A small book with big takeaways for nonprofit professionals

If you work in a very small nonprofit, you’ve probably encountered one of these scenarios:

• When registering for a webinar, you’re required to select your operating budget from a dropdown menu. The least amount listed is $500,000, so you choose that one—even though it dwarfs your organization’s actual annual budget.
• As part of the signup process for new software, you must submit the number of employees at your organization. The smallest choice listed is 10, so you pick it. But the staff at your nonprofit is only you and one half-time employee.

Does this sound familiar at your small nonprofit?

It can be challenging to find resources that are relevant to the scale of a small organization and which offer solutions you can truly implement. This was why I was so delighted to come across a small book with big takeaways for anyone who works in a small nonprofit.

Erik Hanberg’s book, The Little Book of Nonprofit Leadership: An Executive Director’s Handbook for Small (and Very Small) Nonprofits, gets into the nuts and bolts of running a small organization from someone who has been in that very position. Topics covered include managing operations, understanding cash flow, working with your board, asking for a raise, using data to evaluate programs, hiring staff and letting staff go, developing systems, managing volunteers, and more. Even if you’re involved with a small nonprofit in a role other than executive director, this book is a great tool.

One aspect that is especially helpful is the distinction drawn between working on your nonprofit versus working in your nonprofit. For anyone who has had to find time to check the mail and order office supplies in the midst of reporting to the board and developing a fundraising plan, this book will resonate with you and offer practical tips that you can put into action.

Looking for more books to add to your reading list? Check out 4 intriguing books for a fundraiser’s reading list.