Comments on: Profit vs. Growth: Why So Many Community Benefit Organizations Struggle http://spurspectives.com/profit-vs-growth-why-so-many-community-benefit-organizations-struggle/ Thoughts on the intersection of social media and 1:1 marketing Mon, 21 May 2012 15:22:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: John Haydon http://spurspectives.com/profit-vs-growth-why-so-many-community-benefit-organizations-struggle/#comment-5347 John Haydon Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:49:13 +0000 http://spurspectives.com/?p=132#comment-5347 "The board voted to donate every penny of those funds to another organization, because they thought a “NonProfit” wasn’t allowed to have funds left over." = Board Fail “The board voted to donate every penny of those funds to another organization, because they thought a “NonProfit” wasn’t allowed to have funds left over.” = Board Fail

]]> By: David Svet http://spurspectives.com/profit-vs-growth-why-so-many-community-benefit-organizations-struggle/#comment-5344 David Svet Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:56:42 +0000 http://spurspectives.com/?p=132#comment-5344 Hildy, WOW! I'm not sure what to say about your story. How in the world can an entire board end up in that situation without anyone checking with a financial professional? How do you have a board without a financial professional who would know the answer and stop the craziness? That is the most amazing thing I've heard in a very long time. Thank you for all your help and encouragement! David Hildy,
WOW! I’m not sure what to say about your story. How in the world can an entire board end up in that situation without anyone checking with a financial professional? How do you have a board without a financial professional who would know the answer and stop the craziness? That is the most amazing thing I’ve heard in a very long time.

Thank you for all your help and encouragement!
David

]]> By: Hildy Gottlieb http://spurspectives.com/profit-vs-growth-why-so-many-community-benefit-organizations-struggle/#comment-5340 Hildy Gottlieb Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:52:32 +0000 http://spurspectives.com/?p=132#comment-5340 Dave: Thanks for this. For us, your observations are Reason #427 why this sector needs to stop using the term "nonprofit!" (Thanks for doing such a good job of that here! :-) ) A quick story to illustrate your point - this one falls into the "I couldn't make this stuff up" category. At the end of their fiscal year, a small arts group had funds left over in their account. The board voted to donate every penny of those funds to another organization, because they thought a "NonProfit" wasn’t allowed to have funds left over. Hildy Dave:
Thanks for this. For us, your observations are Reason #427 why this sector needs to stop using the term “nonprofit!” (Thanks for doing such a good job of that here! :-) )

A quick story to illustrate your point - this one falls into the “I couldn’t make this stuff up” category.

At the end of their fiscal year, a small arts group had funds left over in their account. The board voted to donate every penny of those funds to another organization, because they thought a “NonProfit” wasn’t allowed to have funds left over.

Hildy

]]> By: David Svet http://spurspectives.com/profit-vs-growth-why-so-many-community-benefit-organizations-struggle/#comment-5332 David Svet Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:52:03 +0000 http://spurspectives.com/?p=132#comment-5332 Well said, Jenn. Thank you for your insight. You make a great point that advocacy is needed to advance the reforms of the larger system. Now if we can convince donors and directors to concentrate on the long term solution instead of immediate results we might have better organizations making a greater impact. David Well said, Jenn. Thank you for your insight. You make a great point that advocacy is needed to advance the reforms of the larger system.

Now if we can convince donors and directors to concentrate on the long term solution instead of immediate results we might have better organizations making a greater impact.

David

]]> By: Jenn Kantz http://spurspectives.com/profit-vs-growth-why-so-many-community-benefit-organizations-struggle/#comment-5328 Jenn Kantz Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:43:39 +0000 http://spurspectives.com/?p=132#comment-5328 Good points. We, as nonprofits, definitely struggle with growing the cause versus shoring up the organization. Another way we struggle is focusing solely on our individual cause and organization; we don't look outside our box to the larger issue (be it child welfare, poverty, homelessness, etc). In order to be most effective and achieve the social change the nonprofit was set up for, we need to look for ways to create a lasting impact. While donors want to give so you can take in one more dog or have one more empty bed for a homeless man on a cold KS night, creating a lasting impact in the community will reap more benefits and results. One way to do this is advocacy. Nonprofits should engage in both direct service and advocacy - providing service helps meet those immediate needs and advocacy helps reform the larger system. Otherwise I fear we will constantly be struggling with spending money on the immediate need (one more dog) or reinvesting in the organization. Good points. We, as nonprofits, definitely struggle with growing the cause versus shoring up the organization. Another way we struggle is focusing solely on our individual cause and organization; we don’t look outside our box to the larger issue (be it child welfare, poverty, homelessness, etc).

In order to be most effective and achieve the social change the nonprofit was set up for, we need to look for ways to create a lasting impact. While donors want to give so you can take in one more dog or have one more empty bed for a homeless man on a cold KS night, creating a lasting impact in the community will reap more benefits and results. One way to do this is advocacy. Nonprofits should engage in both direct service and advocacy - providing service helps meet those immediate needs and advocacy helps reform the larger system. Otherwise I fear we will constantly be struggling with spending money on the immediate need (one more dog) or reinvesting in the organization.

]]>