From Chaos to Peace

In the moments before childbirth, there is anything but peace, as one body rids itself of what can no longer survive inside. On the other side is profound beauty and grace as the newborn enters the world. We experience joy at new life. The cycle of life and growth is continued in that birth. It's time for a celebration! An ending of one phase of life, pregnancy, has ended so that life in a new form may begin.

The business world and, indeed, our lives in every respect, are changing that much, too. As familiar systems continue to break down, and morph into new processes needing different strategies for success and longevity, we must hold the same expectant perspective as when a child is born.....see it with eyes of wonder and delight of the joy that is to come, determined to support it with all of our resources. Determined to see it thrive.

The following is adapted from Gloria Karpinski's Blessings for This Time of Gathering:

May the fragments of our vision be whole.
May we simplify, clarify, love, and heal.
May we find peace in interconnectedness.
May we be poised in the chaos of change.

Childbirth is our finest example of change. From one perspective, there is discomfort, pain, anxiety, uncertainty. And even amidst all of that, there is joy ready to burst forward so that life may be fulfilled.

What is your perspective on change? You get to choose. Will you experience change as chaos or joy? How will you show up? As a leader with quiet confidence and poise?

Choose poise.

A Thanksgiving Question

Who is behind your success? Rarely is any achievement the result of the efforts of one person. It just doesn't happen that way, although, our society seems to encourage that singular view.

In nonprofit development,it is common for credit for gifts to reflect in performance evaluations. I've even heard professionals argue over who had the most substantive conversations and interactions with a donor and why one or the other deserved more credit for the gift. This is a sign of poor management. It's not sustainable either for the organization's fundraising track record or for employee retention.

Who gives you moral support? Who keeps you focused on why you work in nonprofit at all? Who gives you good ideas? Who do you turn to for a joke or to break the monotony of a bad day?

Thanksgiving 2009 is marked by another question: What matters? This question will come up over and over again as our world continues to change in unexpected ways. You're going to find that you turn back to a simpler life. One driven by values. You're going to find that you de-clutter your desk, closets, even your mind, and that this helps you focus on what really matters.

This Thanksgiving, consider people who support your success.

Be Inspirational and Do Good

Doing good is a matter of the heart- it's not only done when times are bad or even when times are good. It's just done because it's the right thing to do and because it produces such a high to help someone else.

I hear about all the trouble nonprofits are having and what I see is different. I see people coming together - more volunteers, more commitments, more reporting in the media about how a creative idea saved the day for a nonprofit. These times are challenges not because of the economy, but because we are experiencing a lot of change. The biggest change is a change of heart.

I think communities are taking stock of what matters at the local level and trying to make the most of resources that are available. The economy pressures this....it is good, and it is time we took stock of what really mattered. We have everything we need to take care of each other....if we take stock of what really matters.

For nonprofits, this is a time of true leadership, of being the voice of light in the perceived darkness. Maybe nonprofits should move beyond being recipients of generosity and use the support they have to express a new, stronger voice - a voice of hope, strength, love, and creativity.

Each nonprofit has the opportunity to stand out as a beacon of love and light and when it does, the others of us know that that beacon represents a network of other compassionate people, a board, volunteers, staff, donors, vendors, etc. That's heartening.

It's time to choose optimism. Decide that whatever happens to the economy, or the weather, or even with public health, that you, you will take your fuel from the voices of wisdom around you that express joy, hope, and love for the challenges of life that bring us closer together. Choose your sources of inspiration so that you may lead more confidently.

I liked what consultant Alan Weiss said in his Monday Morning Message: There are people who profit from a prolonged downturn, so their interest is in spreading only bad news and in perpetuating fear. There are others who profit from an upturn and who want to find places to add value as people are able to recover. Find, listen to, and associate with the latter group. There is no contribution in perpetuating and profiting from others' misery. As George Merck noted, "Do good, and good will follow."

Let people follow you. Be the voice of wisdom and hope in your community.

One way to challenge assumptions

The phrase, "challenging the assumptions" seems to be popping up everywhere these days. It sounds easy enough until I realize that some of the assumptions that need to be challenged are mine.

When the economy crashed in 2008, I challenged the assumption that someone else would have the answers. While watching financial and business experts point fingers of blame at each other, it became apparent that unlike in the past, no one had the answers. The problems are too big, they're too complex, and they're changing too rapidly to fix easily or quickly. The problems are of a global nature. They're on a scale that's hard to wrap your mind around. Until you look at the community level - where we see rising unemployment, cancelled programs for women and children, and services that enrich a quality of life we've come to expect.

Sitting and waiting for answers was not for me. These problems may be of a new breed, but I know that creativity, innovation, passion, determination, and hope are innate traits that are already organized around more than a million nonprofit organizations in the US. The nonprofit system is uniquely structured for adaptive planning and creative thinking. What assumptions need to be challenged there?

Are nonprofit leaders aware of the nature of change that is bearing down on communities? Are they prepared to lead with new skills? What new skills are needed? Are there other ways to mobilize the talent that is clustered on each nonprofit board? Are nonprofit leaders building resilience? Or, are they waiting for things to get better? Are they cooperating or competing?

For a new perspective, read this article about funding a new world: http://www.jeancraiglong.com/pdfs/COTFTHEUPSIDEDOWNOFFICUCIARYRESPONSIBILITY.pdf

If it raises more questions than it answers, then it served its purpose.

Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass....

Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning how to dance in the rain. (author unknown.)

Financial advisors say to hold for now - an indefinite "now." My vet says he feels like he's "just waiting for the other shoe to drop." A nonprofit executive friend says she's unhappy in her job and would like to find another one but "there is nothing out there so I'll just hold on." Another friend who is a board member of a nonprofit says they have withdrawn from everything and are just sitting still trying not to spend money. A community foundation colleague says their travel and training budget is totally eliminated.

At the same time, I know 3 executive directors who have all established new nonprofits in the last 3 - 5 years. What a time for launching new concepts! The reality is that they are succeeding when the economy would indicate otherwise. They are in hot pursuit of missions that they each visualized, conceptualized, and wrestle with everyday. They do not consider themselves successful and are surprised when I call them leaders or visionaries.

How can they be so focused on growth - and be growing - when the economy says we're supposed to be contracting and withdrawing? What drives them so fiercely that they don't have time to pause in negativity? What keeps them going when others all around them want to curl up? Interestingly enough, they each talk about curling up...and they don't b/c they're too busy visualizing another opportunity. They each describe financial difficulties....with an attitude almost of humor that another hurdle has had the audacity to present itself in front of them....and then they proceed to skim over it seemingly oblivious that it's what they're doing.

They don't see themselves as leaders. They each talk about a vision. A vision that fills a huge gap in the quality of life we can have. The questions they bring to me are: "Why am I doing this? I'm crazy aren't I?" "How in the world am I going to get this done?" "Where am I going to find the energy, resources, answers to do this?" And the best one of all: "I've never done this before."

I'm baffled every time by their questions. I don't know where or how they're going to do what they do. All I know is that they get it done....and the economy says it shouldn't be happening. Because we're supposed to be in contraction mode, right?

I think the answer is passion. I think each one of them is inspired by a vision larger than life itself. And I think each one of them knows down inside that a force stronger than anything is driving them forward. I believe it's a spiritual journey for them.

They are innovative. Creative. Clear. Poised. Talk to any one of them and their intentions are so well defined that you can see through their eyes an achievable goal. They don't see this and I do. I want to expose it, and share it with others who may have lost their inspiration. Who may be focusing on loss, and dread, and the negative side of "what if". Who may be wondering what they should be doing other than working on a nonprofit mission.

Nonprofit people hear different music playing. It's why they work in the field. I've tried to get off this path several times and I'm always turned back to it. An executive recruiter friend says, "Most people don't come out of college with the goal of a career based on other people's benevolence. There's a reason they choose the nonprofit field."

So for all of the people who choose to listen to the different music.......now's your chance to dance.

What these 3 executive directors have to share is priceless...we'll just have to draw it out of them.

How innovative new nonprofits grow

"If one advances confidently in the directio of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a succesws unexpected in common hours." Thoreau

Watching founders of new, innovative nonprofits navigate their way from blueprint to start-up, I am constantly amazed at their determination and drive. I think it comes from passion. One founder of an animal sanctuary describes a dream she has whenever she thinks of quitting and in the dream, an animal appears and says, "But if you don't do this, who will?"

Most of these people have no nonprofit training, no experience with donors, and they don't worry about that. They don't worry about formal "Best Practices", choosing to be guided by an ethical standard that comes naturally.

They focus on building their vision and they are different from their counterparts at established organizations. Any hurdles in front of them are just that - hurdles to be crossed over. They can't always tell me how they will manage it, yet they always do and it's on to the next hurdle.

It's more than excitement. It's a drive. Sometimes, it doesn't even seem rational.....it's just very real. They are hear for a purpose - their calling. Thank goodness they are here...we need them.

The future looks good...it's the present that concerns me.

One nonprofit executive director explains sleepless nights this way: "The future looks good. The present, however, looks impossible."

Year after year this is the concern of nonprofit leaders, even in strong economies. You can change the forecast by changing development priorities. If you do, you'll be the person someone in the future looks back and sees that changed the course of history for the organization.

It's not one thing, like planned giving, that is the answer. It's a blend of several things that mark change.

1. Vision - What is your intention? If you had more than enough resources, what could happen? Pause at some point today and just think about where your nonprofit - and you - are headed. What's the potential?

2. Impact - What difference is your nonprofit making? What would not get done if your group was not around to do it? What is it you do that matters? Remember web-thinking: Your work impacts more than board members, staff, donors, volunteers, and recipients of services. The impact is also felt by family members of all concerned and children (the next generation), and colleagues, and your vendors, and many more that you may not be aware of. They benefit.

3. Relationships - Who are your stakeholders? It may not be your biggest donors at all. Look at consistent givers and disregard amount of gift - what do you know about these people? Why do they give? Approach annual givers as stakeholders and you'll begin to notice a difference in that perspective. They are more than year-to-year givers - they understand what you're doing.

Vision, impact, relationships = sustainability.

Start with current donors

If growth means keeping what works and making it better, then nonprofits intent on growing should concentrate on current donors - the people who have already shown their support. As more people give thoughtful attention to the charities they support, give them more reasons to choose you. What do you know about your consistent givers? Is your marketing message clear about what your nonprofit does and where it is headed? How fast it gets there is really not the issue - that it gets there is entirely the point.

Increase the attention you give to your loyal donors and connect with those whose values align with those of your organization. They may be interested in a deeper level of support - a longer-term type of support.

Initiate action with consistent givers. Find out what they think. If you can build a bridge between their heart and a better world through your work, then you'll find all the resources you can handle!

What to do with $100 donors

Take a look at your donor gift levels. Do you have clusters of gifts around the $100 mark, the $250 mark, or the $500 mark? Where these cluster occur, notice how many of the names you know personally. What do you know about them? Do you know why they give to you? This is where your focus should be now - on the relationships you already have.

Choose a cluster and identify the people who have given 3 years or more consecutively. Why have they given to you for these years? Obviously, there is something that is attracting them to you and if you can find out what that is, then you're closer to your next gift. Do they know the founder? Do they know someone on the board who speaks highly of the work? Is it a staffer? Maybe they know someone who benefitted from your services. Finding that out may mean a visit - maybe several visits. Maybe it's a coffee or maybe you meet them at an event. You may find out right away and it may take several visits. Is there a board member who will help?

This is how you attract givers to maintain and increase their giving. By getting to know them, and learning what matters to them, you'll be better equipped to communicate the work of yiour nonprofit in terms they value.

If you have a lot of names in those clusters, you can get creative with how you contact them since you can only drink so much coffee in a day. Read the article, "Launching your 44 cent cultivation plan" listed on my Free Resources page of my website: www.jeancraiglong.com for hints about low-cost ways to make memorable connections with donors.

If you start this week, and set aside 2 hours on Friday to call people who have written checks in the past, thank them, update them on activities, you're taking a development step in the right direction. Can you ask some board members to take some names? Gratitude is an attractor and this is the time to connect as much as you can with those people who already know and care about your work.

All inquiries come from million dollar donors

I recently emailed a colleague at a community to ask if a donor who sets up a charitable gift annuity at the foundation can change their charitable beneficiary. Can they name more than one charity if the community foundation is managing the gift annuity asset? (This was in preparation for the teleclass I teach on the basics of gift annuities.)

Her response surprised me. Not the information itself, rather the way she answered my question - so that I would see myself as the donor. Her explanation began this way: “For example, you create a charitable gift annuity and name the Jean Craig Long Fund at the foundation as the charitable beneficiary….” She explained the mechanics of the process in a way that got my attention.

My thoughts instantly shifted from my original technical question to the rush of excitement I was feeling in the shoes of the donor. A fund in my own name that would support nonprofits....why not? ....which ones would I choose?

In less than the 10 seconds it took to read the email, my mind shifted from mechanics to the possibilities in front of me and I noticed that my energy soared!

My colleague answered me from a development perspective.....not as technician.

In personalizing her response to my question, she shifted my focus from the options for other donors to the possibilities in front of me and it became very real. I’ve used this approach with donors myself and now on the receiving end of it, I’m reminded of how relevant it really is.

Take a tip from my community foundation colleague: All inquiries come from million dollar donors. You can shift someone’s thinking in an instant.

What a powerful chain of positive energy it creates when we open to possibilities.
Re-reading that email, I still get a good feeling. I’m going to save it….

The next time you receive an inquiry about the mechanics of a planned gift, I hope you follow this example.