I realized that these schedules and expectations needed to be kicked to the curb and I needed to quickly get comfortable with the uncomfortable reality that work, parenting and homeschooling would have to messily co-exist.
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It says it right up front on our website, “Yes we know a lot, but we don’t know everything.” In the last few weeks, we’ve seen and read a lot from leaders in the nonprofit sector who also know a lot. We thought we’d take a minute to share some of these blogs in hopes that it helps…
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The central question I like to ask potential clients is “what’s your appetite for partnering with a consultant to do this work and how do you see that relationship working well?” There is no shortage of campaign consultants for hire so really, the question for an organization is, what is it about your project, culture, board, and organization, and Brightspot’s approach, practice, and experience that would make us the best partner?
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Last month marked a few important professional moments for me and reaffirmed that in every client engagement, there comes a time to part ways.
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We recently spent an entire day sequestered in a conference room, diving into all aspects of the Brightspot business. We do this at least once a year, checking in with each other and the business we run. It’s remarkable how good it feels to have this space to think strategically, create plans for the future, and ensure we’re still aligned with what we set out to do …
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With our first year under our belts, we jotted down reflections from the past year and aspirations for what’s to come. These thoughts, like our personalities and styles, are different and unique. Please read on and know how grateful we are for the business, support, and partnership this community has shown us. Here’s to year 2!
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At Brightspot, we believe there are two fundamental elements to a successful grant program. The first and most obvious component is a well-crafted proposal. The second and more overlooked component, is funder identification. Without intentionality behind your prospecting, a well-written grant does little for your fundraising efforts. So exactly how do you know if the potential funders you have identified are truly interested in evaluating your well-written proposal?
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Nonprofit leaders desperately need breaks. They’re undervalued, often un-thanked, more often underpaid, and battling burnout. They don’t have to climb mountains to find rejuvenation, but it’s time the sector recognized the value of integrating honest to goodness breaks and purposeful disruptions into their planning.
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The Pulitzer Prize winning poet W.S. Merwin passed away at the age of 91 last month. Merwin was one of three artisticicons that inspired my life-long involvement in the arts. Coincidentally, the other two – choreographer Paul Taylor and poet Mary Oliver – also moved on this past year. These losses have me thinking about the role of the arts, especially in our society right now.
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If you are involved with a funding entity and know that your application hasn’t been refreshed in a while, here are some thoughts and tips to shift to a more nonprofit-friendly grant application…
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If you’re a nonprofit staff member, you’ve likely pondered how to more deeply engage your board members in fundraising. If you’re a board member, you likely know it is part of your responsibility to help raise money, but you may not know how.
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I recently went on a mommy-cation and came home to a holiday Lego catalog strategically placed by my five-year-old son, front and center on my desk. Within the catalog, he had used a Sharpie marker to identify the (many) Lego sets he wanted. The more circles he drew, the more he wanted the Lego set. My husband later told me that our son proudly completed this exercise as though he had done us a favor by pre-selecting items for our imminent holiday shopping. While I of course find my son’s efforts adorable, I also feel compelled to do HIM a favor this holiday season by providing a metaphorical catalog of opportunities for him to practice giving.
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As Election Day looms, I’m contemplating the power of the vote. Amidst the current turbulence, many frustrated citizens feel they have just one way to elevate their voices – vote. There is a prevailing feeling that casting a ballot next week is our last remaining pathway to change.
A lot of that may be true. But while voting is always imperative, the work of our local nonprofit and philanthropy sectors can’t be overlooked as another critical pathway to change. Perhaps now more than ever before.
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If you want to engage millennials in philanthropy you will find no shortage of articles telling you the three things you need to do…
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I really like running. Even though I am far from speedy, I embrace the mental and physical charge that it gives me. Recently however, knee pain brought my days of running to a screeching halt. In a state of panic, I reached out to a physical therapist who prescribed weekly visits to her office and 15 minutes of daily (and painful) stretching. I kept my disappointment to myself. In our modern-day world of instant gratification, it was frustrating to me that she couldn’t offer a quicker fix.
My frustration with such a slow plan for healing is not unlike the frustrations I hear as a grant writer from nonprofits seeking support.
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All nonprofits are strapped. While working for a few, I felt the deep pull of limited resources – both financial and human.
I can remember sitting in a team meeting surrounded by piles of paper, event auction items, and despair. The mood was depressed as a long-time funder had rejected our proposal, the board was unresponsive to our calls for help, and ticket sales for next week’s event were dangerously low. The icing on the cake? The printer wasn’t working.
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