Bird by Bird | Guidance to Meet the Moment

Beloved Sector Colleagues,

Maya Angelou once said “Hope and fear cannot occupy the same space. Invite one to stay.” At Black Fox Global, we choose Hope. And while we as a sector navigate the abrupt disruption of USAID funding and the churn of executive actions in the USA, the pressing question is: With the stakes so very high, how do we effectively prepare, respond, and persevere in these extraordinary times?

As Anne Lamott suggests, we take things ‘Bird by Bird.’ We move with intention, step by step, to effectively respond. In this spirit, below are steps and open source resources to help ground you in the midst of uncertainty. 

First: Breathe. Protect one of your organization’s most valuable assets: You. Take the pause needed to achieve a healthy perspective so your responses are strategic, and come from a place of grounded wisdom.  

Two: Connect with Existing Funding Partners. This is a key time to deepen your current funder partnerships through your shared vision and values in the face of what may be unceasing upheaval. If there is space for deeper engagement, leverage the moment to strengthen your shared connection and commitment; this guide can help. Importantly, this is a time to connect with your partners human-to-human, as allies in achieving your vital work and shared vision. 

Three: Update Your Messaging to Meet the Moment. How do world events make your organization more relevant than ever? An update of your messaging should elegantly but effectively emphasize what’s at stake, and how crucial your mission is during uncertain times in particular. This blog post and webinar walk through effective communications, and we encourage you to register for Black Fox Global & Catalyst Now’s March 5 Open Source Webinar: “Develop your Communications and Branding Plan” here to calibrate your messaging to meet this moment.

Four: Review your Funding Prospects, and Uncover New Funding Sources.  To help future-proof your mission, review current funding prospects, and discern new deeply aligned funders. See here for open source materials focused upon institutional funding that can guide you step-by-step. If not already under way, now is also the time to explore revenue streams such as private sector funding, and individual funders. To do with the latter, while this may not be the time to launch a formal Major Gifts program, a great deal that is actionable now can be gleaned from Black Fox Global’s Roadmap.

Five: Engage Funders with Confidence. In the midst of turmoil, demonstrate leadership by approaching current and potential partners with confidence, groundedness, and a can-do mindset. This blog and webinar will help guide the way.

Six: Mobilize your Board and other Stakeholders.  With so much destabilization, engaging all stakeholders in fundraising for your mission can make all the difference.  We’ve teamed up with Catalyst Now to help NGO leaders discern how to best leverage and mobilize their board members’ respective ‘native genius’ in fundraising (Asker, Connector, Nurturer), and provide a pathway to that engagement via compelling messaging. Join us February 18 for Fundraising Self-Identification & Engaging Your Networks. 

Seven: Cultivate an Abundance Mindset. A fear response is natural, and yet now is the time for thinking and creativity to expand, not contract. To assist clients in their effort to shift energy away from fear and scarcity, we’ve created this ten-minute guided visualization, Abundance Mindset Mastery, to help attract funding. 

We are at our most powerful when we work purposefully and collectively. As always, the team at Black Fox Global is here for you. Your Mission is our Mission. Our Team is Your Team. 

Please reach out to us here if we can be of service.

In solidarity,

Natalie Rekstad, Founder & CEO; and Lisa Heinert, Chief Operating Officer, Black Fox Global, B Corp

P.S. To help the sector respond, not react, we’ve added the section FOCUS ON USAID in our weekly publication, Black Fox Brief. If you are not yet subscribed, we invite you to get your weekly briefing on all things impact sector, particularly as events unfold in these coming weeks and months.