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In my last posting, I commented on the power of the goodwill and time commitment of volunteers to make the world a better place.  I speak on this topic from a privileged position here at Dane County CASA because every day I observe this power at work.  Our organization’s very mission is to train, support, and provide quality volunteers to kids who are in extremely difficult situations.  These kids – the victims of abuse and neglect — can benefit immensely by the basic care and involvement of a concerned volunteer community member in their lives and in their court cases.  As I mentioned in my last posting, there is no shortage of goodwill and time commitment from our excellent volunteers and potential, future volunteers.  If we could run this organization on sheer volunteer power, we would charge forward to accomplish our goal to serve all Dane County kids in need of our services.

Unfortunately, our organization cannot run on the goodwill and time commitment of volunteers alone (although I’m very proud to say that we make our organization run on a very lean budget).  We also have to pay rent for an office, pay for training expenses, buy an insurance policy, and pay employees, just to name a few expenses.  Herein lies the rub on the non-profit organization – those that lead the non-profit organization must find, and ask for, every penny that provides the financial fuel for the organization’s mission.  This is a very special challenge.  This is the challenge that keeps Executive Directors of non-profit organizations everywhere, and sometimes even members of the Board and staff, up at night.

It’s funny that the task of funding such an excellent cause as our own seems to be a challenge, because when I flip on the television and look around me – even in these tough financial times – I often see surplus.  As an example, I recently discovered a TV show on MTV that features “sweet sixteen” parties thrown by the rich and famous.  I won’t go into great detail about the last episode I happened upon but let’s just say that some of the parties featured on included color-dyed poodles, invitations provided to would-be guests through voice recordings on complimentary MP3 players, and a re-creation of Venice on someone’s personal island property somewhere in California.  In short, that show’s snapshot of the rich and famous indicated to me that there was an awful lot to go around for some pretty silly expenditures.  Perhaps even more poignant to me was that I could probably fund this organization for a year for only part of what some of these individual parties cost!  When you dwell daily in the non-profit world and you see the important work done with so few dollars, it’s easy to let some extravagances in our society get to you.  Sometimes when I watch the Super Bowl I think the same kind of thoughts that the MTV show made me think: “they should take at least a third of all the cash spent on advertising and the halftime show and give it to charity! – just think what those dollars could do if they went to the right cause.”

In recent times, charitable giving has become easier and trendier than ever – and, the fact is, people are still giving, despite the economic downturn.  Everyone from the Disney Channel to the President to your phone company is encouraging you to give and “give back”.  Celebrities now all have a cause célèbre.  Here in Dane County, some recent large fundraising campaigns have held steady even as unemployment rates rise.

The thing is, though – despite some surplus in our society (in pockets, granted – many  are struggling at this time), and despite the trend toward giving, I am pretty sure that every Executive Director like myself, with a staff and a mission to serve a meaningful cause, feels the stress of having to secure every dollar that will keep that staff and mission moving forward.  It’s a different proposition than selling a product in the private sector; it’s a different proposition than dealing with a budget in the public sector.  It’s the special nature of non-profit funding – you must ask others to select and support your cause with their dollars, whether those “others” be the government (through grants), foundations (through grants), or individuals (through direct donations or attendance at an event, or purchase of your fundraising “product”).

Here at Dane County CASA, we are striving to grow, and the fact is – we absolutely need more money to do that.  I have faith that we will accomplish our financial goals, and in turn, fulfill our organization’s mission.  It’s cliché the way that one has to talk about these things, I know.  And, that’s where all of you readers come in – please help us in our challenge of finding new, innovative ways to play the fundraising game, through social media.  One thing we’re hoping to gain from our relationship with Madison SMC is a fresh perspective and some social-media-savvy input on ways to reach others and gain their support.  Suggestions?  Ideas?

While you contemplate, please note that we already have plenty of plans up our sleeves (while we welcome your ideas, of course we can’t wait to get to work!), including but not limited to an exciting “Stand Up for Kids!” Benefit in early summer 2010, featuring the Second City Improv Troupe at the Orpheum Theatre (more details to follow!).

In the meantime, we do not reject tried and true old-fashioned methods, and therefore your checks are always welcome (for as little as $1 or as much as you’d like).  You can send them to us at: Dane County CASA, Inc., 211 South Carroll Street, Suite 206, Madison, WI, 53703; I promise that I will find an innovative social-media method to acknowledge our gratitude to all of those donors who reference this blog posting as the inspiration for their donation.
I look forward to informing you, in future posts, about just how far every dollar goes here at Dane County CASA – because, every dollar is leveraged by all that good volunteer power I was talking about.  And one more thing. . . . come on now!. . . won’t somebody at least post a comment?