BIG’s Blog: Solomon

I read a blog a couple of weeks ago by Seth Godin that contained a very profound statement: “not enough people believe they are capable of productive initiative.”

Is that true?

His name was Solomon. My wife and her friend found him abandoned in a rural hospital in Haiti. Solomon was around nine months old and had hydrocephalus. Solomon just lay in his crib and cried because he was always in pain. My wife’s friend Jennet is an ER doctor from Miami who arranged to get a shunt flown in from Miami and the local doctor agreed to perform the operation. The operation was successful but Solomon was very weak. My wife located a children’s home for him but infection set in and Solomon died a week later.

Even now, Solomon’s story is hard to think about because of the pain he suffered in his short life. But my wife and Jennet cared and they undertook an initiative to get Solomon the care he needed and into a better life. How could they not do it?

Where are those that will initiate change in the fundraising industry, even in their own fundraising organizations?

The change that is roiling the fundraising industry began with the Internet…not with the last recession. But the Internet’s disruptive effects are a double-edged sword. On one side, it is killing your current fundraising model. While on the other side it holds the promise of transforming your organization’s ability to raise the needed revenue it needs to fund your missions long into the future. But it’s a different fundraising model and different involves initiative.

Only the charitable sector raises funds to invest in “doing good” with no expectation of a monetary return. To find little Solomons abandoned in hospitals and to try…to take the initiative…to give them a better life.

Isn’t that worth taking the initiative?

Move!


-Mike

P.S. If you’re interested, or you know someone that might be interested, we will be holding a Webinar that introduces our new e-Learning program, Acquiring the Next Generation of Supporters. There is no cost for the Webinar but seats are limited, so if you’re interested in learning more, email me your name and I will personally see you get on the list.

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