Now I know that you are not supposed to talk about non-profits, especially those who do a lot of good for the poor and oppressed people of this world. And I understand that a lot of lives have been saved. And to those non profits I say Thank you. Because whether any of us like to admit it... at some point all of us have seen or benefited from the works of these groups. Even my personal experience growing up as a military brat... the base youth centers and after school programs definitely kept me on track.
BUT... non profits still suck. This of course is a generalization... but let me tell you why....
1. SELF INTEREST PERMEATES THE SECTOR.
I spent about 2 years trying to start a nonprofit in my undergraduate college town. I won't mention that town by name but many of you who know me personally will be able to discern. I thought when we started the project that it would be filled with hurdles of raising money, recruiting volunteers, and winning the hearts and minds of the public. What we found instead was a nonprofit community riddled with self interest and self preservation.
This is a very cynical view I will admit from the onset. Many of these organizations do alot of good, let me restate... but... to alot of people at the local nonprofit level it is a battle of ideology and a battle of importance. I met alot of individuals that were only interested in their own project that had no interest in helping out other groups, other start ups or partnering through compromise. Self preservation is also a key factor in the behavior of this group.
There a tons of good, well meaning people out there. They have so closely identified with there issue that it has become part of there self-definition and therefore any outsider or innovator that comes into the arena is perceived as a threat.
2. SO SCARED OF THE WORD...... M-O-N-E-Y
Did you know that it was legal for a nonprofit to actually own businesses?? Did you know that it is legal for a nonprofit to pay its employees competitive salaries. Did you know that some Executive Directors of some of the biggest regional or national nonprofits make over $250,000 a year!! AND THAT'S OKAY!!
We live in a real world. And money makes the world go round. Just because we are in the business of helping people does not mean that we have to hate money. Money is NOT the root of all evil. Money is a tool, just like a hammer or a screwdriver. There is a myth in this sector that if
you focus too much on the money or business end of things that somehow it diminishes or taints ur purpose. Business is Business... and good business is good business. Nonprofits live, operate and navigate in the same world all of us do... and in order to stay afloat they need to learn that they need money... and not any money... their own money.
Think about how dynamic the world is now. Everything changes and in this new fast=paced world... old-school doesn't cut it. If you take these nonprofits and continue to use these old business/nonprofit models you will quickly drown... no sector is immune. The bigger ur organization the longer you can hold out... but in reality only the most nimble and agile survive. Business used to be like a wrestling match... the bigger, stronger, and more rigid you built your organization the better your chances of survival. But the Internet has changed the game... business is a sword fight now... its about smarts, flexibility and endurance.
3. TOO MUCH BITCH'N NOT ENOUGH GRIND'N
Again... I am a critic. And again... I am generalizing... BUT...
There are CHANGE MAKERS and then there are BITCHERS. And from what I have seen... people who are motivated by profit seem to get more stuff done?? Why is that? Is the desire for money greater than the desire for good? or do people who have great gifts sell out and go make money? I think that the problem is that alot of times... being and activist is just as trendy as wearing name brands of being fans of a particular band. Its a feel good thing were people can just say they are part of a group... they can feel a sense of righteousness and leave feeling better than the average man because they "care" about the environment, poor people, whales, kids, old people, the starving, aids research and all the rest.
I kid you not. I went to a Obama rally this week and there was an area near the rally wher
e there was a group of pseudo environmentalists trying to raise support for a clean energy initiative in the state. At the end of the rally... there was a huge mess... soda bottles, paper, signs, food wrappers and cigarette butts everywhere in this groups chosen area after there departure. Now I know clean energy lobbying isn't an adopt-a-highway group... but... do you get my point??
People who want change have to get there hands dirty. There are millions of people in the mud right now, giving up comfort for the common good. And those people are what we need more of. And even this blogg is a BITCH'n outlet... but it exists to inspire action. Hippies are cool... but we need people who are sharp business savvy in the game too. Somebodys got to pay the bills and make the machine work.
One of my closet friends, we will call him RW, is one of the most brilliant people I have ever encountered. He is a true believer in the overall good and he want to invest in time and energy into urban renewal and really work to fix the plight of the poor. I always make the comment to him that I know that poor children need more support or opportunities, but I hate playing with play dough. He is one of the only people whom I think truly understand what I mean by that comment. I'm am an idealist. I want to change the world. But I'm not warm and fuzzy. I don't particularly like playing with children or playing with play dough. But I am good at business. I am good a hustling and finding creative ways to make money. So RW and I will always be a team. There are those that play with kids and there needs to be those who keep the community center lights on. We need both!! Those who love kids and those who love to do business!!
My favorite rapper JAY Z says in one of his songs... "Put me anywhere on God's green earth... I'll triple my worth." These are the minds we need to join the team...
Nonprofits DON'T suck!!!
Welcome to the 4th Sector!!!
Q
BUT... non profits still suck. This of course is a generalization... but let me tell you why....
1. SELF INTEREST PERMEATES THE SECTOR.
I spent about 2 years trying to start a nonprofit in my undergraduate college town. I won't mention that town by name but many of you who know me personally will be able to discern. I thought when we started the project that it would be filled with hurdles of raising money, recruiting volunteers, and winning the hearts and minds of the public. What we found instead was a nonprofit community riddled with self interest and self preservation.
This is a very cynical view I will admit from the onset. Many of these organizations do alot of good, let me restate... but... to alot of people at the local nonprofit level it is a battle of ideology and a battle of importance. I met alot of individuals that were only interested in their own project that had no interest in helping out other groups, other start ups or partnering through compromise. Self preservation is also a key factor in the behavior of this group.
There a tons of good, well meaning people out there. They have so closely identified with there issue that it has become part of there self-definition and therefore any outsider or innovator that comes into the arena is perceived as a threat.
2. SO SCARED OF THE WORD...... M-O-N-E-Y
Did you know that it was legal for a nonprofit to actually own businesses?? Did you know that it is legal for a nonprofit to pay its employees competitive salaries. Did you know that some Executive Directors of some of the biggest regional or national nonprofits make over $250,000 a year!! AND THAT'S OKAY!!
We live in a real world. And money makes the world go round. Just because we are in the business of helping people does not mean that we have to hate money. Money is NOT the root of all evil. Money is a tool, just like a hammer or a screwdriver. There is a myth in this sector that if
you focus too much on the money or business end of things that somehow it diminishes or taints ur purpose. Business is Business... and good business is good business. Nonprofits live, operate and navigate in the same world all of us do... and in order to stay afloat they need to learn that they need money... and not any money... their own money.Think about how dynamic the world is now. Everything changes and in this new fast=paced world... old-school doesn't cut it. If you take these nonprofits and continue to use these old business/nonprofit models you will quickly drown... no sector is immune. The bigger ur organization the longer you can hold out... but in reality only the most nimble and agile survive. Business used to be like a wrestling match... the bigger, stronger, and more rigid you built your organization the better your chances of survival. But the Internet has changed the game... business is a sword fight now... its about smarts, flexibility and endurance.
3. TOO MUCH BITCH'N NOT ENOUGH GRIND'N
Again... I am a critic. And again... I am generalizing... BUT...
There are CHANGE MAKERS and then there are BITCHERS. And from what I have seen... people who are motivated by profit seem to get more stuff done?? Why is that? Is the desire for money greater than the desire for good? or do people who have great gifts sell out and go make money? I think that the problem is that alot of times... being and activist is just as trendy as wearing name brands of being fans of a particular band. Its a feel good thing were people can just say they are part of a group... they can feel a sense of righteousness and leave feeling better than the average man because they "care" about the environment, poor people, whales, kids, old people, the starving, aids research and all the rest.
I kid you not. I went to a Obama rally this week and there was an area near the rally wher
e there was a group of pseudo environmentalists trying to raise support for a clean energy initiative in the state. At the end of the rally... there was a huge mess... soda bottles, paper, signs, food wrappers and cigarette butts everywhere in this groups chosen area after there departure. Now I know clean energy lobbying isn't an adopt-a-highway group... but... do you get my point??People who want change have to get there hands dirty. There are millions of people in the mud right now, giving up comfort for the common good. And those people are what we need more of. And even this blogg is a BITCH'n outlet... but it exists to inspire action. Hippies are cool... but we need people who are sharp business savvy in the game too. Somebodys got to pay the bills and make the machine work.
One of my closet friends, we will call him RW, is one of the most brilliant people I have ever encountered. He is a true believer in the overall good and he want to invest in time and energy into urban renewal and really work to fix the plight of the poor. I always make the comment to him that I know that poor children need more support or opportunities, but I hate playing with play dough. He is one of the only people whom I think truly understand what I mean by that comment. I'm am an idealist. I want to change the world. But I'm not warm and fuzzy. I don't particularly like playing with children or playing with play dough. But I am good at business. I am good a hustling and finding creative ways to make money. So RW and I will always be a team. There are those that play with kids and there needs to be those who keep the community center lights on. We need both!! Those who love kids and those who love to do business!!
My favorite rapper JAY Z says in one of his songs... "Put me anywhere on God's green earth... I'll triple my worth." These are the minds we need to join the team...
Nonprofits DON'T suck!!!
Welcome to the 4th Sector!!!
Q
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