I am pleased to provide to you one of the most useful and timely articles we have ever printed. Written by Kim Klein, it appears in the issue of the Nonprofit Quarterly currently at the printers and is truly a “must read.”

How do I know it is timely? Over these past few months I have been on the road talking with our readers. I am now in Joplin, Missouri, but have also this fall been in Rhode Island, California, Arizona and Calgary. In all these places people invariably get me alone and tell me stories about the real goings on in their communities. Sometimes the stories involve “situations” where the press, funders and others all end up demanding explanations after they have already “heard” things. Some of the situations involve fraud or mismanagement but some are simply the fallouts of our times. A group ends a beloved program, closes a site, or faces closure altogether. A new director heralded as the next coming leaves after six months.

Such stuff needs to be explained forthrightly, obviously, but also with great care and a well designed strategy.

So we bring you this extraordinary article by Kim Klein, Mission, Message, and Damage Control that will walk you through the principles and real challenges of “messaging” your story even when problems exist or are perceived to exist. Having been through a few of these types of situations over the decades, I cannot emphasize enough how on the mark Kim’s insights and nuggets of advice are.

Meanwhile, for those of you who are not paid subscribers to the Nonprofit Quarterly, make sure you subscribe today. We are your management journal and need your support. Help make us work for you!