Greenlights 10th Anniversary Dinner at UT Alumni Center
Austin360.com, Out & About (October 14, 2011)
Greenlights — otherwise known as Greenlights for Nonprofit Success — commemorated its founders this week. During a warm and funny ceremony at the University of Texas Alumni Center, the nonprofit that helps other nonprofits thrive recalled its origins 10 years ago. Back then, it was even more difficult for the hundreds of Central Texas charities to learn and apply the best practices from the field. During the past decade, Greenlights has trained directors and staff members, turned around troubled groups and set the standards for nonprofit citizenship. read more

Arthouse, Austin Museum of Art consider merger
Community Impact Newspaper, Central Austin (July 21, 2011)
A task force of 10 members, with each organization having appointed five members, is currently examining the merger. Sherman and Whatley said the task force is working closely with Greenlights for Nonprofit Success to facilitate a thoughtful and methodical process as they work through various details. Greenlights provides consulting and education services to Austin-area nonprofits to assist them in operating successfully. read more

More than 1,300 area nonprofits lose tax status
Austin-American Statesman (June 15, 2011)
Matt Kouri of Greenlights for Nonprofit Success, which provides educational and professional services to local charities, said he counted more than 1,300 Austin, Round Rock, Pflugerville and Cedar Park nonprofits on the list. "While it may inconvenience some legitimate organizations who will now have to re-establish their 501(c)(3) status, I suspect that most groups on this list are already defunct or never truly operated in the first place," he said. read more

Life in Action: Nonprofit to help nonprofits
YNN Austin (June 12, 2011)
Austin is home to thousands of non-profit organizations who make it their mission to help, but where do those non-profits go when they need assistance? Greenlights for Nonprofit Success is an Austin-based nonprofit which provides service to nonprofits seeking guidance. "Nonprofits provide so much service and often times they lack the support and resources they need, so Greenlights fills that gap," Greenlights’ President and Executive Director Matt Kouri said. read more

Woman accused of stealing from charity had criminal record
Austin-American Statesman (June 7, 2011)
Greenlights for Nonprofit Success, which provides support services and education to local charities, regularly receives inquiries from nonprofits wanting to learn more about criminal background checks, said Executive Director Matt Kouri. But he suspects that some don't investigate potential employees because of the "culture of trust" that pervades nonprofits, he said. "That trust can often result in poor decision-making and a lack of accountability and conflict," he said. "At Greenlights, we believe in a 'trust but verify' approach to safeguarding our organizations, their resources and their clientele." read more

Charity employee charged with theft
KXAN (June 3, 2011)
Another nonprofit agency in Austin, Greenlights for NonProfit Success , works to educate charities and their boards to keep this type of incident from happening. "If there is something that doesn't seem right - be brave and try to get to the bottom of it and know that there's organizations like Greenlights that are here to help," said Ann Starr. read more

Local nonprofits are hurting for new board members
Austin-American Statesman (April 16, 2011)
A recently released survey by Greenlights for Nonprofit Success — which provides training and support to local charities — says that local boards of directors routinely struggle to find qualified, passionate people willing to serve, Greenlights Executive Director Matt Kouri said. And that, he said, can keep nonprofit groups from meeting their full potential. "Board members expand the reach of nonprofits exponentially," he said. "They bring a contact list full of friends, family, and acquaintances that find funders, get the message out, et cetera." read more

Lessons still being learned one year after non-profit shuts its door
KVUE (April 7, 2011)
“Maybe next to the Legislative budget cuts that are pending, it's the number two topic that I hear talked about at non-profit board meetings,” said Matt Kouri, director of Greenlights, a non-profit which teaches other non-profits how to run their agencies more efficiently. Kouri says that since the Family Connections saga, classes helping other executive directors of non-profits run their charities better have increased significantly in participation. read more

The Applied Materials Foundation and Greenlights Collaborate to form Advancement Academy
Press Release (February 1, 2011)
Greenlights for Nonprofit Success announces a new joint initiative with The Applied Materials Foundation that will work to strengthen the Central Texas nonprofit sector. The Applied Materials Foundation has granted $50,000 to Greenlights to establish the Advancement Academy, allowing Greenlights to work more closely, strategically and intensively with 50 nonprofit organizations that The Applied Materials Foundation has supported in the past two years. read more

Family Connections changed nonprofit culture
Austin-American Statesman (January 14, 2011)
"It has been and continues to be a shock to the system," said Matt Kouri, executive director of Greenlights for Nonprofit Success, which provides training and administrative services for local charities. "Most people still talk about it." read more

Though hectic, a busy holiday season is positive for nonprofit employees
Austin-American Statesman (December 13, 2010)
Other nonprofit employees echo Robbins' words: they're happy to do more work because it means more assistance for those in need. They also know that jobs like theirs are in demand. An online job board for local nonprofit positions gets 6,000 to 7,000 hits per month, according to Haila Yates, who maintains the job board for Greenlights for Nonprofit Success. read more

Young nonprofit finds trying to help can come with pitfalls
Austin-American Statesman (October 31, 2010)
"Many nonprofits, especially smaller ones, can be particularly vulnerable to mismanagement, more often because of lack of knowledge or experience in the nonprofit world." said Matt Kouri, executive director of Greenlights for NonProfit Success. "When you run a nonprofit, as opposed to a for-profit, there is a higher expectation of public accountability for what you're doing." read more

Should nonprofit leaders earn the same as their private sector peers?
Austin-American Statesman (September 25, 2010)
More than 700 nonprofit professionals sat in the Westin Hotel ballroom this week, cheering and clapping for Dan Pallotta. Pallotta, a nationally-known nonprofit expert and author of the book "Uncharitable: How Restraints on Nonprofits Undermine Their Potential," had just wrapped up a rousing speech on what he calls "equal rights for nonprofits." read more

Notes from the Texas Nonprofit Summit: Inspiration, Enchiladas and Meeting Dan Pallotta
Rossetta Thurman, Empowering a New Generation of Leaders (September 24, 2010)
First off, much love to Ann Starr and the whole team from Greenlights for Nonprofit Success, who invited me to talk about leadership at their annual conference, which they held this year in a new partnership with OneStar Foundation, combining the Greenlights’ Crossroads Conference and the Governor’s Nonprofit Leadership Conference to form the Texas Nonprofit Summit. Ann is definitely one of those forward-thinking, “ruthless innovators” that I reference in my speech about new leaders for a new nonprofit sector. In fact, the entire conference was based around the theme of “Igniting a Nonprofit Revolution,” even down to keynote speakers like Vinay Bhagat, founder of Convio and Dan Pallotta, author of Uncharitable. read more

Greenlights 2010 Nonprofit Excellence Award Winners
Press Release (September 23, 2010)
Greenlights for NonProfit Success announced the winners of the Nonprofit Excellence Awards today at the Texas Nonprofit Summit. More than 600 nonprofit professionals, funders and community leaders will gather at the Westin Austin at the Domain from 11:30 am to Noon to learn about and support the outstanding achievements of the selected nonprofits. read more

Interim executive directors help out
Austin-American Statesman (August 21, 2010)
"There can be a lot of anxiety around the transition for the staff and board," said Tara Kirkland, director of consulting services for Greenlights, a nonprofit that provides business and program support to charities. "You really need someone who can be that port in the storm and really manage through that." read more

The Roy F. and Joann Cole Mitte Foundation announces availability of free meeting space and resources for local nonprofits
Greenlights Press Release (June 23, 2010)
The Roy F. and Joann Cole Mitte Foundation has announced today a new partnership with Greenlights for NonProfit Succes that will increase the availability of free and low-cost resources and information to support Central Texas nonprofits. With the support of the Mitte Foundation through a $30,000 grant, Greenlights will manage and promote free use of the Mitte Carriage House to Austin-area nonprofits who are members of Greenlights. read more

Family Connections crisis stirs concerns among nonprofits
Austin Business Journal (May 21, 2010)
"There's reputational risk, financial risk and legal risk to serving on a board, and we've heard some reticence from people," Kouri said. "We are concerned that this will further exacerbate the problem that we've had of not enough talented business-minded professionals stepping up and serving on boards." read more

The Governor's Nonprofit Leadership Conference and Greenlights’ Crossroads Conference Partner to Present the Texas Nonprofit Summit
Greenlights Press Release (May 19, 2010)
OneStar Foundation: Texas Center for Social Impact and Greenlights for NonProfit Success announced today their partnership to present a statewide nonprofit conference, the Texas Nonprofit Summit, on September 23-24 at The Westin at the Domain in Austin, TX... read more

Sanger School Foundation brings questions about requirements of nonprofits
Waco Tribune-Herald (May 2, 2010)
“Both at the state level and the federal level there is just not sufficient resources and manpower needed to effectively keep track of and monitor” nonprofits, said Matt Kouri, executive director of Austin-based Greenlights for NonProfit Success... read more

City investigates non-profit
KVUE News (April 27, 2010)
"I'd like to speak on behalf of the non-profits in this community and encourage the general public to not use this situation as anything that is anywhere near a common example of what might be going on out there," said Matt Kouri with Greenlights... read more

Nonprofits seek transparency amid Family Connections scandal
News 8 Austin (April 23, 2010)
"We would hope the last thing the public would see this as is another excuse to not support the vast majority of nonprofits that are very well run and very tightly managed," he said. Kouri said the fallout with Family Connections, a group they have provided training services for in the past, has created a breach in public trust... watch the clip

Family Connections: the death of a nonprofit
Austin American-Statesman (April 17, 2010)
Other charities could be vulnerable to financial problems if board members don't ask tough questions and demand accountability, said Matt Kouri, executive director of Greenlights for Nonprofit Success, which provides management and training services for local charities. read more

Ways to improve nonprofit accountability
Statesman.com Charity Chat (April 17, 2010)
In reponse to the ongoing Family Connections debacle, Greenlights for Nonprofit Success has posted a blog entry called “5 Steps to Improve Nonprofit Financial Accountability.” Greenlights’ Executive Director Matt Kouri — whose agency provides management and training services to charities — wrote in his post that... read more

Nonprofits looking to find the perfect board members
Austin American-Statesman (March 27, 2010)
When it comes to nonprofit boards, good help can be hard to find. After all, charities don't just want anyone on their boards of directors. They want skilled, dedicated people willing to help the nonprofit raise money, support employees and define what kind of programs to offer. But that's no small order... read more

What do people mean when they compare nonprofits to for-profits?
Austin American-Statesman (January 30, 2010)
Nonprofits should operate like a business. It's a familiar refrain in the charity world, but what exactly does it mean? This week, Matt Kouri — executive director for Greenlights for NonProfit Success — weighs in on the concept... read more

Children's shelter exec director stepping down (Greenlights places an Interim Executive Director)
Statesman.com, Charity Chat (January 29, 2010)
After more than nine years of distinguished service heading the Austin Children’s Shelter and its recent expansion to a new 13-acre campus, Chief Executive Officer Gena VanOsselaer is stepping down to pursue new interests... read more

Greenlights for NonProfit Success announces 2010 board officers and new members
Greenlights Press Release (January 11, 2010)
Greenlights for NonProfit Success has elected its 2010 board officers. Dave Shaw, President of Russell/Shaw, will serve as Board Chair; Kristen Wicke, a Partner with Maxwell, Locke & Ritter, will serve as Board Chair-Elect... Read more