You Can Grow Green with Us!

When you think about non-profit organizations, the United Way, Red Cross and Salvation Army usually come to mind. These are the giants who you have come to accept will get their hands in your pockets, for a good cause, at some point during the year. They work in your community. You may volunteer with them now and then. You may even serve as a board member.

There are other non-profits in your community as well, some who are not doing so well during this economic crunch. When the general public has to tighten its belt, the first thing to cut out is giving. In my own community, this means less cash and corporate donations to our local food bank, which results in smaller monthly packages being distributed to an increasing number of families in crisis. On a larger scale just as an example, this means less money invested in affordable housing when so many are losing their homes and need apartments to rent. It also means staff working in the non-profit sector are being let go, working longer hours and stretching each dollar as far as it can go.

Now there are some non-profits that are continuing business as usual. For the past 30 years, non-profits have been beholden to the government process of grants and low-interest loans to provide a diverse range of programs. This system of entitlement, of expecting to continue to receive the same dollars to do the same work, year after year, is very shortly coming to an end. Corporate donors and foundations have been more active to institute “measurement outcomes,” requirements attached to funding that provide a clear “return on investment” picture that’s transparent for both the funder and the non-profit. Creating benchmarks that demonstrate successful use of dollars invested that make a positive difference in the lives of those served is just good business. And therein lies the key, good business.

The non-profit business model has been suffering in recent years, with old systems slow to change and young, educated leaders hard to entice into the field. When you add to that the financial challenges facing all business sectors today, you begin to see a shift in practice, a new light emerging in the non-profit community.

The 21st Century non-profit is proactive, ready, willing and able to make change, be fluid, listen to their market, the people they serve, the funders who support their work and the community that surrounds them. Only the strong will survive in these tough times, which may be painful to watch but ultimately a cleansing process for the non-profit industry. Making non-profits accept the fact that they are businesses, with a bottom line that either supports their work or drains them of their ability to serve.

Now you may think these are harsh words. As someone who has worked in the field for more than 15 years, I’m speaking from personal experience with good programs, great people and deplorable systems. The non-profit sector has all the tools to succeed, yet wants to stay in the comfort zone of what and who it knows, and continue to say “we’ve always done it this way.” Good Luck! The rug is about to be pulled, and the choice is to fly into the future and the unknown, or land on your ass!

So, what to do? Over the next several weeks you’ll find some solid advice posted here specifically to help non-profits begin to make some positive changes. If you are interested in learning more, leave your name and email. If you know of anyone who needs to read this, please pass it on. This is not a hopeless situation, but it requires education and action to correct.

Leave your ideas and comments here. We read them all!

In 1933, my grandmother was widowed with a 3 year old daughter to take care of, just as the Depression was taking hold in the United States. She had to make some decisions about what she wanted her life and her daughter’s life to look like. What my grandmother decided was that while she could have accepted the help of family, become dependent on others for her needs and gone down the path of least resistance, she made a different choice.

She had a dream. Before the days of Rosie the Riveter and WWII, and before she even knew what she had done, she had started her own business. Her dream was to have control of her life, support her daughter, and keep the home she & her husband had purchased where they were to have lived out their lives. She made a commitment to herself, her daughter and her community that she would be a success.

Now there were days of doubt, hard times and difficult days. Yet the rewards were greater than the challenges. She kept her home, raised her daughter and sent her to college, contributed to her grandchildren’s lives and provided a legacy for her family from her humble efforts. Her dream was to do business in an honorable way, to improve the lives she touched, and to be financially independent in good times and bad. She achieved her dream.

As I remember the times I spent with my grandmother, I know she would share my dream today. My dream is to be financially independent and share knowledge and prosperity. My business is dedicated to providing quality services and products at a fair cost that improve lives. Doing business in an ethical manner is key, and the foundation for a strong business of any kind.

It is my dream to honor all the people who have shared with me, use resources ethically then pass along what I’ve learned. My grandmother lived to 87 years old, getting to see the rewards of her devotion to her dream. I’m committed to achieving the same and more, living to see my dream achieved, seeing others dreams achieved and knowing I made a difference. I’m devoted to my dream.

Want to join me?

There’s been a tidal wave of blog posts and emails this past week on new year’s resolutions. At the beginning of any new period, whether it’s the calendar year, your birthday, an anniversary or any occasion that provides a point of reference, there is an opportunity to review the past.

- what’s been accomplished?

- am I getting the desired results?

- is there something that can be done better?

- do I know where I’m headed?

The questions are infinite, and the answers can never be counted. What can be done is an honest accessment of where you are, how you got there, if it’s where you want to be, and if not, do you know how to get there, where?

Have you gone through this process in your personal life, with your family, for your business, with your church or another organization where you volunteer? Now is the time to identify what you want to happen this year. Set a plan in place that is actionable, holds you accountable and can have measurable results. When you begin to take these steps, each step that follows gets easier.

There’s nothing simple about change except that it is as eternal as time. Nothing ever stays the same. With that said, what is change going to look like in your life? It’s completely up to you!