Peace Love and Business Planning

Are you dissatisfied with the charity you volunteer for or donate to?  Do you love the local chapter but resent  the overall organization and what it requires of t he locals?  Does this sound familiar?

I have worked with and for non-profits for a long time.  I love the mission, the people and the amazing commitments they bring. And,  like all enterprises, they are subject to the foibles of human beings and organizational and group behavior.

The article “When to Dump a Charity”" (click here) portrays a prime example.  The author loves the local volunteer work she does but is finding that dictates from the central office are unrealistic, and may even cause her chapter to close.  (She also shares some invaluable action tips for organizations to maintain good donor relations and for concerned individuals to take action if the relationship goes sour.)

When I was director of  a Buddhist meditation organization, there was always tension between the “national office”  (myself) and the local centers — where the real action was happening.   I had a somewhat different agenda than they did — not better or worse, just different.  It’s important for the whole to reflect the parts and vice versa — hard to accomplish. All organizations take on a life of their own –  Headquarters forget that they are there for the locals.  The locals forget that they are stronger as a consistent whole.

I would be interested in hearing your experiences (click on title of post to comment)