Find the “Spirit” of Momentum in Non-Profit Work
Having “spirit” is an interesting and yet undefined concept. It’s tough to put a definition with it…but when you see it/feel it, you know it.
When we moved back to Omaha, Nebraska, we purposely chose to live in the same school district where I went to high school. It’s a single high school district, with one middle school and seven elementary schools. It’s landlocked in the middle of the metro area. I am removed by some 30+ years from the high school environment, and with children who are too young to attend the high school, I don’t have a direct connection day-to-day to the activities of my high school alma mater. And yet, throughout the district, there’s something of an overwhelming positive “spirit” running through the schools as well as the community.
Over the past couple years, Westside High School has seen an amazing resurgence when it comes to co-curriculars. The football team is winning state championships. The girls’ basketball team has won the state championship and it’s always competitive. The baseball program is amongst the best in the state. The show choir program is nationally recognized. The music program is top notch. There is lots of great news coming from the school. And that permeates how people feel as they live in the district. We even talk about it at family, neighborhood, and other local gatherings. There’s a sense of pride in what the kids are doing.
In that same vein, recently one of my clients has seen a dramatic increase in their fundraising. It’s been fun to watch. And I sense that exact same kind of “spirit” present for them as I experience as part of the school district. You can see it/feel it for my client’s personnel, the foundation as a whole, the hospital, and the community overall. There’s a sense of pride.
Momentum is a powerful ally in fundraising. When people feel good, there is that “spirit” of success and impact that can lead to even bigger outcomes. And most nonprofits that I work with have examples of amazing impacts that can build “spirit.” What are the things that make your organization proud? What can you brag about? How can you use these things to build a momentum of spirit to better the perception of your nonprofit?
