Recently retired, former Westfield State University president Evan Dobelle has applied for a pension from the State of Massachusetts. This has attracted some attention, since his departure from the institution came with allegations of spending policy violations and use of funds for personal expenses—for the second time in his long career.

People don’t serve on an organization’s board of directors because they love strategic planning, but such planning falls squarely within a board member’s responsibilities. Two organizations on two coasts found successful and innovative ways to include more voices in their strategic planning processes. A third chose a participatory method to evaluate their programs. Here are some of their best practices and tips for making organizational strategic planning and evaluation as inclusive and effective as possible.

Sometimes, contract funding is misspent as a result of an organization simply having done the wrong thing, without intent to defraud or abuse taxpayer monies. That seems to have been the case with a mental health nonprofit in Concord, Calif., but the County decided to terminate all contracts and put the group out of business regardless.

If the SEIU and other unions get voters to support a ballot initiative limiting the salaries of nonprofit hospital executives and the amount hospitals can charge for healthcare services, California will be changing some of the rules of the game for nonprofits. Is that okay?

It seems that size is one of the criteria for nonprofits to get examined by Charity Navigator, and thus be made visible to donors looking for impact with their gifts.

Despite the great work of several foundations such as Kellogg highlighting issues of dental health treatment for underserved populations, the Affordable Care Act will provide very limited dental coverage and perhaps, despite the law, in some states no coverage at all.

Brian Mittendorf suggests that quick passes at comparing the finances of the Girl Scouts and the Boy Scouts may end up leading you to wrong conclusions.

For many organizations addressing the needs of identity groups, fellowship is a part of providing support, and so it was for those with Cystic Fibrosis until recently.

Mayor-elect Bill Peduto is promising a new partnership with nonprofits after years of tense relationships between the Pittsburgh mayor’s office and tax-exempt nonprofit property owners. Will giving nonprofits a “seat at the table” lead to substantive change?

As you celebrate National Philanthropy Day, consider this: In a Cleveland Walmart, management has set up bins for employees to donate food to…fellow Walmart employees.

When funders work “on the ground, in the community,” which people are the right people to work with?

A merit-based point system for distributing CDBG money replaces the old system of equal portions for each of the city’s wards, creating some friction.