Equity

Stripe, a financial services provider, continues to raise capital from investors by allowing its employees to sell privately held shares every 6 months. This allows the company to defer an Initial Public Offering (IPO) strategy but rewards employees with access to a limited equity market at set intervals. Investors can deploy their funds into a privately held company.

Nonprofits mirror this activity in their fundraising efforts. At specified intervals, social sector organizations appeal to donors, foundations, and companies to make philanthropic investments in their missions. Those organizations perceived to have a remarkable impact, the ability to scale, or to generate visibility for a cause often receive greater support than those that may be less effective or working on causes not as valued by large segments of society. Although the nonprofit employees are not selling shares to enrich themselves, they are putting their work on public display and having it evaluated by the philanthropic market.

What if the nonprofit sector took a private equity mindset at times? What if we offered a limited number of spaces to donors to fund our enterprise, so the return on investment was better for the community, individuals, and the environment? How might we recognize that passively passing a hat around may be a legacy that does not work for all our supporters?

Specialist

At a farmer’s market, specialists are celebrated. The strawberry farmer is the person to buy from if you want strawberries. However, if next week they show up and expand beyond strawberries to offer cleaning detergent, sunscreen, energy drinks, and lottery cards, they would suddenly disrupt their standing as a cultivated specialist. They would be moving into the realm of a convenience store.

Adding services and expanding programs may seem like a great way to scale. However, if it undermines our specialty, we might be on a collision course with existing as average and easy to disregard.

Individuals

We like group photos because they convey significance and build momentum. A number of people showed up and lent their social capital to a cause and/or belief.

If we zoom in, we can see the individuals involved. We recognize the distinctive characteristics and attributes of each person. It provides us with the opportunity to highlight and profile the narrative that makes them unique.

It is convenient to focus on the group photo to share our impact, but we forget there is an individual story behind each face in the crowd.

Choice

What is the right number of choices to feel a sense of autonomy but avoid overwhelm? If one visits an Apple Store, there are typically three or fewer models available in any given product line. The intention is that one of these models will fit the needs of the majority of customers, and there is always the opportunity to customize online.

When you ask your stakeholders for advice, do you offer two or three thoughtful choices? Or do you overpower them with a carnival-prize-tent level of options?

Purpose

Large cauldrons placed around the Forbidden City in Beijing appear ornamental. In fact, their original purpose was to serve as a water source for structure fires. It is convenient to assign a perceived purpose to an object when, in reality, a different purpose originated its design and placement.

How might we remain curious about the origins of a design or concept?