Begging For Change
Tom Suddes | July 14, 2008
I’m just finishing up a Monograph on change called CHANGE (THE) RULES.
There is no way for me to pull together some radical, transformative ideas around CHANGE without talking about Robert Egger’s wonderful book called BEGGING FOR CHANGE. (Harper 2004)
Egger is a living, (fire) breathing Social Entrepreneur who runs the D.C. Central Kitchen.
20 years ago, he asked a simple question: “Why aren’t there more RESULTS from 84 million people contributing $200B to good causes?” (1988 Figures)
His answer and basic message is simply another way of reinforcing our IMPACT DRIVES INCOME insight, epiphany and point of view.
“Nonprofits must stop CHASING MONEY… and start focusing on the TRUE WORK AT HAND.”
He goes on to say that most “nonprofits” have “veered away from their original missions and are now caught up in the maddening cycle of CHASING after (BEGGING) for MONEY… instead of fomenting CHANGES that could radically transform communities.”
Boulder Dam… “CHANGES that could RADICALLY TRANSFORM COMMUNITIES.”!!!
I wish people had taken Mr. Egger up on his challenge in the introduction to call a “NATIONAL TIMEOUT”… so that everyone around the country could ask themselves what the hell they’ve been doing and why.
I wanted to share some nuggets on CHANGE from this powerful book and this powerful thought leader. (I wish I could just give you the book. If you’re reading this online, you can order right here. Just read the prologue, the intro, the epilogue and Robert’s Rules and you’ll be WOW’d.)
Here are some ‘nuggets’ that seem particularly appropriate around this whole idea of CHANGE (the) RULES, as well as my sometimes feeble attempt to help you CHANGE the way you THINK, TALK and ACT.
- “We need to … demand more and expect more from our nonprofits. We need to seek out and reward organizations that exemplify leadership unity, responsibility and accountability.” (CHANGE!)
- “In the last of the 20th century, nonprofits began to use a language and display an attitude that almost excused their performance. (‘What do you expect, we’re just nonprofits?’) …
Rather than winning the war on poverty, we focused on containing the enemy.
Rather than looking for a solution, we found it easier to blame either a cause, political party or an economic system.
As competition among nonprofits got ferocious, we tapped into advertising and public service announcements to raise money.”
- “We managed to convince our donors to focus on measurements like ‘FUNDRAISING EFFICIENCY’ and charitable commitment because these were easy numbers to present. Yet we knew they didn’t reflect the true IMPACT, EFFICIENCY or EFFECTIVENESS …"
- (Here’s one of my favorite nuggets, albeit painful for many organizations and bureaucracies.)
” … over the past 50 years the structure of nonprofits has evolved for optimum SURVIVAL not optimum RESULTS.” (Adapt or Die? Change to Live?) - If you’re not already on overload, think about this one: “Leaders and researchers in the nonprofit sector want the public to believe that our lack of progress in the sector is caused by INSUFFICIENT MONEY and RESOURCES, and that we could do more if we could build bigger entities and more nonprofits. THEY’RE TOTALLY WRONG.”
“We don’t have a shortage of funding or volunteerism. We’re the most generous and caring people in the world.”
- “It’s not that we have to say ‘yes’ more often or reach deeper into our pockets. We have to do the opposite. We have to learn to say no. We have to ask tough questions of organizations who are asking for a grant or a contribution.”
“It’s no longer about dollars raised, or percentage of money that goes to the cause.
It’s about effectiveness and results … but it’s also about fewer programs getting more of the money.” (!!!
)
If these ‘words’ don’t help you CHANGE your THINKING… on IMPACT and INCOME…
RE-READ!
2 Comments So Far
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jim kramesw - July 14th, 2008 2:16 pm
Tom
the guy nails it.
great insight
crank up your paper.
incidentally, i am known as a good editor (I edit for a publisher).
if i can be of help. the pleasure would be mine, and the cost–one latte when we meet.
i plan to be in VA in Sept. ( 8 – 11). Perhaps I could pop over to Columbus?
whaddaya think?
jim
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Esther Landau - July 14th, 2008 6:53 pm
In response to this…
If you’re not already on overload, think about this one: “Leaders and researchers in the nonprofit sector want the public to believe that our lack of progress in the sector is caused by INSUFFICIENT MONEY and RESOURCES, and that we could do more if we could build bigger entities and more nonprofits. THEY’RE TOTALLY WRONG.”
…I have this to say: HUH? When an organization like ours wants to grow and reach more people, we DO need more money. We already work beyond our scheduled (and paid) hours to make our program run and grow. I’m having a bit of a chicken/egg problem here. Why can’t a nonprofit (okay, for impact) organization seek more money to make it more effective?
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