Growth, innovation reveal R.I.’s strength

Nonprofits today are trying to thrive in an economic environment that is not optimal. The challenges they face morph every day, requiring nimble responses, reallocated resources and fresh eyes. And more nonprofits – in a very real sense, competitors as well as compatriots – crowd the field every day.

Organizations need to be well run in this environment, yes, but increasingly, it’s not just staff that requires sound management.

More and more, individuals and organizations are volunteering to help nonprofits meet their missions. This development is welcome, but sometimes overwhelming to organizations that are running as lean as they can. In fact, it is not unusual for a nonprofit to find itself spending more time trying to decide how to use a stampede of volunteers than managing the programs they exist to implement, especially when an enterprise offers its staff to meet corporate community involvement goals. The answer of course, is not to stop volunteering, but rather to take a more accurate measure of what a nonprofit needs before showing up at the door.

Having too many resources is not the problem on the financial side of nonprofit operations, however. Development work has never been more important to the health of nonprofits.

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The problem is that there is a dearth of development professionals to choose from, as well as no established career path for those who might be interested in the field. The best fundraising professionals are not just outstanding salespeople. They are mission-driven and great educators. Try finding that package in one person, and you see why it’s such a critical need.

In a very real sense, finding a cause to rally around is the easy part today. The details are the things that present the greatest challenges to the region’s nonprofits, and for which they could use the most help from the community. So volunteer. But choose the organization that can best use your talents. That will benefit the community the most.

Mark S. Murphy

Editor

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