SWAN (Strategic Workforce & Arts Network) Blog

I've been spending more time on LinkedIn lately, and one of the things I appreciate about it is the quality of the conversations. There is no shortage of thoughtful leadership, thoughtful disagreement, and people sharing ideas about what it means to lead well. Whether you call it thought leadership or simply professionals learning from one another, I find there's always something worth considering. This week, I came across a post arguing that it's not necessary to be well-liked, or even liked at all, to be successful in the nonprofit sector, particularly in fundraising. It's an interesting perspective. I also happen to disagree with it. Vehemently, in fact. Perhaps part of the reason this caught my attention is that we're living in a moment of growing skepticism about people who openly want to be liked. Online, it's not uncommon to see someone dismissed as a "pick me," often simply because they're eager to connect, to contribute, or to earn the ap...

One of SWAN's core missions is helping nonprofit organizations stay informed, connected, and engaged in the public policy decisions that affect our work. Advocacy is not an optional part of nonprofit leadership. It is one of the ways we protect our missions and the communities we serve. That's why we're encouraging every Pennsylvania nonprofit to participate in National OMB Call-In Day today. The Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations (PANO), together with the National Council of Nonprofits and nonprofit organizations across the country, is asking nonprofit leaders, board members, staff, volunteers, and supporters to contact Pennsylvania's Congressional delegation regarding the Office of Management and Budget's proposed overhaul of the Uniform Guidance , the federal regulations that govern grants and cooperative agreements. Why This Matters Whether your organization receives federal funding directly, receives pass-through funding from another agenc...

Earlier today, my significant other sent me an article that left me resisting the urge to say, "I told you so." For months, he's been predicting that charitable giving would plummet. I've been arguing exactly the opposite: that individual giving would increase, and in some cases dramatically. Now, one of us is named Noah and ought to be better at prognostication. On the other hand, we live in Pennsylvania, where we let a groundhog predict the weather, so perhaps the bar isn't quite as high as we'd like to think. The article reported that charitable giving reached a record $617 billion in 2025, even as many nonprofit organizations continue to grapple with reductions in federal funding and ongoing uncertainty about what public support will look like in the years ahead. To me, this wasn't surprising, as I've believed for quite some time that people "vote" with their wallets. When government funding becomes uncertain, people who care deeply abo...

One of the benefits of participating in nonprofit resource-sharing groups on social media is that every so often someone shares an idea that makes you stop and rethink how we approach our work. Recently, a member shared an article arguing that many nonprofit organizations spend so much time focusing on traditional grants that they overlook another valuable source of support: direct giving programs offered by businesses. Whether they're called community giving, local grants, charitable partnerships, product donations, sponsorships, software donations, or employee volunteer programs, these opportunities often receive far less attention than government or foundation funding. The article made an important point that deserves a closer look. When many nonprofit leaders hear the word grant , they immediately think about lengthy applications, detailed budgets, extensive attachments, months of waiting, and fierce competition. Those opportunities are important and can be transformational, bu...

Sunday mornings used to have a familiar rhythm. Before smartphones, social media, and the endless scroll of breaking news, many families started the day with a pot of coffee and a newspaper spread across the kitchen table. I can still picture my grandfather, Carl Allen, Jr., handing me the "funny papers" before he went on to read every section from front to back. The headlines sparked conversations, editorials prompted debates, and local reporting connected people to the communities where they lived. As someone who spent years working in journalism before moving into nonprofit leadership, I still believe that quality local journalism is one of the cornerstones of a healthy community. It informs citizens, holds institutions accountable, celebrates local successes, and gives voice to people whose stories might otherwise go untold. Unfortunately, local journalism has faced enormous challenges over the past two decades. Newsrooms have shrunk, newspapers have closed, and many comm...

Today, the Strategic Workforce & Arts Network of Pennsylvania (SWAN) is launching a new recurring blog series: SWAN Advocacy Alert . Unlike our regular features, Monday Matters and Funding Friday , SWAN Advocacy Alert will be published as needed whenever an issue arises that could significantly affect nonprofit organizations, arts organizations, community groups, or the people they serve. Our goal is simple: to help nonprofit leaders stay informed, understand what's happening, and identify practical ways to advocate for meaningful change. Sometimes that may involve explaining proposed legislation or regulatory changes. Other times, it may mean highlighting funding issues, public policy developments, accessibility concerns, or opportunities for nonprofit organizations to make their voices heard. Advocacy isn't just about contacting elected officials. It's about educating decision-makers, engaging with the media, building relationships, and ensuring that the voices of ...

This week, my CFRE certificate finally arrived in the mail. After months of studying, preparing, and sitting for the exam, it was rewarding to hold the certificate in my hands. As someone who has spent years working alongside nonprofits, donors, volunteers, and community partners, earning the Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) credential represents an important professional milestone. Then I noticed something. The certificate had been bent in shipping on its journey from CFRE International 's headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. If you know me, you know I'm a little detail-oriented. Actually, let's be honest. I'm detail obsessed. For a brief moment, I found myself focusing more on the crease than on what the certificate represented. It was a good reminder of something I think many nonprofit professionals experience. We can become so focused on the small imperfections that we lose sight of the larger accomplishment. The same thing happens in fundraising. A donor dat...

Image Caption: A cartoon dog wearing a small hat sits calmly at a table holding a yellow coffee mug while flames engulf the room around him. Smoke hangs from the ceiling, and the dog says, "This is fine." The image is widely used as a metaphor for remaining outwardly calm while facing uncertainty or a difficult situation. The iconic "This Is Fine" meme illustrates the uncertainty many people in the disability community felt following the DOJ's announcement.  Yesterday, something happened that understandably raised concerns throughout the disability community. The U.S. Department of Justice announced that it will no longer rely on its 2011 Olmstead Guidance when enforcing Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). For many people, the headlines were alarming. Social media quickly filled with questions, speculation, and understandable concern about what this means for the future of disability rights. As someone who lives with a lifelong disability, ...

Have you ever played the game Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon ? It’s a simple but fascinating concept: you try to connect any actor to Kevin Bacon through a chain of shared movie roles. Actor A worked with Actor B, who worked with Actor C, and so on—until you reach Kevin Bacon. The surprising part is that you can usually make that connection in six steps or fewer. In other words, the game reminds us that people are far more connected than we might initially think—even when those connections aren’t immediately obvious. The nonprofit and business world often works the same way. Last week, I attended the launch open house for the Mon Valley Business Alliance , and I'm happy to share that the Strategic Workforce & Arts Network (SWAN) is now an official member. It was a wonderful evening filled with conversations among business owners, nonprofit leaders, entrepreneurs, municipal officials, and community partners who all share a common goal: building a stronger Mon Valley. As I headed ho...

This week, I had the opportunity to virtually participate in several sessions as part of Disability Advocacy Week in Washington, D.C. As a new volunteer advisor with Disability Belongs , it was an excellent opportunity to learn from advocates, nonprofit leaders, and fellow advisors from across the country. One session in particular focused on conflict resolution and its role in creating effective, mission-driven boards. One of the things I enjoy most about serving on multiple boards and advisory groups is that the lessons I learn in one organization often have value far beyond that organization. I am constantly asking myself how an idea or best practice can make the other organizations I serve stronger. And because it's Funding Friday, I naturally found myself asking another question: What does this have to do with fundraising? When people think about fundraising, they often picture grant proposals, donor meetings, or special events. Those things matter, but one of the most importa...

Last week, I participated in a series of briefings hosted by The Pittsburgh Foundation , the Nonprofit Federal Policy Response Network , and PANO that examined how recent and proposed federal policy changes could affect nonprofits and the communities we serve. The presentations covered everything from changes to Medicaid and SNAP to proposed revisions to federal grant regulations and their potential implications for organizations of all sizes. It would be easy to walk away from those conversations feeling overwhelmed. Instead, I walked away feeling that this is exactly why nonprofit leaders plan. Whether every projection comes to pass is almost beside the point. Good governance has never been about predicting the future with certainty. It is about preparing your organization to succeed under a range of possible futures. For small- and mid-sized nonprofits in Southwestern Pennsylvania, several themes are worth paying attention to. First, community needs may continue to grow. Organ...

One of my favorite quotes comes from writer Aaron Sorkin: "Decisions are made by the people in the room." I've thought about those words often throughout my nonprofit journey because they remind us of a simple truth. If we want to influence the future of our communities, our organizations, or the causes we care about, we have to be willing to be in the room where those conversations are taking place. If you've followed my work for any length of time, you know that I serve a number of nonprofit organizations in different capacities. From time to time, people ask why I continue to say yes to another board, committee, or advisory opportunity. The answer has very little to do with adding another line to my résumé. Every seat at the table offers a chance to learn. Serving with Mon Valley Academy for the Arts has reinforced the importance of arts education and community partnerships. My work with Mon Valley Performing Arts Academy has deepened my appreciation for the role...

Photos: Meet Yoshi (top/left) and Parker (bottom/right)! I've included a few pictures with today's post so you can see our beautiful girl and the newest addition to our family. Yesterday, our household got a little bigger. Our one-year-old tortoiseshell cat, Yoshimi (better known as Yoshi), became the not-so-thrilled big sister to a three-month-old tortoiseshell kitten named Dorothy Parker, or simply Parker. Parker joined our family thanks to  Cali Cats Rescue , a wonderful nonprofit organization dedicated to finding loving homes for cats in need. If you're a fellow cat lover like me, I encourage you to learn more about their work and consider supporting them or adopting your next furry family member through them. Every adoption changes two lives: the one that finds a home and the one that now has room to be rescued. Parker is named in memory of a dear friend of mine who loved cats. Her full name is also a tribute to the celebrated American writer  Dorothy Parker , whose wi...