HOPE

These are challenging times for the nonprofit world. We face an unprecedented period of uncertainty and disruption. Because so many of us have devoted our lives to helping others in myriad ways, perhaps we feel the pain ever more deeply. Our hearts are broken, and yet those same hearts remain open to helping others, and to giving whatever we can to lift the downtrodden, inspire the discouraged, and walk the extra mile with our friends.

Though these words may come up short, and our current despair is too painful to expect relief, nonetheless I wanted to offer some words of HOPE. 

Since my first job at a New York nonprofit in 1986 until now, I have seen a range of financial slumps. But we faced each one in turn, moved forward, and even prospered all the more afterwards. I have great hope that once again, as we face our current financial challenge, we will see the true goodness of people shine through, and we will come out even better on the other end. 

With each downturn I feared the worst - our donors would have no way of helping us. Yet what happened every time was just the opposite. Our friends and supporters, at all levels of giving, stepped up and continued to give. They gave even in the face of their own financial hardships. They showed up. They re-calibrated their priorities, and guess what? To my surprise and joy - we were their priority. Doing good and changing lives was their priority. Setting aside anger, turmoil and fear...was their priority.

Hope Example #1: Early 1990’s

You may recall this difficult time when inflation was out of control and interest rates were astronomical. I was literally paying 16% interest on my new home mortgage - ouch. Living in New York City, you can imagine the panic and concern. Yet throughout those down years, my organization’s fundraising numbers skyrocketed. Our focus at the time was with corporate events. Those companies and their leaders weren’t about to let the people we served suffer the consequences of financial instability. 

Hope Example #2: Turn of the Century

By now I had moved to a large public university, serving as its Director of Major Gifts. I would visit alumni across the country, and while in Seattle one year I was especially delighted with some of our alumni who had made fortunes in the “dot.com” industry. New start-ups were exploding. Then came the pin that burst the bubble. Fortunes were destroyed overnight. Again, we faced the prospect of losing our donors. No. They stepped up. The university went on to celebrate the largest campaign in its history, raising over $750 million.

Hope Example #3: Great Recession

By 2005, I had moved to another university and was managing a team of fundraisers. We had timidly embarked on the institution’s first-ever comprehensive campaign - a $150 million goal. Our early efforts were producing some success and we decided to publicly announce the campaign...in 2008. Of course, this was the height of the mortgage crisis, with our economy melting down into a great recession. Yet again, our alumni, friends and supporters stepped up. Even when we were hearing tails of financial hardships from top to bottom, the campaign went on to surpass all expectations, raising more than $500 million!

Hope Example #4: Covid-19

Now here we are, facing a beast that seems to threaten our very existence as nonprofits, and I’m scared, not gonna lie. Today I own a company that has helped over 80 nonprofits (all amazing organizations). Each day I take many deep breaths, stop between frantic phone calls and long virtual meetings, and remember that deep down in each of us is a broken heart, aching to open up in love and service to those around us. We will get through this together, of this I am sure. What really matters to us - connection, service, compassion, our earth, and hope - is already emerging, and pointing us to a better day.

Hope Example #5: You