In this inaugural post, I wanted to sketch out why we are launching Catalyst and Co. and why the timing of doing so seems to be ‘all good’.
Non-Profits are becoming more focused and strategic.
ROI rules. Segmentation drives. Accountability reigns. Gone are the days of shooting from the hip. Running an NFP is not for the timid – or the unskilled and unproven. NFP leaders and their donors are becoming more sophisticated. They are expecting more, with a greater regard for the value of vision clarity, donor insights, strategic planning, targeted messaging and yes, money. Leaders and donors are more likely to switch allegiances if their Non-Profit organization fails to get strategic, attract smart people and ‘invest’ their financial resources wisely.
Non-Profits need great people. And, great people can be hard to find.
You can generally find people who are passionate about their cause OR people who are skilled at their craft but finding that unique combination in one person can be difficult. I’ve seen jobs (especially funding and development roles) stay unfilled for over a year. Organizations cannot thrive (let alone survive) if they can’t find good people fast.
Demographics and psychographics are changing.
Simply put, people (both young and seasoned) increasingly want to do something meaningful. The NFP world provides an outlet for individuals who would like to make a positive contribution to their communities and their world. Many accomplished professionals are seeking to make a shift from their corporate world and ‘give back’ with their skills/talents to organizations that can benefit from them. On the other end of that pendulum – many emerging grads are looking to start their careers with NFP’s doing meaningful work. All around – it appears the trend of ‘doing good’ is on the up-rise.
The Non-Profit Community is doing some very interesting things.
NFP’s are becoming hyper-innovative, using very unique methods and in many ways leading the way in the use of social media. Saying that, there are definitely a few of the old stalwarts who REALLY need to ‘step- it -up’ on several fronts. The challenge is on. Stay fresh or potentially expire.
The following are a few who stand apart for the innovative approaches (and deliveries):
Bulembu — a town in Swaziland, Africa with the heart and vision to redefine and rebuild itself.
Street-to-Home – broad community-based initiative designed to address homelessness in Vancouver.
Me to We – a new kind of social enterprise for people who want to help change the world with their daily choices.
Imagine One Day – provides an opportunity for donors to be directly connected to projects that provide primary education for all children in Ethiopia, Africa.
International Justice Mission – a human rights organization that rescues victims of violence, sexual exploitation, slavery and oppression.
Movember – is a moustache growing charity event held during November each year that raises funds and awareness for men’s health.
We are passionate about serving this community.
Nothing will give us more pleasure than equipping forward-thinking, ‘switched-on’ NFP’s with smart people so they can do more of what they doing (and do it better).