“20 years of work we love”: That was our anniversary tagline for 2009. And what a crazy year it was. Along with helping clients build capacity, train their boards, and meet campaign goals, we were called on to make an additional 32 presentations at conferences and events from Atlantic City to New Orleans.
Between that and the economy, if ever there was a year that validated why we do what we do, 2009 was it. Around the nation, nonprofits were panicking. We did our best to share our expertise in print and in person and to reassure fundraising leaders that the U.S. is the most philanthropic country in the world. In fact, we had clients that reached their goals and raised substantial amounts of dollars last year because they were out there doing what they needed to do.
Then there was our anniversary party, where staff and volunteers of our past and current clients gathered together to help us celebrate. How fortunate we were to stand among this selfless group of people who are devoted to making their communities better.
We’re honored to have played a small part in that effort. By enabling these organizations to achieve their fundraising goals, over the last 20 years we’ve helped educate thousands of kids and adults by providing classrooms, libraries, gyms, and scholarships. The work we do has assisted the sick, the homeless, the dying, and people with disabilities. It has sustained and grown the arts, sent kids to summer camp, cleaned up local waterways, and protected our furry friends.
But none of that would have been possible if, in every case, a handful of people hadn’t seen a need and decided to give of themselves to address it. To quote the famous words of anthropologist Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
So we’d like to honor those thoughtful, committed citizens by sharing some of their stories in this blog. Starting this month, look for occasional posts about how some of the nonprofits we’ve worked with came into being. Next week: a physician and his wife decide to answer a persistent call.
And if you have a nonprofit story to share, we’d love to hear it.
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