pic by Gregg from Gridd

Nonprofits do not hide behind technology, they lag behind its use.  The use of technology to capture and track performance measures otherwise known as outcomes provides the proof organizations need to show their worth to funders.  It provides the documentation for competing with a similar organization.

The use of technology for employee support costs in such areas as training, travel and communication lowers costs.

The use of technology for an organizations support costs in such areas as energy conservation, communication and telecommuting lower costs.

What I’d really like to know is the actual terms and benefits the proposed federal health insurance coverage will provide to citizens. There has been much speculation over how citizens will leave their employer’s health coverage for federal health coverage since it will be so much cheaper. But with a cheaper coverage, are people really getting the same benefits as private insurance companies offer? Before we all decide to go for the cheaper coverage the White House needs to come up with a coverage plan. Maybe by that time people will see that the federal plan isn’t nearly as good as the one they have now.

Let us know your opinion.

From the Wall Street Journal: 

President Obama supports the teamwork environment that doctors of the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio work in on a daily basis. Rather than having doctors work independently, thus increasing costs, the Cleveland Clinic has doctors from the same speciality collaborate together to figure out the best treatments for patients.

In a perfect medical world, patients wouldn’t need to pay for second opinions they’d be told them by the group of doctors working to help them get better, no extra fees.

It is always the fault of the computer.

It is always the fault of traffic.

It is always the fault of the weather.

There are no limits to the excuses that human beings can come up with about an object being the reason they were prevented from fulfilling their task timely.  It is also the reason many individuals fail to see a solution or choose not to be part of creating solution.

Try using these two motto’s for the next month:

“No means maybe or later”

” Given enough time everything is possible”

Taking risks comes with many unknowns even when you seem to have all the right plans and equipment.  In making choices there are those that are willing to take risks and the result has been inventions and positive change to the world. Is your nonprofit a trend setter or a follower?

pic by Bearman 2007

It is healthy for Nonprofits as a business to promote people getting out there to vote.  It does not take much to education for people to realize that they do have the power to make change and be represented. The fact that nonprofits can be a major source to turn out the vote makes it a business industry for elected officials to be more accountable too.  This is just another example of how communication and not money, from lobbyist or others, can make an impact on the election system.

pic by RaaKanin

The Nonprofit industry has evolved into a business model giant and should be recognized as a force in the economy.  There are very few sectors where nonprofits do not exist.  As a business model the nonprofit mission is to bring a service with a mission of charity.  This means the service is affordable.  For those for-profit businesses where profit comes first, the nonprofit business model is a threat because it is a model where a business can be built and survive without ownership by investors. There is no reason to promote a nonprofit solution as the model that will destroy any particular industry.

However, I would ask this question, “If the price of a nonprofits service is not considered affordable or charitable should the entity be considered a nonprofit?”

Two nonprofit sectors that I place at the forefront of this discussion are hospitals and colleges/universities.

pic via Nine Inch Nachos V

Stanford Group owners indicted for another ponzy scheme worth billions.  You have got to ask, is there any financial institution I can trust?

Credit Unions as nonprofit banks are one place where investors can not manipulate outcomes for themselves.  Credit Unions do not have investors, only its customers.  Those who are customers are interested members.   Just a little advice to making decisions for your banking needs.  Check out the corporate governance of the financial institution you want to place your money with.  Find out what their mission is and where their profits go.

pic by Crabz

Nonprofits are looking to control their business outcome.  As nonprofits look to use evidence base practices and technology to promote themselves and the services they offer they risk losing control.  The main loss of control is really about controlling what anyone can see. However, use negative results to show positive results.  It can show where improvement has occurred and over what period of time.  The hiding of data and letting technology become the obstacle to controlling a nonprofits direction shows an organization in need of change first. 

Taking time to relax and have hours of conversation has been the catalyst to the beginning of many nonprofit organizations.    Those burning ideas require time to strategically lay the ground work of the next steps and bring the ideas to reality.