[Kzyxtalk] How to Kill a Nonprofit -- Part 3

[Scott Peterson]

Dear Ms. Courtney,



This is a continuation from the GuideStar article here:



http://trust.guidestar.org/blog/top-strategic-mistakes-nonprofits-make-part-1



The third one listed is 'Failing to attract board members beyond your inner circle,



and failing to hold them accountable.' Raoul van Hall had a name for that. He



called it 'nastiness' and 'cronyism'. I've got one too -- passive aggression.



Think back to the last Board of Directors meeting. Where your treasurer admitted



that all KZYX revenue went into a 'general pot'. And that it was just too much



darned trouble to keep track of restricted donations. So he didn't bother. Think



about how you reacted. Along with the entire board. There was no reaction at all.



You just let it slide.



That should recorded in KZYX meeting minutes. On the KZYX website. But since you've



been president, none of them are there. Because your secretary let it slide. This is



your inner circle, Ms. Courtney. Directors who let everything slide. Because they're



never held accountable. Just like you.



People who care get the bum's rush. Or the silent treatment. With fancy new rules



that stifle public comment. Tightening the lid on the pressure cooker of public



opinion. While turning up the heat. Pretending to be shocked when it all blows up.



And then blaming everything on the kettle.



Holding Directors accountable means setting and measuring goals, Ms. Courtney.



For -- all -- your fellow board members. Including yourself. According to your



do-no-wrong treasurer, finding major donors is the board's responsibility:



http://www.kzyx.org/Board/KZYX%20State%20of%20the%20Station%20Report%20November%202015.pdf



So let's think about some fundraising goals that get KZYX's net worth up to



what it was before Mr. Coate came along. That was around $350,000:



http://www.kzyx.org/images/pdf/financial_statements/MCPB_FS_07.pdf<http://www.kzyx.org/images/pdf/financial_statements/MCPB_FS_07.pdf>



That's only about fifty grand per Director. If your CPB grant goes away,



you'll need that cash. Maybe you should get right on that. Anybody who



comes up short could get a public humiliation. In a Ukiah Daily Journal



editorial. Like you did to John Sakowicz. Yeah. I'm sure that'd motivate



your other Directors.



Be sure to lead by example, Ms. Courtney. Fifty grand is child's play,



after all. There must be other people in Redwood Valley up for helping



you to raise that money. Maybe you could hold a bake sale there.



If you've been CPB compliant, your next big fat check should arrive in



November. But maybe it won't. That gives you four months to raise that



money. Plan on raking in $12,500 per month in donations. That's only



$3,125 a week. You can do that easily, Ms. Courtney. And so can your



hard-working fellow Directors. With teamwork!



If not, it might just be a long cold Winter for everyone at KZYX.



Sincerely,



Scott M. Peterson



Mendocino



cc: (MCPB Board Members)



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