Mike is a partner in the firm of BWB Solutions. His practice focuses on improving the capacity of organizations to solve their own problems. Mike facilitates and serves as a resource for nonprofits addressing issues of governance, strategic planning and marketing planning, helping each organization set goals and priorities and establish appropriate budgeting and monitoring processes. Prior to joining BWB Solutions in 1994, Mike was the Executive Director of DATA [Development and Technical Assistance Research and Resource Center], based in New Haven. For 10 years, Mike was Associate Professor of Management at the Antioch-New England Graduate Schools of Organization and Management and Environmental Studies.
Mike has nearly four deaces of consulting experience; he has written and edited several books on nonprofit management and fundraising. He is a member of and has been a trainer in the Alliance, the association of nonprofit management assistance providers. He has a BA from Marquette University in Business Administration; MA from Lesley College in Nonprofit Management and Governance and a Graduate Certificate from University of Hartford in Nonprofit Marketing.
Browse Articles by Mike Burns
Evaluating the Chief Executive
Are you a nonprofit board chair who has a board development or management issue, concern, or challenge keeping you up at night (and who doesn’t)? Let me know. I’ll try to provide a response that can help you sleep better. So please send your questions to: [email protected] This ongoing column is dedicated to questions and…
Nonprofit Board Vice Chair: Doing it Right
Question: I was recently elected chair of my nonprofit board. This is my first year as an officer so I haven’t had much experience working with the other board members. One of the positions on the board is vice chair, and I’m not exactly sure how to get the most out of this position. Do…
Nonprofit Board and CEO Relationship: The Trust Issue
Ever wonder why things don’t feel quite right between the board and CEO? In this article I describe four “classic” situations that can help a nonprofit board recognize and better understand the dynamics and relationship between itself and the organization’s CEO. Understanding the relationship can be helpful in identifying any sources of tension, the first…
Nonprofit Crises: An Assessment Process to Help Restore an Organization’s Footing
Over the past few years, foundations and nonprofit boards have called upon consultants such as me to address leadership crises with increasing frequency. While the issues appeared simple on the surface, they proved to be quite complex and involved formal and informal relationships, structures, systems, policies and practices. This article describes my approach to helping…
Reframing the Board Retreat: Advance!
No doubt about it, board meetings are fine. Board members deal with immediate issues that need action. They monitor the finances. They get a picture of how well the work of the organization is going. They catch-up on the status of the board, such as changes, challenges and the work of committees. But with all…
Five Questions Boards May Ask to Consider New Programs or Ventures
Over time communities and their needs change. To “keep up” a nonprofit must find new approaches and offerings. Toward this end and because they are the keepers of the nonprofit’s mission and resources, nonprofit boards will be presented, through the annual or strategic planning processes, new programs or ventures. What foAs a post-scripllows are five…
