Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Nonprofit Public-Private Partnerships

Are you more scared of big government or the idea of unbridled capitalism? This is not just a political question. Public private partnerships, simply put, represent a credible agreement between the public sector (government) and private sector to provide a program or service. In a manner of speaking, nonprofits are a public-private partnership , held accountable by both government funders and individual stakeholders.   An excellent post by The Nonprofiteer provides a great... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 3:14 PM | 0 comments
End poverty Nonprofit Strategy

Friday, May 11, 2012

Nonprofit Board Engagement

If you struggle with connecting your nonprofit board members to your agency staff, throw a pair of disco booties into the mix and see what happens. After watching the video of our staff modeling a glitzy pair of silver booties , our Board decided to share those same shoes and the experience of trying to walk in them. You can’t miss out on this video: http://bit.ly/ILE0xM . Fun is contagious. The first video provided CCFW stakeholders to see a different side of the people that make... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 7:16 PM | 0 comments
Nonprofit Board of Directors

Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Someone Else's Shoes

 Walk in someone else’s shoes for a day. For social workers, this thought is a constant reminder of why we do what we do. Why not make it a reminder to our greater audience? Teambuilding through documenting the more unusual experiences of nonprofits can be fun. What if “someone else’s shoes” are 4 inch heel, disco-style, silver glitter booties? Recently, a generous supporter of CCFW donated a fabulous pair of shoes. They provided a unique opportunity to practice walking in someone... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 7:02 PM | 0 comments

Friday, May 04, 2012

Listen Loudly.

You don’t need a megaphone. You need a hearing aid. Tune it to the external. Listen as loudly as you can. Sometimes the smallest people feel the need to climb up into a tree and shout out over the crowd. The powerful person stays in the middle of the crowd, with an ear to the ground and a finger on the pulse of the group.     The secret to listening is that you cannot possibly hear everyone at once. Develop a communications plan for certain audience, not your entire audience,... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 4:22 PM | 1 comments

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

Nonprofit Lingo Tango

Self sufficiency. Matching grants. ETO. CRM. Burnout.   Social work has its own language. To communicate for a nonprofit means interpreting that language in a relatable way for the general public.   Instead of speaking about self-sufficiency, tell stakeholders that empowering clients toward economic independence empowers the community as well.   Instead of offhandedly mentioning “matching grants”, speak to the value of funders and donors meeting your organization’s... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 5:18 PM | 2 comments

Friday, April 27, 2012

Sharing Their Stories

We often don’t have copyrights to our own life stories. Others can tell them how they’ve seen them. Nonprofits rely on powerful testimonials to share their organizational stories, and the difference they make. Giving the power to the person whose life is shared in that story makes it that much more powerful.     Don’t be scared to share the stories of children because of the difficulties faced by protecting them in the process. Let them have that copyright for maybe the first... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 7:59 AM | 3 comments

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Nonprofit Storytelling: Children

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month-an especially meaningful month to nonprofits who serve children who have likely experienced abused at some point in their life.   In 2011, there were 65,948 confirmed victims of child abuse in Texas. Put another way, every day in Texas there are 180 children who are victimized by child abuse or neglect. And last year 231 of those children died.   Last year, our Assessment Center housed and served 170 children who had been removed from their... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 7:42 AM | 0 comments

Friday, April 20, 2012

More Money, More Problems?

More money, more problems. This pop culture message is only true for those who aren’t educated about how to make the most of the income they earn. It’s not a handout. It’s not arbitrary. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a way of keeping earned dollars in the hands of those who earned them. By educating low-income individuals and families about this perk of financial responsibility, we equip them to do more with what they earn.   Our VITA program assisted hundreds of ... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 3:21 PM | 2 comments

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Give to Caesar What is Caesar's

It’s tax time—a reminder of financial responsibility. This is even more true to you today, the 18th, if you’re one of the many trying to file extensions! We are held accountable to pay our dues (taxes), and are considerate of how our government manages those dues. Knowledge of how to navigate the tax system is essential to financial freedom. We pay to be free, because it pays to be free. If we spent as much time two weeks ago on how we should save the money we have as so many did on how... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 4:35 PM | 0 comments
Nonprofit Taxes

Monday, April 16, 2012

Clear the Way, Literally

Generations X and Y are calling for something to believe in and a way to make a difference. This, and their interconnectedness through social media, has paved the way for everything from the Arab Spring to Occupy Wall Street. You equip your young professionals to be visionaries by capitalizing on their connections and clearing the landscape for them to see future possibilities.   1. University outreach: Don’t just say yes to the opportunities for your staff to speak at... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 8:20 AM | 1 comments
Nonprofit Vision Fort Worth

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Is your vision 20/20?

Young talent is vital to the long-term vision of any organization. Nonprofits do not always have the capital to necessarily recruit competitively for this talent in the pool of skilled young professionals looking for work. Fortunately, the Generations X and Y are generations seeking a cause that matters. The more who wish to “do good”, the harder it is to find work with the best of the do-gooders. We can take advantage of this competition to do good by positioning our agency as a thought... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 3:17 PM | 0 comments
Nonprofit Vision

Friday, April 06, 2012

Old Ideas, New Problems

In observing Easter as a celebration of new life, we reflect upon the old life. How can organizations avoid repeating past mistakes? Albert Einstein is often quoted as having defined insanity as “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. Are you insane? Are you part of an insane organization? Dr. Laura Otten, of The Nonprofit Center, asks a few “simple questions” to evaluate whether your nonprofit has equipped itself to learn from the mistakes of... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 3:52 PM | 0 comments
Nonprofit Strategy

Wednesday, April 04, 2012

The EGGciting Files

Easter is almost here. By its very nature, it represents new life and new beginnings. It is a resurrection not only in the literal sense, but also in the figurative sense.   How many great ideas have you let pass you by? How many endeavors, phone calls, business plans, or passionate concepts have been abandoned? Is it time to bring new life to these ideas- to resurrect them? Hunt down these abandoned ideas and opportunities like the golden eggs they are. Create a folder... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 3:46 PM | 0 comments
Strategy Time management

Friday, March 30, 2012

What to measure?

Is it possible to measure imagination itself? When we think of imaginative organizations, we think of Google, Apple and Facebook—innovative and forward-thinking organizations, all of which have capitalized on their unique culture, communication, and networks. We admire the simplicity of Google. We are polarized by the culture of Apple vs. Mac. Our community is revolutionized by THE social network of Facebook. A lack of imagination inhibits your horizons. A grasp on imagination exhibits your... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 2:14 PM | 0 comments
Nonprofit Strategy

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Nonprofit Measurement: Use Your Imagination

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” –Albert Einstein   To be innovative, we must first be creative. Everyone likes to see results. We report, measure, track, graph, all for the purpose of reassuring ourselves and our stakeholders that there is something we are doing that is worth measuring. There are entire... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 11:08 AM | 3 comments
Nonprofit Strategy

Friday, March 23, 2012

Legacy: Imagine Together

A recent article in Commonweal Magazine, “Imagination & Community: What Holds Us Together” stated that, “The great truth that is too often forgotten is that it is in the nature of people to do good to one another.” Your legacy should bring imagination and community together in a creative relationship to produce good.   A lasting legacy is not a standalone story. People crave legacy because nobody wants to be forgotten. That is why there are Jrs. And IIIs in the names of our... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 3:42 PM | 0 comments
Nonprofit

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Legacy: CCFW is 102!

This last Saturday, on St. Patrick’s Day, CCFW turned 102. In the past 102 years , our agency has evolved from the charitable work of a small group of women, to a 40+ program serving over 120,000 people a year in our 28 county diocese. In 2010, we moved into a beautiful new building, to bring all of these programs under one roof.   In 2011, we decided that ending poverty in our community will be the legacy of CCFW. We want our legacy to be our absence. By truly ending poverty, we... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 2:56 PM | 0 comments
Nonprofit

Friday, March 16, 2012

The KONY 2012 video compels us to ask where active discernment becomes unproductive discrimination—when the issue is no longer quite so black or white—when we can appreciate the value of a campaign as it is, with an understanding that no single organization can address every side of an issue. As an organization we must also be self-aware and discerning in our approach to such criticisms, to make the most of these perspectives, without letting them cripple our efforts. Discrimination walks... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 11:50 AM | 0 comments
End poverty Nonprofit KONY Invisible Children

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Don't discriminate.

Discernment can be polarizing. We can either discriminate unjustly—against particular people or groups—or we can discern justly—between right and wrong. The difference is justice. Justice helps us to paint things as they really are. Unfortunately, we the people are often just as likely to discriminate as we are to discern. What makes discernment just? It is based on value systems and morals, rather than prejudice, stereotypes, or generalities. We must demonstrate discernment based on our... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 4:29 PM | 0 comments
End poverty Nonprofit KONY Invisible Children

Friday, March 09, 2012

Is higher education the next bubble to burst?

Where’d your parents go to school? Do not listen to the naysayers who claim that higher education is going to be the next big bubble to burst. If you’ve seen someone get a chance at your dream job by making the most of family or alumni connections, you’ve seen the value of social resources. If you consider how much you changed through your time at school, you’ve recognized the empowerment that comes with learning new skills. Education opens up your horizons. You do not have to convince... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 10:51 PM | 3 comments
Unemployment Education

Wednesday, March 07, 2012

Education Ends Poverty

Education ends poverty. Does it equate to employment? If you’ve ever debated whether it’s worth it to go back to school instead of focusing on your current career, consider how much more difficult it would be to consider education while unemployed. What may have once been a presumed next step is becoming increasingly difficult to assume. The time that could be spent earning money. The debt potentially incurred by the cost of education. The question of whether or not it would... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 7:45 AM | 1 comments

Friday, March 02, 2012

Time is Money

As a nonprofit, we have to look at time differently. This is not easy to do, especially when volunteers are worth a dollar amount in matching grants. To succeed, we must be frugal and disciplined financially. If time is money, we must not rush through our days because we have so little time. Instead, we must approach the day with intention and discipline, to make the most of our time.   Three Ways to Better Manage Your Time 1. Celebrate the morning with creativity. Use the... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 9:17 AM | 6 comments
Nonprofit Time management

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

The End of Days!!

Today is Leap Day. It only happens once every four years. Time is a fascinating concept. We’ve created it and then submitted to it-allowing time to dictate our lives. This year, pop culture is fixated on the Mayan calendar predicting that 2012 is the world’s last year. Calendars have created controversy throughout the ages-Mayan, Roman, Gregorian-we’ve fought for our concepts of time throughout time.   According to Daylight Savings Time, we may lose an hour by “Springing... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 3:51 PM | 0 comments
Nonprofit Time management

Friday, February 24, 2012

Giving is a selfish pleasure.

Giving is a selfish pleasure. True love is selfless. While fundraising and donor recruitment seem to be anything but selfless, if you truly know your network of donors, then you know how to make both fundraising and fund-giving altruistic. Giving is a selfish pleasure. We may not give solely because of the positive feeling it gives us, but we cannot deny that it gives us this feeling. By knowing our partners and donors well, we know where their passions and heart are and can help them... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 11:21 AM | 2 comments
Nonprofit Donors

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Donor Relationships: Courtship not speed dating.

If you expect people to invest in you for the long-term, you must invest in them for the long-term. Building relationships with donors is not about salesmanship. It is about relationship. Just like any other relationship, you must find the common denominator between your agency’s mission and your donor’s personal mission. There are as many different fundraising models as there are dating websites. At CCFW, we have taken on a mission-based model in our approach to fundraising. This means... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 1:07 PM | 2 comments
Nonprofit Strategy

Friday, February 17, 2012

Our Love Stories

Testimonials are love stories. It’s all in how you tell them. “When people come to CCFW for help they’re not broken people, they are whole people who have strengths, capacities and resources and they're brave enough to ask for help.” –Kelly Rand Reciprocity is a proven method for successful communication. You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours. It’s a natural human inclination to return favors. We know this when it comes to donors and community partners, but... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 3:22 PM | 0 comments

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

I am the agency.

“I am the agency.” We say we do it all for the clients. Our mission statement dedicates our purpose to those we serve. Is this the story our clients would tell? As a nonprofit, you may always have clients who are dissatisfied with the services you provide. If you cannot help everyone who comes through your doors, it’s your responsibility to connect them with someone in the community who can. It may never be enough. You cannot win them all. So, how can we manage our clients’ perception of... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 8:15 AM | 0 comments

Friday, February 10, 2012

The "DTR"

  Every relationship comes to the point where it must have a DTR (“define the relationship”) conversation. This is the moment where you determine whether you’re more than just friends—whether “it’s complicated,” turns into “in a relationship” or “single.” Defining the relationship confirms that all parties involved are on the same page and establishes boundaries for the relationship. It is also a great way to (hopefully) reassure the other person of what they mean to you... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 7:30 AM | 0 comments
Nonprofit

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Find Your Love Language

Gary Chapman’s book, The 5 Love Languages (receiving gifts, acts of service, quality time, touch, words of affirmation), popularized the eternal concept of how we all communicate love differently. We need to know not only what our love language is, but we need to be able to identify the love language of those we are building relationships with. Do you offer your nonprofit community partners “swag” from your agency, volunteer time with a joint project, spend time collaborating, offer... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 6:08 PM | 3 comments
End poverty Nonprofit

Thursday, February 02, 2012

Town Hall Trust

The CCFW Town Hall is a forum for ideas, innovation, and curiosity. Forums have not always proven to be absolute guarantees of trust, as is evident in the case of Rome’s Julius Caesar, but they do stand as a beacon of communication and transparency. Honest communication and consistent transparency are platforms for a community of trust.   CCFW CEO Heather Reynolds hosts a monthly Town Hall, open to anyone in the agency, to provide updates about new programs, initiatives,... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 11:21 AM | 2 comments

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

All for one and one for all.

All for one and one for all. Relationships aren’t all about romance. February is a month of celebrating the relationships we cherish beyond the romance of the honeymoon stage. At CCFW, we work daily to “keep the love alive” in our relationships with donors, partners, clients and our CCFW family. We devote this month to those relationships that keep us alive and serving our community. We cannot survive without each other. We cannot provide over 40 services to this community without... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 4:57 PM | 3 comments

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Anything But Board

The primary mission of the Board of Directors for CCFW is to provide strategic oversight of the organization. CCFW has anything but an ordinary board. We are one of the most active and engaged non-profit boards of directors anywhere in the country. A true reflection of the Fort Worth community itself, the men and women that comprise the Board come from all walks of life and utilize their diversity of experience, education, and beliefs to ensure that CCFW remains a best steward of its... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 12:09 AM | 1 comments
Nonprofit Strategy

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

On Board

The Board of Directors must be visible. No longer are we mystified and enthralled by being led by a man behind a curtain. The wizard of Oz displaced the theory that leaders can be effective without being seen.   A good Board keeps the agency above board without going overboard or getting bored. The Board manages the legal and financial conduct of an agency, by empowering rather than overpowering, and in an actively engaged manner. Our Board bridges the space between for... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 2:50 PM | 1 comments
Nonprofit

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Mission in Metrics

The mission of CCFW is to “To provide service to those in need, to advocate compassion and justice in the structures of society, and to call all people of goodwill to do the same.” With this mission in mind, we established our competitive advantages as being faith driven, forward driven and service driven. Metrics meet mission by mapping progress, without limiting progress. Metrics should provide a path, rather than boxing in your vehicles of innovation. In order to realistically... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 12:20 PM | 2 comments
End poverty Nonprofit Strategy

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Metrics for Mission

Success must be more than numbers, but to evaluate progress requires numbers. We forecast in order to plot out the implementation of our strategy map. We benchmark in order to compete effectively in fulfilling the forecasted results. We measure these results through organizational metrics to determine whether we’ve “succeeded”.   For CCFW, it is essential that the success we measure be tied directly to our mission and that our metrics system reflects this. McKinsey... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 12:12 PM | 0 comments
End poverty Nonprofit Strategy

Friday, January 13, 2012

Benchmark Benefits

To make the connection between where you’ve come from and where you’re going as an organization requires metrics. Benchmarking relies on comparison to competitors, which is only possible with common metrics by which to gauge each organization. We defined value in our blog about competitive advantages as being determined by services provided at a lower cost/using fewer resources, higher value and in a way that results in reaching free clients. Warren Jeffries, customer service... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 5:15 PM | 2 comments
Nonprofit Strategy

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Benefits of Benchmarks for Nonprofits

So far, we’ve kicked off the new year right by developing a strategy map and forecasting how to align resources with vision in a way that follows that map. Just like journeys need road signs, this endeavor requires a system of benchmarking. To forecast accurately requires knowing where you’ve come from. To reach the goals you’ve developed requires knowing how far you’ve come and how far you still have to go.   Benchmarking is a continuous process of measuring products,... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 4:15 PM | 1 comments
Nonprofit Strategy

Thursday, January 05, 2012

Forecasting for a Purpose

  Forecasting, especially for an organization’s financial plan, is as essential in the not-for-profit world as it is in the for-profit world as a means of plotting out the year. It is not fortune-telling, looking into a crystal ball or consulting a groundhog. For nonprofits, forecasting is elemental to fund development and should be tightly incorporated into the overall strategic plan. We prioritize the alignment of our resources with our mission and vision throughout our financial... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 4:11 PM | 1 comments

Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Forecasting: Prepare for Change

The new year is all about fresh starts, accountability and setting goals for the future. We’ve discussed the vital role of strategy as an organization’s New Year’s resolution—to move beyond tactics to finding your unorthodox. We seek to provide what is scarce and, in doing so, decrease demand. As nonprofit, we succeed by supply being high and demand being low. This is contradictory to standard business strategy, but if our aim is end poverty, we hope to provide what is needed to prevent... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 3:44 PM | 4 comments

Monday, December 26, 2011

Valuable.

To be rare, durable, and relatively unsubstitutable is to be valuable.   Value is based upon the concept that people will offer more for your services than they would for your competitors’, that you are able to provide these services at a lower cost than your competitors and that you acquire new clients/support at no additional cost. The breadth and depth of the services provided by CCFW meets these standards and thus establishes its value. This measurement tool equips... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 3:03 PM | 0 comments

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Unsubstitutable.

We exist to be matchless.   Southwest Airlines implemented matchlessness by eliminating bag fees. A irlines have survived the economic crisis by increasing these fees. By managing to abolish this cost (for the clients) and revenue (for the company) in the current economic climate, SW Airlines successfully guaranteed its unsubstitutability. No competitor had the time, money or support necessary to match this move. We do not want to be sugar. We aim to have no... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 2:44 PM | 1 comments

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Durable.

    It is not enough to endure competition. For an advantage to be durable, it must be sustainable in its competitive environment for the long-term. 1. To interpret durability requires the examination of how long it would take competitors to provide the same services at the same cost to the organization. 2. To measure durability requires an examination of ongoing cost effectiveness of services provided. 3. To maintain durability is to ensure that the services... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 11:34 AM | 0 comments

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Rare.

Understanding your organization’s competitive advantages is not necessarily about competing. For nonprofits, it is about establishing what sets you apart, so that you are able to “maneuver within the competitive/collaborative landscape” and strengthen your ability to “harness opportunities for collaboration” . Once you establish your competitive advantages, you are able to more strategically map out your role as a service provider within the nonprofit community, which empowers your... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 11:14 AM | 2 comments

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Anything But Orthodox

Anything But Orthodox: Being faith driven, forward driven and service driven At CCFW, we established that our competitive advantages are that we are faith driven, forward driven and service driven . We call them our “key value drivers”. These are our competitive advantages because they maintain all of the above values. We took three necessary steps to confirm and act upon these competitive advantages. 1. We examined the average standards for all areas of our agency and decided what... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 12:00 PM | 0 comments

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.

Defining and finding your unorthodox: Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil   Hear only good, see only good, speak only good, be only good. Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil is a simple & common enough statement. It is a statement that is much easier said than done. The problem with words like these is when you settle for them, rather than putting them into action. The strategy map orchestrates tangible and definitive ways of putting the words of... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 12:00 PM | 0 comments

Thursday, December 08, 2011

Strategy: Seek to be Scarce

Strategy jumpstarts a value-centered vision by intentionalizing your difference. At CCFW, our key drivers are that we are faith driven, service driven and forward driven . We determine what innovative initiatives to undertake as an agency based on these drivers with the mission of ending poverty. They are our competitive advantage. When applied to our services and partnerships, they set us apart. A strategy map equips an agency with the capacity to anticipate, navigate and capitalize... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 10:32 AM | 2 comments

Tuesday, December 06, 2011

Our New Year's Resolution: Strategy

An organization with only tactics and no strategy has definitively lost sight of the forest for the trees. Tactics attend to operational effectiveness. They maintain an organization’s “business as usual”. Alan Emrich makes the comparison that tactics vary based on situations, but strategy is immutable. To move beyond tactics to strategy, we must take what is immutable about our agency and use it to compete strategically. Tactics and operational effectiveness are commonly... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 10:29 AM | 2 comments

Friday, December 02, 2011

Value Evaluation

Our values should be based on our mission, call us to action and inspire those around us. We must be transparent in defining them, communicate them clearly and be consistent in our application of them. Once established, these values can provide us with principles by which to handle crisis, unite the causes of programs within our agency and generate support for and belief in our mission. We must ensure they correspond with the personal values of our employees by demonstrating and sharing... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 8:59 AM | 6 comments

Thursday, December 01, 2011

Our Values: Soul Power

Our values are the chicken soup of the CCFW soul. They are rooted in the mission, bringing it to life aboveground. Values provide a step by step approach to considering and applying the mission, and serve as a means of showing the value we place on serving our community.   Mark Haas, with the Chronicle of Philanthropy presented the values of a nonprofit organization as what gave that organization “soul”, through authenticity, usefulness, pervasiveness, and priority. Our... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 10:00 AM | 1 comments

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

To Give Thanks

  Thanksgiving is not just an opportunity to evaluate what we're thankful for. It is an opportunity to evaluate HOW we are saying thank you. How do we thank our donors, our volunteers, our clients? We thank through testimonials. We share stories. Stories are the lifeblood of nonprofits because they tell each partner in our cause how they’ve made a difference. How do we thank those who have given their time, financial support and reinforcement without exploiting their... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 1:16 PM | 2 comments

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Tips to Living the Living Wage

No one working a full time job should be living in poverty. The HHS Poverty Guidelines are not an accurate representation of poverty today. To make sure you are doing your part to end poverty within your own organization, examine the following steps and consider the potential to do the same for your employees.   1. Create a living wage task force. Research your agency culture, current compensation, local conditions and cost of living (check out calculators we used below). Prepare... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 8:00 AM | 1 comments

Monday, November 14, 2011

Walking the Walk: The Living Wage

  In order to end poverty, we need to redefine what it means to make a living. At CCFW, we hope to make a living for ourselves while we support our clients in making a living or building a new life for themselves. For us, the living wage means ensuring our own do not become our clients. We define a living wage as a combination of wages and other benefits that is sufficient to provide individuals and their families with a standard of living in keeping with human dignity, which is... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 8:47 AM | 2 comments

Friday, November 04, 2011

Our Network of Hope

We are about to send out our annual Christmas newsletter, which will be centered on the theme of “a network of hope”. Networks are empowering. Networks offer limitless resources. Networks offer reciprocal benefits.   By building and maintaining a strong network, we empower our clients by offering limitless resources and we receive reciprocal benefits from those with whom we connect. No program within our agency stands alone. Our client testimonials share journeys within... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 3:58 PM | 0 comments

Wednesday, November 02, 2011

A Network of Hope

  The Social Network. This was one of the biggest movies of last year; a provocative and controversial look into the history of Facebook. According to this movie, what started out as a petty and demeaning comparison of individuals became Facebook-the world’s most powerful social networking site. THE Social Network.This popularized premise offers powerful insights into the network of nonprofits and into operating as a networked nonprofit. As nonprofit agencies, we can function as... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 5:26 PM | 0 comments

Thursday, October 27, 2011

The Thin Green Line: Business or Ministry?

                                                                          There is a thin line between running a ministry like a business and running a... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 4:45 PM | 0 comments
End poverty

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Say Yes to the Test

    Yes and no are not equal. The authority of words is that they are not equal. The disproportionate power these two monosyllabic words hold is compelling in that they may empower or immobilize us. It is a test of how we decide to use or waste the opportunity of the positive power of yes. We say no to our clients and they may go hungry or without shelter. We say no to our staff and they become discouraged and lose vision. We say no to our donors and grantors and we... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 10:51 AM | 1 comments
End poverty

Thursday, October 06, 2011

Seeing Right Side Up

We see the world upside down. It is a known fact that images are imprinted on our retinas upside down and that our brain then processes this vision and turns it right-side up for us. Vision appears to happen instantaneously, but there is an invisible and complex process in that instant. We do not use words to explain this process of seeing, though, we use them to describe the vision itself. These words can be very simple.   Light Bulb, 1991, Abelardo Morell ... Read More
Posted by kwhitworth@ccdofw.org at 12:00 PM | 0 comments

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

By the Numbers

There are many different ways to tell a story. You can stand on the rooftops and scream your message or you can say nothing at all and let your actions do the talking. Numbers are a tremendous storyteller, because they speak the truth. Here are several numbers that help tell the story of Catholic Charities Fort Worth. 90 Number of cents out of every donated dollar that directly funds CCFW programs   110,000 Number of clients served by CCFW each year ... Read More
Posted by at 1:08 AM | 1 comments