Like The Movie "The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind"? Here Are 100 Things You Need To Leave A Lasting Legacy With A Social Impact Cause In Real Life

Films like "The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind” make leading a social impact cause seem so appealing. It can also make it seem easy, but of course, we know it isn't...

Films like "The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind” make leading a social impact cause seem so appealing. It can also make it seem easy, but of course, we know it isn't. Here are 100 things you need to leave a lasting legacy with a social impact cause in real life.

Develop The Idea

1. Identify your scope of action — why did you start your nonprofit — what’s the purpose?

I chose three things that are emblematic of our region the Podolico breed of cow, the caciocavallo cheese it produces, and our pasta- making traditions. These are all unique to us. In addition, the customs that are needed to make them — the ritual of taking the cows to cooler pastures in the summer, for example, was an event that not only helped the cows, but also us as humans. I saw the sea for the first time as a kid while taking our families cows to cooler pastures, and these were important cultural and community enhancing rituals. One of the world’s most expensive cheeses, caciocavallo Podolico, is made from milk of this type of cow so it reinforces the importance of the traditional ways of raising them. Everything started from this core idea.

2. You have to present and promote your idea

I had a conference with local government and the local press and residents, and showed a power point presentation that highlighted all of my ideas in order to generate interest and take the next steps to develop them.

3. Develop the idea — what you are going to do and how

I created events based on the ideas and products that I wanted to promote. I thought about festival-type events that all people and ages would be interested in attending — things that was never done before but really needed and would help us to re-instate our community values that are no longer a part of our daily lives. We have cooking shows, mountain excursions, folkloric dancing, children’s’ competitions, food stands, tasting of local products, panel discussions, handicrafts, etc. I get the local schools, colleges, and chefs involved. Even though we are surrounded by beautiful mountains, for example, no one ever appreciated them as much as they should. Now things are starting to change.

4. Grow the concept

I invited national TV, local, regional, and national government officials and celebrities which increased our visibility and helped to encourage future sponsors, etc. Locals are filled with a sense of pride when they see places and things that they took for granted being appreciated by celebrities.

5. Create continuity — so that your initiatives become a tradition and people look forward to them

We do the same events at the same time every year, but we add in new features, products, people, and opportunities so that there will be an opportunity of newness. -Chef Luigi Diotaiuti

Need To Be Good

You need to be laser focused on your mission. In 2008, when the CMTA launched our Strategy to Accelerate Research, no pharmaceutical or biotech companies were developing treatments for CMT. By remaining focused on the steps we needed to take to change that, I have worked with our team to recruit more than 40 leading research labs, pharmaceutical and biotech companies to the space over the past five years and have companies in clinical trials.

You also need to attract talent and leadership who are passionate about your mission. Almost everyone on our team has a personal connection to CMT, and as I have recruited new staff over the past five years I have looked for that same level of commitment and dedication in candidates. I can say this is the most dedicated group of people I have ever worked with over the years. Our board of directors provides incredible leadership, raising more than 25 percent of our annual fundraising revenues and engaging in strategic business discussions that drive our mission. I have worked closely with the board chair to recruit new members to our board that will have a high impact on our mission and fundraising efforts.

You need to be good at connecting with your community and telling your story. I have worked with our team to build a robust marketing and communications plan to share the impact our organization is making with the community. I have found this has been critical to engage community members so that they feel a part of the organization and have a sense of ownership in the mission.

You also need to be very efficient with your resources. Donors expect it, and they should. I have worked closely with our board and team to develop excellence in our operational efficiencies. More than 90 cents of every dollar we raise at the CMTA goes directly to support our mission and we are spending more of every dollar on CMT research than any other organization. This is one of the key reasons we were awarded a 4 STAR rating by Charity Navigator and a Perfect 100 score!

You need to be nimble and to innovate. The CMTA was able to pivot quickly in 2020 during the pandemic because we are an agile organization that can respond quickly to new developments. We also were able to roll out new programs to reach community members thanks to the creativity and innovation within our team. -Amy Gray

Be Passionate

Governance — When I thought up the idea of The Underline, I asked my dad for help in creating the non-profit that would be the project’s “friend.” As the founder of Miami’s performing art center, attorney and philanthropist, he understood the governance and created the framework of the two non-profits I lead: Friends of The Underline and The Underline Conservancy (Underline Management Organization.) I could have paid a lot of money to get help setting up this framework, but he stepped in with his non-profit experience and legal skills and created a rock solid governance foundation.

Early Private Donors — Starting a non-profit with just elbow grease is simply not enough. Unlike a for-profit organization with eventual returns on investment, non-profits generate minimal revenue and depend on philanthropy. Many of our sister projects around the country and world, started up with large philanthropic gifts. We didn’t, which has made our road to success even more difficult as a start up non-profit.

Clear Vision — As many non-profit leaders understand, it is easy to have “mission bleed”, where non-profits attempt to do work that is not part of their mission in order to raise private dollars. Without a clear vision, the leader will be pulled in so many directions and distracted that the core work won’t be accomplished.

Be Inclusive — Make sure that your mission and vision benefit the many, not the few.

Be Passionate — Passion is the fire in your belly, the deep belief in your impact and the voice that ignites change. Passion, not education, will be the definition of your legacy. -Meg Daly

Be Efficient

Put the mission first. Leadership changes can have a negative impact on an organization’s culture and its ability to fundraise. However, organizational turnover won’t become existential threats if donors, board members, and stakeholders are more connected to the mission. For example, since 2006, KEF joined forces with two similar organizations all while growing our donor community. KEF has succeeded in putting students and education first.

Good intentions are not enough to effectively run a nonprofit. Philanthropy is always evolving, and we can’t rely on the lessons of the past to be successful. At KEF, we invest in people. Therefore, we encourage our leadership team to continuously take skill-building courses continuously make us more effective. Personally, I’ve taken nonprofit management courses and our board members have taken nonprofit governance courses to continuously add new tools to our work.

A healthy organizational culture is built on transparency. Transparency shouldn’t be a buzzword discussed only at your annual meeting. Your board members and officers must always foster a culture that encourages dialogue and interactions with every stakeholder involved. This builds trust and a lasting commitment to the organization’s success.

Make a Difference. Nonprofits should be flexible enough to complete short-term goals quickly, while maintaining their focus on solving big problems. Think big, while moving strategically. Poverty will not be solved overnight, but every student who graduates brings us one step closer to our goal.

Be efficient. A nonprofit worth its salt will avoid programs that perpetuate or create dependency. -Bradley Broder

Plan

1. Have a clear mission.

When we set out to create the Dialight Foundation, we wanted to make it really specific to Dialight. What can WE do that is different and a value-add from other charities that already exist. For us, it really came down to the local impact and being a good neighbor in our communities. Having a clear mission will help ensure that your activities are always aligned with your purpose and will weed out things that might not be a fit.

2. Ensure you have a committed board and keep standing meetings.

The Dialight Foundation board serves on a volunteer basis. There is no compensation for participating in this program and the responsibilities are on top of normal work expectations. When selecting board members, we looked for a couple of things: firstly, a range of roles and regions to offer varying perspectives and keep the projects balanced so as not to favor one region. Secondly, we looked for those with previous non-profit or other charitable expertise as an indicator of their commitment to causes of this nature. Commitment is highly important because accommodating all regions on board meetings inevitably means that someone is on a call really early or really late at night. Communication needs to be frequent so that progress can be made quickly.

3. Establish guidelines for fair decision-making.

One of the hardest things about having a Foundation is knowing when and how to say no. Unfortunately, funds are not unlimited, and decisions must be made fairly and equitably by being cognizant about what future precedent you might be setting by saying yes to something once. In our case, we tried to set some parameters including maximum possible funding for each individual project, fit to mission statement, level of urgency and access to other means of support.

4. Communicate.

It is profoundly important to communicate your planned initiatives and success with external stakeholders on an ongoing basis. Nonprofit organizations exist to make an impact and therefore funding does not and should not sit in the bank. So, you need to measure your success and communicate on this in order to keep funding coming in to support future work. Donors want to know exactly where their money is going. Show specific performance metrics around how many people were impacted, how many meals, supplies, etc. were provided to prove meaningful action is happening in a timely manner.

5.Plan ways to scale your organization for future success.

Having a vision for where you want to take your nonprofit and articulating this plan will further instill confidence that people are supporting a lasting cause. Lastly, find opportunities to collaborate with other organizations for a wider impact where it makes sense. Just make sure to do your due diligence to ensure that any other organization you associate with doesn’t have a negative reputation that could impact the perception of your nonprofit. -Fariyal Khanbabi

Tell Your Story

1. A clear vision and mission. One of the things my dear friend Kevin Starr at the Mulago Foundation taught me was to practice the eight-word mission statement. We should be able to explain what our non-profit does in eight words or less. Verb, target, outcome.

For example, the mission statement of The Coaching Fellowship is, “We empower young women to build the new world.” With a clear mission, you can decide what is most important to focus on, and people will know if that’s what they want to volunteer for or donate to. A clear mission will help you cultivate the vital relationships you need to succeed.

2. Be a practical futurist. The world is changing so quickly, and we, too, must learn to adapt our services, the ways we communicate with our customers, and engage our volunteers. Nonprofit business models tend to be slow moving, unable to start a new project or program without a grant being given — but the future’s not going to wait for us.

In order to stay relevant and ensure that our services and support is reaching our recipients in the best way possible, we must adopt more of a start-up approach. Building small pilots, testing and measuring frequently, learning and being willing to change our programs and services often means we will truly be at the edge of creating deep-rooted impact.

The COVID-19 pandemic has called upon us all to be present to fast-moving change and uncertainty. For nonprofits to not only survive but also to continue to thrive, we must be flexible, learning-forward organizations, and always have our eyes on the horizon.

3. Distribute leadership. Allow participants the opportunity to lead and feel ownership of their efforts, be that as staff members or volunteers. For long-lasting relationships, it’s critical to give your community autonomy and a way to create their own impact within the nonprofit’s framework. Permit them to bring their own expression of what the organization’s work means to them.

In our work at The Coaching Fellowship, we set the container for the six-month coaching program, and let our volunteer coaches coach in the way they have been trained to, and how they coach best. Top-down leadership means only so much can get done, but when everyone is empowered to lead and contribute in their own way, the impact can spread far and wide.

I was at Mozilla with the folks behind the Firefox web browser for almost a decade. We empowered our open-source community of thousands to build and manage Firefox in more than 90 different languages. If we want to create change, we need more people to join the cause — and they have to be able to lead from where and who they are.

4. Tell your story. Storytelling is absolutely critical to get people involved and caring about your cause. People also need to share your story in a way that’s right for them. For us, coaching is a highly personal and confidential experience. Often, people do not want to record a video sharing the personal challenges that coaching helped them overcome. However, in small groups, they are more than willing to be vulnerable and share how their life was changed. We set up open-enrollment calls where new fellows might be in small groups and better understand what their experience as a Coaching Fellow would be. More than 30% of our new fellows are referrals from previous cohorts, which is a testament to the influence of sharing their intimate journey with another. Allow your stories to be told in their most authentic way, so your audience can best hear them.

5. Take care of your people. The impact sector is filled with people who give, give, give, and who at the same time have trouble accepting support from others. Whilst so many things require their attention, their own health, families, and wellbeing can take a back seat, until one day burnout forces them to often give up working in the sector completely.

Given the type of work we do, it is hard to find time to rest and take a break; that’s why taking steps at the organizational level is key. We implemented small actions on our team that have made a big difference. Each week, we have Zoom-free Fridays with no calls, giving us a day to truly focus. We take the last Friday of every month off (Fri-YAY) for a day to rest or have fun; whatever is needed to be restorative.

Our industry must work to encourage and protect our passionate and committed people. Legacy isn’t possible at all if we don’t have the people to carry on our mission and create the lasting change we want. -Jane Finette1.

Values & Vision

When asked about his secret to success, Jackie Robinson responded that you must, “Keep your eye on the ball!” It sounds simple; however, opportunities vanish quickly, and situations change even faster. The secret to consistently hitting the ball ─ that is, remaining consistently successful as a non-profit ─ is working together as a Team and merging collective talents to keep the ball in play.

Becoming a successful team requires more than just seeing and swinging at the ball. There are 5 foundational principles upon which to build an effective organization to make a lasting impact. They include:

Values & Vision — At Zara Charitable Foundation, we value happiness, and our vision is to fulfill a moral responsibility through quality service.

Strong, Talented Teams — There was no room for laziness in our farming family and that attitude translates into our belief in recruiting strong, talented teams whose efforts will convert this vision into action, guided by our core values.

Continuous Planning to Stay Prepared — Every detail matters. Every scenario must be thought through. At Zara, we “Focus” on relentlessly planning our goals and staying “Hands On” in executing operations to achieve key results.

Prevention is Better Than the Cure — Discipline and determination are huge factors in staying ahead of problems.

User Friendly — Always be kind. People remember how you make them feel. Treat others how you like to be respected and the universe will reward that positive energy. -Jay Sobhraj

Focus Your Efforts

1. People who buy-in to the mission: non-profit work can often be thankless no matter what side of the table you’re sitting on. I have experienced what it’s like to do this work with people who are there to collect a paycheck and they often don’t last long. Contrarily, the people who fully buy-in to the mission will make sacrifices above and beyond to see that impact in action.

2. Focus your efforts: this is an area of particular difficulty for me. Many caring philanthropists get pulled in different directions because they simply care so damn much. But focusing efforts and funds in certain areas maximizes impact.

3. Find your value niche: In addition to focus, finding your niche is about figuring out where you and your organization can provide real and tangible value. This changes based on your organization’s core competencies and how those may be able to be leveraged.

4. Vision: Vision requires a leader who can see the end goal, even if the reality is far from that goal. Vision also requires a leader who can communicate that end goal and bring people along for the journey.

5. A community: It is highly underestimated the value of having a strong network to build your vision and organization alongside. These are people who will elevate your work, challenge you in the best way, and expand your horizons in order to get there faster. That comes in the form of people you may already know or people you have yet to meet but the message is the same, invest in relationships that are net net positive. -Laura Merage and Sabrina Merage Naim

Encourage Your Team

1. Encourage your team to forget any preconceptions about a “nonprofit,” starting with yourself.

I learn so much that is applicable to our growth from others who have built a successful business, or movement, or community, regardless of the tax status.

2. Craft a big vision.

Sometimes people ask if it is hard to raise money for such a lofty ambition as increasing our programs by 10x. To me, it would be much harder to raise money for such a small ambition as increasing our programs by 5% each year.

3. Every company needs to be a tech company.

This expression became popular in the business world a few years ago, and I think it applies just as much to nonprofits as for-profits.

4. Then every company needs to be a media company.

This expression has become popular more recently, and I think this one applies even more to nonprofits than for-profits. Our stories are much more powerful than most brands selling a product.

5. But first, it all starts with culture.

One of the most common regrets I’ve heard from successful entrepreneurs is that they prioritized growth over culture, in either big or small ways, even when they knew they shouldn’t. And that it came from a place of fear — “what if we don’t get where we’re trying to go?” It’s easy to make your culture a top third or top fifth priority for your organization, but truly making culture the single top priority seems to be something that many people agree is smart but find the hardest to do. I still constantly try to remind myself to live up to that. -Greg Harrell-Edge

Build A Brand

1. You are Only As Strong As Your Back-Up: Building a strong board is one of the most critical parts of a non-profit legacy. One of my greatest challenges as a non-profit leader has been recruiting an incredible board. Find people that can bring value to the organization, genuinely believe in the cause, and have a passion for the long-term vision. Set goals, hold people accountable, and cut what doesn’t work. A board is not a title, it is a true commitment.

2. Break the Mold: In the non-profit space, there are 100 ways to get to your operating budget. I am a non-traditional human, but I would say that you have to be incredibly innovative with your fundraising. #HalfTheStory started with $250 and I had no idea what I was getting into from a fundraising perspective. Most of my background was in venture and CPG brands, and I quickly learned that non-profit was an entirely different beast. When I first started, I tried to follow the playbook for non-profits by applying for grants. For me, this was draining and I didn’t see the results. It led to burnout and frustration. I had to pivot quickly. As a natural marketer I leaned into building corporate relationships and experiences which led to partnerships and experiences with many brands. As soon as I leaned into my skill set, the money started to flow.

3. Diversify Your Donor Streams: Raising money for a non-profit organization is like a mutual fund. You need to have multiple donors, sources, brands, and supporters. Over the years, I have diversified my fundraising strategy to include events, personal donations (family foundations) and brand sponsorships. The trifecta is what leads to a sustainable path.

4. Test, Learn, and Move On: It is as simple as that. Don’t hold on to what doesn’t work. The best example of this was when #HalfTheStory was hosting virtual fundraisers. To be honest they created stress and were not as successful as I wished. I learned to pivot and instead shifted by encouraging enthusiasts to host their own personal fundraisers within their network which was much more effective.

5. Build A Brand People Care About: When I started #HalfTheStory, it began as an art project. I don’t think people emphasize the importance of brand building when it comes to the non-profit space. There is a lot of competition and it’s critical to master your unique POV in the market. -Larissa May

Love Your Staff

Have great data on impact: See the story above about doing research with Stanford to show impact.

Distribute the data: For us this isn’t just publishing the data in a top-tier academic journal. Distributing data is about making sure the word gets out at conferences, academic centers, consortiums of NGOs and government agencies. One time we got called by an activist organization called Right to Health Action that was looking for a proven model for how to prevent pandemics at their source. They were so excited about our model that language from our approach ended up in a draft bill in the House. Fingers crossed it will go through.

Think innovatively and dare to challenge the status quo: We are in the process of completely disrupting the whole model of conservation by creating a platform (app) called the Rainforest Exchange where global citizens can directly see and support the solutions of rainforest communities. Using the app, people will be able to see outcomes on carbon, forest loss, biodiversity, and community-determined well-being. This anti-colonial transparency of community-determined solutions and outcomes is shockingly not available now and the organizations with the best marketing, not the best outcomes, get the funding. We are working to flip the script.

Stick to your principles: As one gets larger and more and more organizations want to partner, it can be tempting to soften the key reasons for being successful in the first place. For example, we practice something we call Radical Listening. This involves precisely implementing the solutions the communities identify. It means going into listening sessions without an expectation about outcomes and a willingness to truly trust the communities. However, other organization have wanted to use our methodology — sort-of. They already have their plan and then want to fit Radical Listening within that. It doesn’t fit.

Love your staff: Happy people create lasting impact. -Dr. Kinari Webb

Invite Folks In

Surround yourself with an inspired and dedicated work team. From teachers to board members to volunteers and donors. Empower and encourage your team, make sure everyone is seen and heard. Everyone has a voice is an important piece to this puzzle. The more you make people realize just how important they are to this mission, the more they will want to help and contribute.

The Executive Director is a visible, vocal, and effective public champion for the organization. This is me, this is what my life is about today. I am the message. I know what this work can do for someone, as it has done it for me. I am at all the events and show up everywhere I possibly can to champion for Worthy Beyond Purpose. I think it’s very important for this to be the case.

Creating Fundraising Streams that are balanced and diverse. Not depending too much on events but having a mix of individuals (large and small donations), foundations, online, direct mail and government. We have quarterly events that bring in a precise amount of money and then we also have private donors that support regularly, and fundraisers yearly. We have just started reaching government Grant status as well. It’s very important to not put all your eggs in one basket.

Programs are mission-centric & evaluated to determine impact. Our 9-month curriculum is focused on emotions and kindness to ourselves and others. We teach about the functions of the brain, and we have surveys that are studied quarterly to make sure we are hitting the mark and getting the teachings across as we hope.

An intelligent and integrated strategy for growing and engaging stakeholders in the work… invite folks in. -Connie Clotworthy

Believe In The Impossible

Invest in a new challenge. We all know traditional youth and after school programs do good work and have an impact. We know giving to a food pantry will feel good and is needed. Make this the year that you make your traditional investment and add that same level of investment into a program like Uncornered.

Time to learn, pivot, build. Philanthropy is often looking for annual success metrics for quick impact and return on investment. We’ve seen the power of giving the space and time for young people to have an inflection point, to transform. We give them resources to first breathe and survive so they can then find the hope and believe in themselves to thrive.

Unrestricted support. Trust-based philanthropic investments open up opportunities for innovation. Uncornered provides a financial stipend in the form of a UBI/guaranteed income model. When we started it five years ago, we were surprised to see outcomes double immediately and have been consistent since then. Giving our students financial resources and providing the support they asked for, rather than asking them a lot of questions about what they would do with the money, has proven to be effective.

Believe in the impossible. At Uncornered, we talk about setting high expectations and low requirements. We fully expect and believe that someone who has spent time in jail can become a college graduate, community leader for good and changemaker.

Make a multi-year commitment. We’ve been fortunate to have several investors who said here’s a three-year investment, let’s have a regular conversation about how you’re doing and how else we can help. We are grateful for those who have trusted us to launch this big idea. -Michelle Caldeira

Community Support

A solid financial foundation — When I accepted the leadership position with Baby’s Bounty, I was fortunate to take over from the founder, who had a lot of for-profit business experience prior to starting a nonprofit. She grew the organization slowly and carefully over 12 years with responsible financial systems and board oversight. When I took over and we needed to grow very quickly in response to the pandemic, we were able to do so because of that rock solid base.

An inspiring mission — A nonprofit mission statement has to stand on its own, without explanation and provide and accurate description of who you are and who you serve.

Innovative, fair-minded leaders — Nonprofits need creative problem solvers at the helm. In our dynamically changing world, we cannot be order takers, content on doing things the same way that we have always done them.

Nimble systems — It is important that we not be so rigid with our systems to the detriment of the communities which we serve. As we all learned in the past 18 months, we should all continue to evaluate our programming and processes to be sure we are as effective, efficient and compassionate as possible.

Community Support — A successful nonprofit needs the support of the community in the areas of volunteerism, outreach, partnership and fundraising. I know for certain that Baby’s Bounty would not have the impact that we have had without the generous spirit of Southern Nevadans. -Kelly Maxwell

Clear Mission

1. Have a clear, well defined mission. The first step is defining what exactly you are passionate about. When I decided to open the nonprofit, it was because I knew that I was passionate about helping people access eating disorder treatment. The cost of treatment is so expensive and my parents had to take out a second mortgage on their house in order to pay for mine. I researched other nonprofits and didn’t find many that were doing what I wanted to do, so that’s when I made the decision to open up my own. Knowing what you are passionate about is the first step.

2. After your passion and mission is well defined, brainstorm actionable ways you can implement your ideas. If you already have a business, there are many ways you can incorporate your social good mission into your business. If you are starting from scratch, then start researching nonprofits and decide if you want to open your own nonprofit or incorporate your social good mission into your life in another way. There is no one right way to be an activist for your cause.

3. There is no one person that is good at everything. The quicker you are able to figure out your strengths and subsequently your weaknesses, the more successful you will be. Finding people to serve on our board of directors, and my employees at the boutique, that are strong where I am weak has been critical in our success. No one person can do everything. Finding the right team that believes in your mission is critical.

4. Be willing to adapt how you are doing things. My business and nonprofit have changed considerably over the course that they have been around, but the mission has stayed constant. When you have a well-defined mission, you are able to change how you are running things while still being true to your mission. It is very easy to get stuck in the status quo. Over the course of the pandemic, the non-profit and the business have had to pivot more times than I can count, but the mission has stayed the same. Empower people in all bodies to love and accept themselves as they are. Healing ourselves, healing our relationship with our bodies and food, so we can empower our next generation to do the same.

5. Having a supportive team around you is so important, but at the end of the day, this is your dream and your passion. Being open to listening to others opinions, but trusting yourself as the visionary is critical. Knowing when to listen and when to simply say “this is what we are doing.” Keep your passion and your mission front and center and make sure your team knows it. Run every decision you make through your mission. Our boutique’s mission statement is one of sustainability, inclusion, and social justice. This has become our check system. If it does not line up with any of those pillars, we do not do it. Keep the mission front and center and run your decisions through that. -Julie Allen

Always Open

First and foremost, GlobalGiving’s mission is to transform aid and philanthropy to accelerate community-led change. Our ultimate vision is unleashed potential of people to make positive change happen.

At GlobalGiving, we have four core values that are more than just buzzwords! They’re at the center of our office culture and drive our daily work. They impact everything we do:

Always Open

We believe in the power of great ideas and that these ideas can come from anyone, anywhere, at any time.

Listen, Act, Learn. Repeat.

We continually experiment. We fail quickly and productively. We use data and feedback to guide our course.

Never Settle

We have an obligation to question the rules, change them for the better, raise the bar, play a different game, and play it better than anyone thinks is possible.

Committed to WOW

We act promptly, enthusiastically, and professionally so people are WOW-ed by their interactions with us. -Alix Guerrier

Adapt

1. Define who you are and what you do. After a clear and accurate analysis of the problem, identify the strategies and tactics for addressing that problem. Decide what will make an impact in addressing the problem, and build the skills to execute those strategies and tactics effectively. Communicate this proudly, clearly and convincingly. You can’t be everything to everyone, and you can’t do it all. Animal Outlook advocates vegan eating, knowing both that it is a bold and challenging stance to take and that it is a necessary part of addressing a compelling and dire problem. It wouldn’t help anyone to shy away from this or equivocate about it. We are looking at how to effectively and compassionately mainstream vegan eating, not whether to do it.

2. Team and infrastructure building. Your nonprofit is only as good as the people you have working with you, and it’s critical to ensure that they have the infrastructure and the resources in place to design and execute ambitious strategies for change. It’s about finding the right people and creating an environment for them to thrive. Animal Outlook does novel and complex litigation, and having dedicated and talented attorneys doing this work is a lynchpin in our success.

3. Build a community of support. Perhaps the most exciting opportunity being a nonprofit provides is to connect with a wide network of dedicated, intelligent and skilled people from all walks of life. Each member of our team continually builds and cultivates a wide network of key relationships, whether that means building coalitions around projects, working with other NGOs, pro bono professionals, students, creatives, community-based volunteers, high profile and influential people, and like-minded donors. I want to help everyone realize they can be part of this community and become a powerful ally. None of the victories we have accomplished for animals happen without a network of thousands of supporters using their voices and their dollars to push back against the billion-dollar animal agriculture industry. Being an advocate for a sustainable, compassionate food system is not an abstract idea — it is a choice we make every day.

Animal Outlook’s impact and legacy rises along with our support community. Our current active volunteer and donor database is well into the hundreds.

4. Be Part of the Cultural Conversation. We are a social change-making organization. We need to reach the mainstream, to engage with and touch people. This reach strategy includes effective construction of messaging and effective audience identification. Know who you’re talking to and what to say. Scale is also important. Animal Outlook’s investigations regularly garner national media coverage, reaching new audiences of millions of people.

5. Adapt. Always be flexible enough to learn from your mistakes, to iterate your strategies based on what’s working, and even to fail forward. As your movement advances in its mission, so can your work. Animal Outlook’s farm transitions work is meant to address the exit- and entry-barriers facing animal farmers who might otherwise transition into plant-based farming, which is a market whose growth is rapidly outpacing other sectors. -Cheryl Leahy

Stay Focused

1. What Do You Want to Achieve?

This is the big idea. Do you want to stop world hunger or end homelessness in your community? Get clear on what you want to achieve and keep that focus. In the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, the author presents this concept of “begin with the end in mind.” Next, visualize what it will look like when you reach that goal; this is crucial to get clarity. This is essential as you build a community of supporters. Moreover, you can better communicate what you’re trying to achieve in clear and concise terms. The greater the conviction and commitment to the “what” the greater the odds for getting it done.

2. Where can you make the biggest impact?

It is important to be clear about what impact you want to make. Is it really easy to get overwhelmed with the vast number of ways to serve and give. The marketing term is finding your niche market. Finding a specific area that you are interested in can make an impact. My allegiance lies in social impact philanthropy, specifically addressing wealth inequity. I had to get honest with myself and look at specific areas that I thought would have more impact. The wealth-building initiatives we support through my philanthropic organization target black and brown women and young girls. We partner with nonprofits that have programs that teach financial literacy. This is the root cause of many of the challenges in the community I wish to serve.

3. Why Do You Want to Give?

It is important to know the why because it will get hard and there will be setbacks that will be challenging. Understanding and being clear on the “Why” you do it helps you stay focused when those challenges appear. The “why” is the reason that you feel compelled to be the person to produce a solution. The reason you feel drawn to this purpose. The ‘why” is communicated in the organization’s mission or vision. The “why” of why we are doing what we’re doing helps the people you work with and those coming to your organization to understand the organization’s core values.

4. Who Can Collaborate with You?

I come from a culture that values cooperation and community-mindedness. So, collaborating with like-minded organizations helps me build a stronger foundation for my cause. Furthermore, this platform will help you expand and scale your idea. Maximizing resources internally and externally available to you is essential for you to have a lasting impact. In my capacity as a regional account executive, I have been able to raise more than $250,000 for organizations by cultivating partnerships with corporations and community organizations.

5. How will you measure your impact?

As a corporate executive, I know organizations expect meaningful ways to measure success. It is important to remember that most foundations answer to boards or stakeholders that want results. It is said, “ people respect what you inspect,” It is essential to capture how your initiative is making an impact. This also becomes an excellent opportunity for leaders to set milestones that they can celebrate and continue to motivate their team towards bigger goals. -Lisa Swift-Young

Little Self-Care

1. A Cause You Personally Connect With and Believe In. One of the things people say to me most is that I am the most passionate person they know. No one ever said that to me for 53 years before Jessie’s death. The source of my passion? I have the biggest loss of the biggest love in the most unjust way of anyone they know. I’ve wanted to just stop so many times, but I keep coming back, without even trying, because the personal connection to the cause is so huge. A little self-care and I’m ready to go again. Everyone has a personal connection to some injustice in this world. Find the hidden blessings. Answer the calling. Your belief in your cause will fuel you through all the challenges.

In 2015 I had severe sciatica for two months. I couldn’t put one pound of pressure on my left leg for the first month. The D.A.’s office invited me to keynote their annual state conference with A Message from Jessie. And, I had written a testimonial letter nominating the Hartford P.D. for their handling of Jessie’s case and their interactions with my family. H.P.D. won the exemplary investigation of the year award and would receive it at the conference because of my letter. I dreaded the six-hour round trip drive to the conference that day; anyone who has had severe sciatica knows why. But the chance to share Jessie’s story and watch H.P.D. win the award overrode sciatica. Strong personal connection and a cause you believe in will help you overcome things you otherwise wouldn’t if it was only about you.

2. A Board of Directors that is passionately connected to the cause. One member has been on our board for a year, but six directors have served for seven years each since the beginning. Others have come and gone, but these six have powerful personal connections to the project. They include my friend and pastor whose daughter experienced domestic violence. An old high school classmate whose girls had experienced sexual abuse. The director of another agency who personally lost two coworkers and friends. The mom of two of Jessie’s friends. An old college buddy who heard of Jessie’s death on the news and reconnected with me.

These board members are all in. And, we have worked together so long, they know how to empower our team and not get in the way with power or policy disagreements. It’s beautiful. Now, only one of us is an expert in this field. That can be a problem, but we have learned to hire expert help wherever needed. Our core team is committed and moves in synch and harmony and that builds sustainability.

3. A powerful personal story that touches people’s hearts and impacts their lives. I have been stunned by the effect Jessie’s story has on people. From the news coverage the day it happened until today, eight years later, we’ve had thousands of people reach out to us to express gratitude and support for what we are trying to do.

Everyone, whether they know it or not (because most victims never tell anyone) knows someone who has experienced physical or sexual violence. I can’t talk with anyone anywhere without them saying “that happened to my daughter” or “my sister” or “me”. When we share Jessie’s story, we also show photos and videos of her, play her music, and show video of her friends talking about her. Invariably, attendees tell us afterwards that they feel like they know her, feel a connection with her. Her story never seems to get old. It hits people at their core.

4. Programs are critical, systems change is essential, but in my opinion, there is nothing like the power of a relatable personal story to completely engage someone in an issue they might otherwise reject.

In 2014, I went to church for the first time since the 1980s. One of Jessie’s friends invited me. Afterwards, the pastor called me and invited me out for coffee. I said, “I’m not looking for a church and I’m not looking for a pastor.” When I realized the jackass I had just been, I added, “But I guess you can’t have too many friends, so if you want to be friends, sure, I’d like a cup of coffee.” John came to coffee despite my rudeness. He listened when I told him the details of how Jessie was attacked, hog-tied, taped, raped, and strangled to death. He listened when I told him I was an atheist. When I told him I forgave Dan, I saw the emotion in his eyes. His whole religion was based on unimaginable forgiveness.

5. At our next coffee, I asked him to be on the board of our fledgling non-profit. He accepted, but he said, “You know I’ve been on a lot of boards, but none for more than three months.”

That was seven years ago. John is my friend now, and the loudest voice other than mine for Jessie’s legacy project. He heard her powerful story, connected it with his own daughter, and has fought for our cause ever since. That’s the power of stories. -Buck Blodgett