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Are you feeling SAD?


Katena Cain, PhD.
Nonprofit Management Consultant

 

Are you feeling SAD?

My work, in the Nonprofit sector, began over 35 years ago and started at a young age with my dad taking my sister and I along with him as he would volunteer in local elder care facilities, food pantries and doing odd jobs for free for people who were under resourced and unseen in our community.  The spark that I saw in his eyes and those being served were priceless and I wanted to always be in spaces where I could assist – nonprofit spaces, mission-driven spaces, and community-organized spaces.





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Bridging Hope


Katena Cain, PhD.
Nonprofit Management Consultant new



Bridging Hope: Empowering Individuals Living in Poverty Through Bridges Out of Poverty Resources

In the ongoing battle against poverty, there exists a beacon of hope known as Bridges Out of Poverty. This transformative framework offers a holistic approach to empowering individuals and communities to overcome the barriers of poverty and build pathways to a brighter future. In this blog, we explore the profound impact of Bridges Out of Poverty initiatives and how they are empowering individuals living in poverty to chart a new course toward economic stability and self-sufficiency.

Understanding the Landscape of Poverty: Bridges Out of Poverty provides a unique lens through which to view poverty, recognizing it as a complex and multifaceted issue that is influenced by a variety of factors, including economic, social, and systemic barriers. By understanding the hidden rules of class and exploring the intersections of poverty, race, and privilege, Bridges Out of Poverty equips individuals and communities with the knowledge and tools needed to address the root causes of poverty.

Empowering Through Education: Central to Bridges Out of Poverty initiatives is the power of education as a catalyst for change. Workshops, training programs, and community dialogues provide individuals with the opportunity to increase their awareness, build empathy, and develop the skills needed to navigate the challenges of poverty. By fostering a culture of learning and growth, Bridges Out of Poverty empowers individuals to take control of their own destinies and pursue opportunities for personal and professional development.





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Leading with Self-Reflection

Leading with Self-Reflection: Centering Impact over Intention 

Emotionally we know that our work in the nonprofit field often takes us beyond our job description. This is because the nature of our work relies on a responsiveness to the human condition. Ours and the communities we serve.

It only makes sense that our personal and professional development must also shift. I found the theory of cultural humility appealing years ago, 3 years ago I developed the cultural humility in practice training to strengthen our capacity to leave and serve while preventing unnecessary harm.

I’ve found that self-reflection and personal inquiry are crucial aspects of individual growth and development, and they play a vital role in building stronger communities, fostering intersectional solutions, and driving transformative leadership and culture change.

By delving into the depths of our own experiences, motivations, and biases, we gain a deeper understanding of ourselves, which in turn enables us to empathize with and appreciate the perspectives of others. We also know that generative self-critique can inform sound decision making on the micro and macro level - this can save lives. This introspective process is instrumental in shaping empathetic, inclusive, and resilient communities. 

In Part 1: Why Cultural Humility - we shared the importance of a cultural humility lens for nonprofit leaders. 

In Part 2: Assessing Our Own Cultural Humility - we explored scenarios that highlighted the opportunity for potential practice shifts based on the needs of community members, how our biases and perspectives could limit the care we’re able to provide in community.  

In this blog, we will review a handful of the results of the Cultural Humility Assessment in the context of our future learning opportunity coming up at the end of this month (Jan 31, Feb 7). You can see the raw results of the survey here and you can register for our upcoming training event Here.


Self-Reflection and Personal Inquiry

Self-reflection involves examining one's thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a contemplative manner. It requires individuals to assess their beliefs, values, and behaviors with a critical eye, facilitating a greater self-awareness. Personal inquiry, on the other hand, involves asking meaningful questions about one's identity, purpose, and relationships. It encourages individuals to seek understanding and meaning in their experiences, leading to a more profound sense of self-discovery. 














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Assessing Our Own Cultural Humility


Crystallee Crain PhD.

Capacity Builder

Part 2: Assessing Our Own Cultural Humility 

 
There are a variety of ways to gain a deeper perspective on your leadership and impact in the community from a cultural humility lens. The invitation of inquiry is one way, asking ourselves to evaluate how we consider, engage, and repair our relationships with people who are different from us.

Nonprofit Network invites readers to take a 5 minute survey assessment so that we can get a big picture of where we stand as the nonprofit field in Michigan. We plan to share the results early next year with recommendations for additional learning.
The survey is anonymous. 
 






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Why Cultural Humility

 

Crystallee Crain PhD.
Capacity Builder

Part 1: Why Cultural Humility?

In the realm of nonprofit organizations, the responsibilities of leadership extend far beyond the conventional mission driven environment. Nonprofit professionals are entrusted with the ultimate task of solidarity by which we address societal challenges, supporting marginalized communities, and striving for positive social change. To lead effectively in this context, it becomes paramount for nonprofit leaders to embrace a stance of cultural humility.


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Let's Talk About Generational Giving


Sharon Castle
Capacity Builder

A new report from the Giving Tuesday Data Commons recently released *Rethinking Resilience:  Insights from the Giving Ecosystem, A Lookback at 2022 Trends in Global Generosity. *”  

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I See You


Regina Pinney
Executive Director

 

Being colorblind is the idea that ignoring or overlooking racial and ethnic differences promotes racial harmony. In some circles, it’s called color-evasive. In others, it is called a myth.


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3 Dangerous Myths about Nonprofit Embezzlement

   

headshot of Tom Williams retired consultant in a blue dress shirt

Tom Williams
Consultant

Typically, I like to use this blog space to share eye-opening ideas and tools to build your organization’s capacity so that more good is done in your community. But today I am compelled to step away from that and reflect on the ugly side of nonprofit life that ties my stomach in knots: embezzlement. Please, let me be clear: I am driven to share this, not for any sense of sensationalism, but rather because if you are aware and informed, you will be better prepared to prevent, detect, and recover any losses in the event that your organization is victimized in an embezzlement scheme.

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