GOOD NEWS: Love Is All You Need
Good News: An enewsletter for donors and nonprofits
on strategic planning, governance, fundraising, and executive leadership.
Love Is All You Need
With Valentine’s Day near, love is on my mind. Love for my wife, family, friends, and clients, of course. But also love as the catalyst that brings about meaningful, lasting, positive change.
Despite my inclination to invoke words like effectiveness, impact, force, and power when in conversation with donor or nonprofit partners, I am reminded of other voices bringing change to tens of thousands of people.
Squashbusters Founder Greg Zaff speaking at SQB’s 20th anniversary celebration saying, “Love has been at the center of everything we’ve tried to do.” Youth Development Organization’s Founder Howard Sticklor saying to a group of alumni, students, and families, “All of what we’ve tried to do has been driven by love.” And 21/64’s Executive Director Danielle Oristian York beautifully writing one year ago,
“It’s love that animates the simple and courageous acts to pierce the armor of distant professionalism or steely leadership. Acts like exploring people’s values, asking questions rather than giving advice, telling stories of our history that make us who we
are, and audaciously imagining a world better than the one we now inhabit. This is the work of the heart. It’s where connection happens; it’s where change is born.”
So in the depths of this cold, dark winter for many, I hope you will consider recentering your organization’s language and action on love. Yes, data, measured outcomes, logic models, theories of change, efficiencies, and tough decisions are necessary from time to time but try not to let them become your mantra or brand.
For inspiration and making real change, keep love at the center of everything you do. It is at the heart of what you're doing, why you're doing it, and why people want to be a part of it.
Stuff Steve Is Watching, Listening To, and Reading
Mr. Beast: The Most Subscribed YouTuber and Often Unknown Philanthropist to People Over 50 (9 minute watch)
"This video is brought to you by YOU. We accomplished so much this year, both on the channel and off, but none of this could happen without you. Your views fund the work we do, your support energizes us when we feel depleted, and your enthusiasm inspires us to to work as hard as we can every day to earn your continued loyalty. We are nothing without you.” Beast Philanthropy
Watch Here
Love Is All You Need ( 3 minute listen)
“Love. Love. Love. Nothing you can do but you can learn, but you can learn how to be you in time. It’s easy. All you need is love. All you need is love. All you need is love, love. Love is all you need.” The Beatles
Listen Here
The Greek's Agape Love (3 minute read)
"We speak of a love which is expressed in the Greek word agape. Agape means nothing sentimental or basically affectionate. It means understanding, creative, redeeming goodwill for all men. It is an overflowing love which seeks nothing in return. It is not set in motion by any quality or function of its object. It is purely spontaneous, unmotivated, groundless, and creative. It is the love of God operating in the human heart. When we rise to love on the agape level, we love men not because we like them, not because their attitudes and ways appeal to us, but we love them because God loves them. Here we rise to the position of loving the person who does the evil deed while hating the deed that the person does." The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.
Read Here
