Trying to quantify the nonprofit sector’s impact? The Nonprofit Quarterly delivers the facts and graphics.
Nonprofit Sector’s Impact
This Is Not Right
I was running this weekend in Anaheim, CA. Ten minutes from the manicured pathways of Disneyland Park I jogged into an underpass below Interstate 5. Halfway in the concrete tunnel I literally jumped over two people sleeping on the walkway. They had placed their shopping carts in such a ways as to create a small barrier but the traffic noise was deafening, a minor inconvenience I imagined to avoid the overnight rains. When I came back a half-hour later one individual was sitting-up staring towards the sun that had started to break out of the thin cloud layer. I thought, ‘this is not right.’ In the shadow of one of the iconic family vacation experiences sit individuals pushed to survive each day with no thought of vacation or luxury.
What questions should we be asking about priorities? What actions would have the most impact when it comes to extinguishing homelessness?
One Billion
Congratulations TEDTalk on one billion views! A reminder to us all that we never know the results of our first tentative expression.
Controlling Coincidence
When you are committed to your art, you find ways to capture the coincidence that is critical to your success.
Average
If you are waiting for potential fans to find you, I hope you have unlimited texting and a cup of coffee. There are too many groups who have set-up a table and hope to manipulate a few transactions. The good news is that there are very few who are out performing their art and standing out as remarkable.
Creativity Gap
Happiness Now
Be Informed or Swamped.
If you are building a tribe you need to keep the members informed and allow them a vehicle to communicate with one another without too many obstacles. The above screenshots are from 5:45 PM Eastern on November 2, 2012. The New York Road Runner’s website (promoter of the race) continues to show a countdown clock before the race start while ESPN announces the race’s postponement. A vital step in creating trust is saying what you believe and then acting consistently to renforce that belief. Right now the New York Road Runners are taking a thrashing as they attempts to right the ship before a mutiny is called by those who swore allegiance to the club. Interesting case study in action. Having the right strategy screen in place before an emergency may have saved the NYRR from damaging their reputation.
A Challenge from charity:water
Charity:water is challenging the social sector to think differently:
1. Your mission kind of sucks.
2. You don’t care enough about your donors.
3. You’re not pretty enough.
4. You’re spread too thin.
5. You need to grow a pair.
6. You break your promises.
7. You don’t have a good reason why.
How do you respond?
Many or Few?
Are you one of many? Too often we find safety in the crowd and yet our best moments reveal themselves when we are on paths that requires us to travel alone or as part of a small expedition.
