Last week a fire started in a house down the block from mine. An DCFD engine company, a rescue squad, and an DC EMS ambulance all came. My brother is a fireman in NYC. He is with a rescue squad, so seeing any fire/rescue responders immediately brings my brother to mind as well as all of his fire-fighting buddies that I have come to know. (Yes he was working on 9-11, but that's another story.) The thing that will ALWAYS bewilder me about them is that they are running into the danger as we are trying to escape it. God Bless our first responders. We call them we when are afraid and in danger and they always answer to call.
That got me thinking....
How many nonprofits fundraising programs are "on fire" and in need of rescue?
Who do they call to rescue them? Many will try to put the fire out themselves. Like many of us in our homes, they will be ill-equipped and not adequately trained to put the "fire" out themselves. How many will think they have put the fire out only to discover they missed a "hot spot?"
As a veteran in the nonprofit sector, (more than 23 years) I now know much more than I did, even 10 years ago. Unfortunately many small and young nonprofits are relying on "rookie" fundraisers because it is the best their money can buy. There is certainly no shame in that. The shame comes when there a "fire" and they don't make the call for help.
Your rescue squad is all around you in the form of expert consultants. I started working for nonprofits after volunteering. I was in sales and marketing. Volunteering and helping others felt so good. I was more into my volunteer assignments than I was into my then job and it began to bleed over. My work began to decline and I realized I needed to make a career move. All these years later, I have become an idealist. I totally believe in the work that nonprofits are doing for our community. WE DO SO MUCH!! i started consulting and I'll start teaching this spring because after 23 years I feel like I can give back to the nonprofit community... and I am not alone.
So I say to the nonprofits who are out there on fire, your rescue squads -- those of us who have grown into industry veterans, consultants, etc. -- we are out here just waiting on you to call.
That got me thinking....
How many nonprofits fundraising programs are "on fire" and in need of rescue?
Who do they call to rescue them? Many will try to put the fire out themselves. Like many of us in our homes, they will be ill-equipped and not adequately trained to put the "fire" out themselves. How many will think they have put the fire out only to discover they missed a "hot spot?"
As a veteran in the nonprofit sector, (more than 23 years) I now know much more than I did, even 10 years ago. Unfortunately many small and young nonprofits are relying on "rookie" fundraisers because it is the best their money can buy. There is certainly no shame in that. The shame comes when there a "fire" and they don't make the call for help.
Your rescue squad is all around you in the form of expert consultants. I started working for nonprofits after volunteering. I was in sales and marketing. Volunteering and helping others felt so good. I was more into my volunteer assignments than I was into my then job and it began to bleed over. My work began to decline and I realized I needed to make a career move. All these years later, I have become an idealist. I totally believe in the work that nonprofits are doing for our community. WE DO SO MUCH!! i started consulting and I'll start teaching this spring because after 23 years I feel like I can give back to the nonprofit community... and I am not alone.
So I say to the nonprofits who are out there on fire, your rescue squads -- those of us who have grown into industry veterans, consultants, etc. -- we are out here just waiting on you to call.
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