It's Groundhog Day!

It's GROUNDHOG DAY!

I know for many of us it's been groundhog day for the few last years! But today is THE Day, how did it go for you?

For those who don't have a clue what I am referring to, it is the day made famous by the 1993 film staring Bill Murry and Andie MacDowell where a cynical TV weatherman (Murry) is covering the annual?Groundhog Day?event in Pennsylvania USA. He becomes trapped in a?time loop, forcing him to relive February?2nd repeatedly. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

For me, the last 2 years have actually been anything but the same. Day to day maybe, but on reflection it's been busy! One example was experiencing how to be part of an events team organising a 3 day international online event (IFAB) with Chapel & York Intl. The team all working remotely in different time zones, with different circumstances and demands and all dealing with the global pandemic. IFAB was not only a success but a learning curve for the whole team too.

I think for fundraising generally it has been challenging but also an awakening of opportunity. It has forced everyone to go online more and we have seen some really innovative ways fundraisers have risen to the challenge. The Chronicle of Philanthropy for one has some great articles and inspiration of how out of adversity came great creativity.

Many Social Entrepreneurs too made the most of the situation to pivot and explore new avenues. In a global survey by The British Council, Social Ent UK and ESCAP they report only one per cent of social enterprises reported that they have shut down due to COVID-19. The report states that "half the interviewed companies have changed their business model, with only 11 per cent expecting to revert back to their previous way of working. Six per cent have a completely new business model as a result of Covid-19. This means that over 90 per cent of social enterprises are running quite different businesses to the ones they operated pre-crisis, and for almost half this change is significant and may be permanent. This is a period of major change – and ongoing uncertainty"

One of the successful entrepreneurs from Turkey said:

We expanded 8+ new countries […] we’ve collaborated with an NGO to bring quality play time to the refugee community during the lockdown (and) received three top-tier awards in our industry.?

For many of us we're now in a hybrid / lockdown / semi open situation just learning to "roll with it" with factors beyond any of our control forcing us to adapt the way we conduct our businesses and personal situations on a day to basis. But, don't forget, we're all in this together and we all understand.

So, what next, no one knows. Except the groundhog!