All posts by Doug McDonald

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Failure of NGOs – Museums – Organizations:

Failure of NGOs – Museums – Organizations: While insolvency is rare in the NGO sector, the failure to achieve an organization’s full potential runs rampant. Consider the meetings which consume your week: When a meeting is completed, ask yourself the following questions: Were people prepared for the meeting? Was the basis for making the decisions

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Superman vs. The Sheriff: Lessons for museums from the Super Bowl

Superman (Cam Newton) brings excitement, talent, exhuberance and is seemingly can overcome any opponent. The Sheriff  (Payton Manning) no longer performs heroics, has only a portion of his former enormous talent and engenders sympathy for what he was previously and is respected for his age and knowledge.  There was practically unanimity that this year’s Super

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“HEY YO! Save Our Icons”

NGOgro associate Maria Beatriz (Mabe) Rodriguez was asked by the Cultural Facilities Task Force Chair Bob McDonald to create a public marketing campaign to generate high community awareness of the needs of Cincinnati’s Union Terminal and Music Hall. Landor Associates worked with Mabe to create an amazingly impactful campaign. This video is an example of her leadership and

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Looking back over your career, is there anything you would significantly change?

Doug’s interview by American Alliance of Museums Re: his career & the future of museums. Roving Reporter  February 2015Your Roving Reporter  By Betty Brewer, CEO Betty Brewer invited Douglass McDonald to look back on his career as he retired from the Cincinnati Museum Center. Having significant accomplishments from his years in the field, she also

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Do away with minimum contributions for nonprofit board members!

Paying directors more is being advanced in the corporate sector. NGOs often require trustees to “pay” with minimum contribution levels and the more elite the NGO the higher the expected contribution. This results in trustees with less experience in changing organizations and very large boards to increase the number of director level philanthropic gifts. It

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Hello world! What does it mean to do “some-thing” just not the “CEO-thing?”

It has been a privilege to work in the non-profit/ Non-Governmental Organization sector for my entire career. It was sixteen years ago I arrived at Union Terminal via cab for a job interview. That seems like yesterday as well as so long ago.  I was amazed and so proud to be named president of Cincinnati

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