The NonProphet

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Turning Points

Often, start-up organizations, especially nonprofits, have great aspirations but have difficulty reaching their goals, either through lack of funding or management skills. Time may pass and things may get done, but nothing seems to be happening. Frustration grows, and sometimes, the venture fails. Even mature organizations may experience similar peaks and valleys, perhaps in venturing into a new locale or launching a new product or service.

Though passing through these life cycles may seem the natural course for organizations, leaders have to decide in every instance whether to stay the course in the belief that events will turn positive or whether it is better to abandon the effort and conserve resources and energy for other opportunities still to come.

What everyone awaits is the turning point, when the path to the goal seems clearer and within reach. A consensus builds that the time is right to take action, and the resources and the energy are available to make it happen.

Last night, with the Jewish Art Education organization, it happened for us, when we decided to develop a three-minute "trailer" to promote our documentary film project, "The Art of Jewish Life." While the longer documentary still remains a challenging and realistically a far-off goal, this sign of our own faith in this venture -- and the fact that we could raise enough money to undertake this small initial step -- is our own turning point. Much remains to be done, but we have moved forward.

This is how organizations thrive.

Welcome to JAE

Welcome to JAE.

Throughout Jewish history, Jewish art has played an important, but little understood role, in the culture and practices of the Jewish people. Myrna Teck, PhD, has studied and developed a fantastic knowledge base from which to tell the story to the Jewish community and the public alike.

As part of her effort, the organization for Jewish Art Education is raising money for a film project that will tell this compelling story through a full-feature documentary. It's a project that could reshape how Jews and non-Jews alike appreciate the Jewish experience over the past 3,500 years.

This Web site, while still in its early stages, is beginning to tell the story about this exciting project. It officially launches today.

Recession may delay some public sector employees' retirements - American City & County article

Recession may delay some public sector employees' retirements - American City & County article.

I've often thought that one of the great advantages of working in the public sector was the defined benefit plans that guaranteed a fixed amount at retirement regardless of the performance of markets. That's still true, but increasingly, the cost of the plans is straining government budgets. And public sector employees are finding that even these secure plans may not be enough for retirement.

While the world seems to have been turned upside down over the proposed changes in America's health system, the retirement system is undergoing its own turmoil. If government pension plans are under stress, and Social Security is endangered, the importance of personal savings grows. But market swings make that leg of the retirement stool seem especially unsteady.

One of the only factors in the equation that employees can depend on is that retirement is possible only if they work longer. So even the most secure of retirements seem less certain. No wonder people are angry.

#10Ways to Support Charity Through Social Media

#10Ways to Support Charity Through Social Media.

This article is a terrific source for integrating social media into your nonprofit marketing plan. Many of the links cruise over to other sites that provide a further wealth of information. Clearly, the vast world of social media is available for the asking.

Yet, there remains the essential need to channel all of this energy into a useful strategy that promotes the core mission of the organization. While it is easy to become enamored with social media, it is even easier to be overwhelmed by it.

Several of the examples that are included here and in the embedded articles give valuable evidence of how social media can work effectively. But it is even more evident that having a clear mission and thoughtful strategy are prerequisites for effective use of the new media.