Unless you’ve just been beamed down from Outer Space, you’ve probably heard we’re in the midst of a financial crisis. According to the media, nonprofits have especially been affected, as corporate and individual giving is down and the need for goods and services is steadily increasing. You can’t open a newspaper, turn on your computer, watch the news or bake a cake (my neighbor seems to show up the second I turn on my oven), without somebody, somewhere sharing gloom and doom about our current economic issues.
Don’t get me wrong, I certainly am not minimizing the pain this is causing. Even I, with my Pollyanna look at the world, understand the seriousness of the situation; but since talking about it isn’t going to make it go away, can’t we just find a glimmer of silver in the lining of that nasty old cavity?
What if, during these tough times, we stop and take a long, hard look at how we’ve been doing things? Where can we create efficiencies to make the most of our time, energy and limited resources? Answering these questions sometimes requires change. Change isn’t easy (Trust me, I know. I’ve had the same haircut since 7th grade), but change is progress.
Most of my professional life (you mean, there are personal ones?), I’ve been involved with nonprofits; it’s a world I know and love. I believe that qualifies me to ask nonprofits who want to do more with less, to take a look at GiftWorks. It helped me tremendously, which is why I’m so passionate about it. What, you think I get this excited for no good reason? I know it can make a difference, especially in these trying times.
While you’re checking out GiftWorks, here’s another suggestion to ponder. Since everyone is blaming someone else for our financial crisis, what if we harness the energy that’s generated from all those fingers being pointed and turn it into a renewable, sustainable energy source? Now that would turn a negative into a positive! Granted, it may take a while to catch on, but keep an open mind…..anything is possible!
-Pat Weaver
Mary Pat Donnellon has been with Mission Research, the maker of GiftWorks, since its early days, working in every area of the company before becoming CEO in 2009. She now gets to do all the things she loves: leveraging great technology to help nonprofit organizations become better and stronger. Mission Research is a sustainable company; Mary Pat enjoys doing her part by walking or biking to work (most days!). She is also sustained by working with her talented colleagues at Mission Research and the company’s thousands of customers and partners.
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