as well as public and private funding sources.

http://www.38thandchicago.org

Jenny

]]> By: Susan Hobden Steward Barre http://blogometer.com/post/nonprofit-post-mortem/comment-page-1/#comment-12109 Susan Hobden Steward Barre Tue, 17 Apr 2007 07:36:24 +0000 http://blogometer.com/2007/04/07/nonprofit-post-mortem/#comment-12109 Dear Alan, I too have had terrible experiences being part of non-profit orgs. I once managed the Legal Aid Bureau of New Orleans. It was a joke. Money was being pilfered and when it came time for me to get a promotion I was turned down and it was given to someone with no college degree and no experience. Other than that the clients of the legal aid bureau did not get good qualified lawyers. They got guys who were fringe alcoholics, drug addicts, or whatever, but with no experience and generally did the client a dis-service by "representing" them. After reporting a $5,600 downright embezzelment (sp?) to local and Feds, I was told by the Feds that it was OK to take under $6,000 and they would do nothing. At that point I resigned and moved on Looks like you did also. Susan Dear Alan,

I too have had terrible experiences being part of non-profit orgs. I once managed the Legal Aid Bureau of New Orleans. It was a joke. Money was being pilfered and when it came time for me to get a promotion I was turned down and it was given to someone with no college degree and no experience.

Other than that the clients of the legal aid bureau did not get good qualified lawyers. They got guys who were fringe alcoholics, drug addicts, or whatever, but with no experience and generally did the client a dis-service by “representing” them.

After reporting a $5,600 downright embezzelment (sp?) to local and Feds, I was told by the Feds that it was OK to take under $6,000 and they would do nothing.

At that point I resigned and moved on

Looks like you did also.

Susan

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