Let’s get the obvious out of the way: times are tough for local nonprofits. Funders are hurting, the Big Three are struggling, charitable giving is expected to drop, and the rest of 2009 is a question mark. Experts are seriously pondering future scenarios for the nonprofit sector.
On the other hand, it’s also a time of tremendous creativity and opportunity in southeast Michigan. Nonprofits like the Child Care Network in Ann Arbor are utilizing community input and careful strategic planning to chart a new course. The Detroit-based Cultural Alliance of Southeast Michigan has launched a great shared resource portal for its members. Folks like the Gleaners Food Bank in Detroit are stepping up to growing demand from our friends and neighbors in our community. Regional funders are adjusting their giving patterns to respond to the growing challenges of the economy. There’s even budding optimism about the national economic outlook.
In the present, though, we’re all feeling the growing tension between our need for survival and our need to achieve our missions. What I wonder every day is: what are the keys to not just surviving, but actually thriving, in these challenging times?
-Neel Hajra, President/CEO
Wow! Thank you very much! I always wanted to write in my site something like that
I believe the key to thriving during trying times involves going “back to the basics” for most organizations including: reaffirming your mission and core competencies, (re)engaging your Board, staff and other stakeholders around your work, and fostering new collaborative relationships to improve efficiency and organizational reach. These times provide an opportunity to refocus efforts, ask the tough questions and advance innovation in our processes and practices.
Trying times test the validity of an organization’s business model. Organizations don’t seem to make hard choices until they are tested. Boards don’t seem to get full engaged until there is a problem. These times provide for a “spring cleaning” of sorts. Or, using a term now popular with the Obama administration, a chance to press the “RESET” button. I encourage organizations to use this opportunity to position themselves for the future. Press the delete button on programming that is not working and/or puts the long-term sustainability of your organization at risk by draining resources away from your core mission. Ask board members to step up or step off. In many ways, this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity.
I’m a firm believer that low resources mean high innovation. Change and challenge force us out of our comfort zone and into a space where we have to question our relevance and value to the community and to come into greater understanding of what we can offer. Maud’s innovation below is brilliant as is Pam’s using community insight to strengthen her organization’s strategy. A strong, entrepreneurial spirit gets organizations through tough times and on to more progressive programming, as does opening the doors of participation and ideation wide to bring in the fullness of ideas. There is so much brilliance and talent in SE Michigan…the more we see this as an opportunity to knit together than to rent apart, the stronger and more vibrant we will be. As for engaging others, what do we have to lose?
We will thrive if we can do two things: first, connect to the needs and values of our donors, audiences, and constituents; and second, work together to consolidate infrastructure and reduce cost. For the first, the Cultural Alliance of Southeastern Michigan is creating shared marketing programs – check out http://www.culture-ed.org, and there is more to come. We are also working to increase philanthropy by individuals for the arts. For the second, The Sharing Resources Clearinghouse is just the first step – a way for our member organizations give expertise,use of facilities and other assets to each other, for free. We are also exploring other ways to reduce cost with inovation and sharing our work.
Survive or Thrive? Child Care Network chose THRIVE with the help of our community partners. More than 50 people (donors, clients, board, funders, partners, customers, government officials) came to our Community Stakeholders Day to review our strategic plan. Facilitated by Zing Train and designed to garner input, critical thinking and problem solving strategies from our community partners; the group tackled how we can best serve our community, build financial sustainability and generate new revenue streams. The day reconnected friends, reset expectations and helped make everyone feel more in control as we talked about the possibilities our future holds. Nonprofit operations need to be transparent and the more information shared, the stronger the network becomes.