Revisioning and strategic planning are hard work for an organization. We at B-Word/Bitch have been thinking about this process for months, even years for some folks, but last Friday we formally began this journey and I have got to say, it is going to be a pretty great adventure these next few months.
Debbie is devoting an entire post to our process so I won't divulge more, but being in the planning process and looking at our strengths really solidified one of the reasons I feel B-Word/Bitch is so incredibly inspiring as a non-profit: Our supporters.
Our supporters are loyal and generous and smart and trusting. It is amazing to think that we raised almost $27,000 in our 2007 end-of-the-year appeal with the majority of folks giving under $100. That is really damn cool. Small gifts are so important to non-profits and it seems to be that so many folks get into the mindset that these donations don't matter - it is the "big" ones, the "major donors." Don't get me wrong, major donors are important, critical, and appreciated, but so often in the non-profit world I feel like we forget to value our 'smaller' donors.
There are always the stories out there about smaller donors one day leaving you a legacy gift of $1.5 million, all because you were the organization to acknowledge their $25 yearly gift. But those are stories about thanking and appreciating folks for the larger gifts they can give you in the end - really, valuing them for their monetary value, rather than for their support with any donation they give.
In my experience it is both the smaller and larger gifts that matter and make an organization sustainable through the growth and change over the years. B-Word/Bitch is for the most part, supported and sustained by smaller gifts from many people, rather than larger gifts from a few people. We are all so amazed by our supporters, both large and small, and truly couldn't do this work without anyone's gift - whether it be $3.00 or $1,500.
This post is a shout-out to all the donors who help make B-Word/Bitch truly community-supported. Thank you.
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