A Time for Rest and Renewal
I’m tired of hanging on by my fingernails. In speaking with others, I’m not alone. This is hard. And I really should have nothing to complain about. By all standards I am privileged, working, safe, healthy, and surrounded by the outdoors and natural beauty where I live. So—add guilt to the list!
However you feel, it’s okay. However you cope, it’s okay (though my preference leans heavily towards healthy coping mechanisms). We are all in this, and together we will find the way.
Kindness and gratitude are critical at this time, both for others and for ourselves. I was recently reminded of this incredible commercial, which shares the message that kindness gives you what money can’t buy.
For those working in the non-profit sector, we at KEA Canada appreciate you! Your work is making our world a better place. And we know, it’s difficult.
Taking a Deep Breath v. Sprinting to the Finish Line
An article in the Globe and Mail about “finish line anxiety” spoke to me. It highlighted our natural instinct to go faster as we approach the finish line; to work harder to get there. But the finish line keeps moving and dissolving slightly. So, pacing ourselves is critical to avoid burnout.
Recommended Reading: Taking a Break from Saving the World
We recommend Taking a Break from Saving the World by author Stephen Legault. This honest, thoughtful, and relevant read offers a variety of techniques to cope with various states of anxiety and burnout, including clarifying your purpose, recognizing your limits, setting a fitness regime, meditating, and making the structural changes your organization needs.
Planning for the Future—Today
We hear often that non-profit leaders are tired and planning to take a break when we are through the current health crisis. While we completely understand, it makes us wonder about succession planning. The ongoing pressure on charity overhead combined with declining funding, and an anticipated exodus of non-profit leaders, means charitable organizations must ensure they are paying attention to succession planning. This article in Non-Profit Quarterly gives great tips for navigating succession.
Hope Springs Eternal
In the midst of all of this, we want to celebrate some good things out there and by sharing some gratitude.
We’re grateful for our amazing clients, the work they do to make the world a better place, and for allowing us the privilege of supporting them.
For example, Cottonwood Lake Preservation Society in Nelson, BC achieved a major milestone, raising $604,000 to date to save a 49-hectare mature forest from unregulated clearcut logging by a private landowner. Volunteers spent countless hours speaking with businesses, running events, and driving letter writing campaigns to support the cause. But there’s more work to be done- now we are working to save it forever.
Shoutout to KEA Canada team members Katie Macpherson and Emily Bocking for their incredible work on this project!
We are also grateful for progress being made at the federal level to address some of the most common issues in our sector. Together with thousands of others, we made a submission to the Special Senate Committee on the Charitable Sector. Read the report as well as the government response online. One of the most exciting outcomes is a commitment to include overhead costs in government grants!
And finally, we celebrate KEA Canada’s own Kathy Arney as she recently completed her Master Financial Advisor-Philanthropy (MFA-P) designation. On her accomplishment, Kathy says: “We often talk about fundraising as matchmaking, and that helping donors to give away money strategically is as important as helping charities to be effective. We look forward to putting this new knowledge to good use, and supporting more donors as they develop their giving strategies.”
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