Renaissence

Last week, CBC host Anna Maria Tremonti interviewed Dr. Chris Kutarna who convincingly argued that we at are in the early stages of a second renaissance, the first taking place almost 500 years ago. 

Whether or not one agrees with his position, one can’t ignore the fact the world is changing at a record pace. Dr. Kutarna outlines a number of ideas that any non-profit wanting to maintain donor relationships through changing technology, social, cultural and political realities, would be wise to consider. 

1. Stretch you imagination. Moving forward, we will need to think beyond our current paradigms. This means that what has been best practice will need to be questioned. Successful fundraisers will dream up new ways to create a meaningful experience for donors. 
2. Draw new mental maps. To get from point A to point B will demand that we open new channels. Organizations will need to go on journeys of discovery and will need to explore ideas that could be the foundations of future success. 
3. Expect good and bad. Change is neutral. How change occurs and the final outcomes of change can be positive or negative. The possibility of negative outcomes will cause many to hold tight to current thinking. For these folks, the risk of a negative result will be paralyzing. The only guarantees in changing times, however, is that change will indeed occur and avoiding change will certainly end badly. No organization will transition unscathed, but the ones that will survive, and likely thrive, will be the ones willing to let go of what is in anticipation of what will be. 

The sooner non-profits can begin imagining and exploring what a new normal might look like, the more likely they will capture the hearts and minds of donors who are themselves navigating these new realities. 

Need to imagine a new way? You need to be DOING GOODER.