AFP-NJ: Our Inherited Legacy: Diversity and Inclusion - Past, Present & Future

The nonprofit industry is dependent upon the "good will" of people that have resources to fuel their programmatic strategies, compensate their employees, train and coordinate their volunteers as well as provide the most promising opportunities to raise dollars for sustainability. 

The responsibility for securing these resources is engineered by its fundraising professionals. The demand for creativity and innovation increases with changes in funding streams, trends in technology and constantly changing individual and public interests.

In New Jersey there are thousands of nonprofits competing for the same resources. Oftentimes it's not just the cause that generates the income or that makes a nonprofit worthy of a donor's contribution, it's also the relationships and the depth of understanding you have about your constituents. In any given moment your ability to establish common ground and/or leverage differences can shift the outcomes of your efforts. I always say, "You never know how much you past will affect your future until it shows up in your present." Understanding diversity and inclusion is a journey we can take together.