Marissa Weaver discusses methods to involve volunteers paid through public programs to serve as staff members for a one or small person staff operation. Creativity is almost always at play in how small organizations operate and Chapter Three provides ways to creatively accomplish staff functions and to have board members involved in important fund raising efforts in the one person shop. While academicians and administrators discuss the role of volunteers in the non-profit sector, it helps to hear from those who do this work firsthand to get a reality check and to see what is new. Barbara Stein, a community activist and philanthropist who puts her work where her money is, reminds us of valuable lessons in working with volunteers. There is much discussion these days about diversity and increasing diversity within organizations.
Diversity is one of the most misunderstood concepts in the nonprofit world.
To many it means adding people of color to an organization's Board or staff. When considering diversity we must look at gender, age, sexual orientation, economic ability, ethnic and racial background, etc. We each have our own misconceptions about people and continually need to remind ourselves that we all can be successful in fund raising. The more diverse our solicitors are the more diverse our funding base will be. Kim Klein has written a thoughtful, thought provoking Chapter five that challenges us to bring all our constituencies into fund raising and reap the benefits.