Blog

This is the second of a two-part series. Read the first part here. 

In a recent strategic planning meeting, a former hospital president suggested to the committee, “We must collaborate, or we won’t survive.”

For years I coached my non-profit employees and volunteers about how to improve their success in securing gifts for non-profits. And for years, I lifted up the benefits of face-to-face interactions and downplayed direct response as an acceptable means of solicitation. 

,We share the grief and outrage felt by the country in the wake of the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and countless others. This must end.

For the past two months nonprofits have been in "emergency" fundraising mode. It has been a scramble to serve communities in new ways, make difficult staffing decisions and try to forecast an entirely new budget. 

Many are probably thinking "I can't wait to get back to normal."

But what if "normal" isn't the best idea for the rest of 2020? In a world still filled with uncertainty, what can we do to maximize our impact and prepare ourselves to be ready for whatever may come?

On a call with a client last week, working together to identify values for tough times, a word popped up: equanimity. I couldn’t remember what it meant, but it sounded like a smooth, peaceful lake, hinting of equity and justice. So I said, “Not sure if this is relevant, but what about equanimity?” She responded, “Yes! That is a perfect word.”

Our current crisis has revealed the financial strengths and weaknesses in our companies, in our families, and in nonprofits. While no one could have anticipated this particular set of circumstances, history tells us that challenges will always come. 

Recently, the organization that runs "Giving Tuesday" - a nationwide event normally held the Tuesday after Thanksgiving - announced it would run a new day of giving on May 5 called Giving Tuesday Now.  Giving Days come in many shapes and forms, often being sponsored by a local or regional foundation or group of non-profits. 

As we continue to navigate this new reality, we are challenged to step up as leaders. Whether we’re leading a company, a nonprofit, a team or a family, people are looking to us to understand how to live, learn and work in very altered and difficult circumstances.

The last few weeks have pushed non-profit organizations into new territory. As the world changes (sometimes daily), you have risen to the challenge and carried out your missions in new and amplified ways. For some it means historically high numbers of families seeking emergency food. For others whose doors have closed, you've quickly organized to identify what your community needs and how you can respond in new and different ways. It has been inspiring to see how organizations have answered the call to help.