Even those “living under a rock” know that we are living in very difficult financial times. So to state that times are tough or provide some global solution is not my objective. There are many minds greater than mine pondering that reality and trying to figure out in whose direction to point their finger. I also do not wish to over generalize and insinuate that all financial difficulties are the same and all organizations can use the same solution to their individual economic needs. I want to recognize where not-for-profit organizations stand in the current economy, what their responsibility is to their constituents, what they need to provide their members and how APIOH can help them find a new revenue stream to help them carry on their responsibility.
Financial Realities - Let us first recognize our financial realities. The concept of “recession proof” may be a thing of the past. Whether we individually are fortunate enough to be financially sound or are on the brink of bankruptcy and foreclosure, those around us are significantly struggling and suffering. If a business is doing well in a down economy, it is likely still dealing with employees who worry for their pensions and 401ks which are declining in value significantly each day, undervalued assets, struggling suppliers, a banking industry on the verge of collapse, an insurance industry whose future is in question, a government who is spending out of control with uncertain results, and so on. Whereas in the past, economic downturns were laced with hope, this time it is fraught with doubt and despair. Whatever the future realities, gloom has set in and is bringing even the most optimistic down.
The Silver Lining – I was surprised to learn and read that one of the segments best surviving the current economy has been the religious organizations. The Chronicle of Philanthropy http://philanthropy.com recently published one such article online titled, “Christian Groups Report Recession-Resistant Fund Raising.” http://philanthropy.com/news/prospecting/index.php?id=7215 In that article, there was a comment by a Dan Busby, Acting President of ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability) that, “Because of their close relations with congregants, most churches fared a little better than other types of organizations surveyed”. I was pleased to read because it is in line with what APIOH is trying to create. APIOH, through our line of recognition systems, is working to strengthen the relationship between religious institutions and their members. One of our primary objectives at APIOH, and the reason we focus so heavily on not-for-profits, is that we want to provide a service for institutions dedicated to helping others.
To go one step further, I believe that our current recession has exposed so many fraudulent organizations in the corporate world that people are scrambling to find who they can trust. At times like this, people turn to religion and faith primarily, and those who don’t have religion turn to, turn to their organized communities. And to take it even one step further, they go to the organizations that have serviced their families over time or are currently service them in both times of need and celebration.
Not the end of hope, but the beginning of faith - It seems that in reality, people are not giving up hope. They are simply redirecting where their faith resides. We had so much prosperity in times past that people started leaving the protection of their own domains and ventured out into unfriendly waters. But as many seafarers learn, the seas are infested with sharks and other dangerous creatures. Surprisingly in this day and age, we struggle with pirates on the sea and here in our own financial backyard. So people are now coming back to safer waters - more ‘faithful’ waters.
Family - People are finding that their faith resides in the organizations that practice faith. I do not mean only religious faith. I mean even in their community or country club. Community provides assurance. It provides comfort. It provides security. It provides familiarity. It provides family. This is what the world needs now. Those in need need to know that there are those that care. They need to know there are those who will support them, if not financially, then at least emotionally and spiritually. Even those who are against social welfare programs and government spending on such programs are not against social welfare. Those against social welfare programs usually dispute who decides how to manage the programs. They want to individually determine where to direct their social support, not be told.
The Social Welfare Hierarchy - The social welfare hierarchy usually goes from individual, to family, to friends, to community, etc. Some recognize support of a not-for-profit such as a church as a support for them as an individual. Often, they give back to those who helped them and their family. The individual directly benefits from such support be it in the form of counseling, spiritual growth or social networking. This places such organizations very high up in the hierarchy.
Not-for-profit Organization’s Need for Financial Security – Even though a not-for-profit organization is not primarily intended to produce profit, it is designed to perform the service they set out to perform. As a result, they need to generate ongoing revenue just like a for-profit organization does. This allows them to handle their day to day costs, counseling, programming needs, charitable endeavors, communal responsibilities, social action, and more.
APIOH – A Place In Our Hearts Can Help – You had to figure that I would be directing this back to APIOH. But that is what APIOH is all about. It is creating a way of fostering the connection people are now seeking between their community organizations and themselves. APIOH is about helping organizations convey to their members that the organization needs to fund its present and future activities, but that those activities center ‘around’ those members. APIOH is about saying “I don’t only care that you are here, I care who you are. I don’t only care that you give, I care that you do. I don’t only care that you celebrated, I care that ‘we’ celebrated.”
People do not abandon faith in the tough times. They turn to it. Religious organizations tend to swell when the economy is bad. Even when times are tough, someone needs to be there to console the grieving. When a milestone is celebrated, no matter how much a family needs to downsize the festivities, they still want to share the event with family, friends and community. On the flip side, when gifts are given to an organization, the organization needs to say thank you. These are areas in which APIOH can help.
APIOH’s Revenue Generating Tools - APIOH can also help in revenue generation. We help organizations develop a fundraising program centered around our recognition systems. Each has a unique way of generating revenue while providing significant good will to its members and patrons. We have generated a report to demonstrate one such example. Check out the Apioh Memorials Revenue Generation example. Contact APIOH at info@apioh.net so we can help you calculate your revenue generating potential through the APIOH family of products.
