by embolden | May 22, 2015 | Articles, Updates
by Maya Casagrande, Grants Specialist “If we’re not careful, we’ll all end up wearing our underwear on the outside.” - A not-so-ancient grant world proverb Especially for those new to the grant world, it can be a challenging, daunting, and mysterious place – full of nuances to decipher, rabbitholes to fall down, and hoops to jump through. But it can also be an exciting, constructive, and fruitful world…when you’re prepared. Whether you are a maternal health organization in India or an environmental organization in the United States, here are a few general tips we follow and hope are helpful for you in your own journey through the grant world. Image source: http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/mission_matters_most Assess your organizational readiness. Small nonprofits often dive into the grant process because they are in need. However, those most in need of funding are also sometimes those least prepared to seek it, secure it, and appropriately and responsibly utilize it. By ensuring you have the appropriate organizational and programmatic elements in place before you start the process, you will not only eliminate the need for additional work, but will also position your organization for success with grant applications. Each foundation sets their own criteria and application processes, so start by reviewing several potential funders’ websites to get an idea of what elements you need (certified financials, statement of need, target population information, monitoring and evaluation frameworks, etc). Ideally, you will already have all of this in place. If not, don’t fret – this is a great prompt to stimulate your own development and refinement of the parameters for your approach, as well as the frameworks and...
by embolden | May 13, 2015 | Articles, Nepal, Updates
How many times have you read those words on the back of a shampoo bottle and skipped that last step, either because you know it’s a waste of shampoo and precious water or for myriad other very valid reasons? According to the Urban Dictionary, these words are defined as: “To mindlessly repeat past patterns or behaviors without critical thought.” What if we looked at those simple words differently from the potential for thoughtful, critical analyses instead? What does that look like? Try Listen, Act, Repeat on for size…. You may have awakened on Saturday April 25th morning to the horrible news of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Nepal or to the news of a community in your own state broken down by senseless violence or to the news of the devastating tsunami on December 26th, 2004 and on and on. Immediately, you are touched in your core as you hear about the devastation, and you hurt in your heart for other humans suffering. You listen attentively. And begin to think: “What can I do to help?” These moments of capturing human compassion can be the utmost authentic and true to unify us on this planet, reminding us that we all breathe air, that we all love another being (at least one), and that we all bleed red. So, now what?! What to you do? Where do you turn? This is where the Listening gets even more important, no, critical. Listen to yourself. No one can decide what you should do or how you can best help another person but yourself. Be honest with your resources and your skills. Do...
by embolden | May 1, 2015 | Articles, Nepal, Updates
By Bill Rohs with contributions by Julia Burton, Neena Jain, and Alli Sarazen A chill went through Colorado Saturday morning as it woke to the sun. Far away in the small country of Nepal a devastating earthquake wounded the nation and their pain was felt in Colorado. Phones rang, emails flowed and social media lit up at the hands of people in Colorado desperate for news of family, friends and communities in Nepal. The connection between the two places runs deep, stemming from mountaineers and trekkers, to nonprofit staff and immigrant Nepalese who expatriated to Colorado. I work with a non-profit based in Golden, Colorado and I see Golden as a perfect example of the many connections Colorado has with Nepal. Our offices are located inside the American Mountaineering Center and the deep personal connections with Nepal begins with this adventuresome lot. The high peaks and quiet beauty of Nepal are like sirens to the climbers of mountainous Colorado. Mountaineers, trekkers and adventurers travel to enjoy the amazing and spectacular wonders of “the Top of the World.” Prayer flags flap all over Golden as symbols of our connection with Nepal and their Tibetan kin. The flags now send their prayers back to Nepal through the wind. Refugees from Nepal have been resettling in Colorado for years, most arriving in time of the Nepalese Maoist insurgency. Many Tibetan, Bhutanese and even Somali refugees are also here by way of Nepal, where they had been resettled or to which they had escaped from trouble in their homelands. Many now own and work in restaurants and businesses in Golden. Because of these deep passionate ties to Nepal,...
by embolden | Mar 26, 2015 | Articles, Updates
“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak… It is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” – Winston Churchill Have you ever been too preoccupied to tune in to life? Did you miss your daughter’s first words because your mind was elsewhere (even though you were physically in the same room) or drive all the way to your destination only to arrive and forget how you got there? When we are merely going through the motions and ignoring the humanity of our experiences, conversations and interactions we miss the (not so) subtle wisdom of everyday life. For most of us, the majority of beings with whom we deal every day are human. Living, breathing creatures complete with their own set of ideas, emotions and experiences. We are all capable of adapting – that is what nature has bred us for. But it seems as though we’ve adapted too far beyond the realm of humanity, reaching for the company of our 6-inch touch screens instead of each other’s hearts and hands. At emBOLDen Alliances, we know that to produce powerful, viable outcomes together we must actively encourage mutual respect, adaptability and presence. We consider ourselves a partnership rather than a consultancy because we have the courage to truly listen and to engage in collaboration that transforms organizations and communities alike. But these concepts transcend emBOLDen. For all of us, to truly engage with our experiences we must embody the presence of mind necessary to practice the very listening that will transform us. So, next time your mind wanders to next week’s agenda while you’re having that...
by embolden | Nov 19, 2014 | Articles, Updates
7 Things you might not know about Logistics in Humanitarian Assistance and International Development by Bill Rohs, Operations & Logistics Specialist 1 - Sometimes you have to figure out what to do with the strangest things. When a large humanitarian crisis occurs such as the 2009 earthquake in Haiti or the 2004 tsunami in SE Asia, there is a large outpouring of donations of all kinds. While intentions are good, sometimes the utility of these items is not necessarily appropriate for the circumstances. For example, there had been reports of South Pacific islands receiving shipments of down winter jackets. In my case, while working on an island off North Sumatra in Indonesia post-tsunami, I found myself on the receiving end of 18 pallets of high sugar fruit drink and 5 large boxes of teddy bears. Our organization’s main office didn’t know what to do with it, so they sent it on to us. We tried to donate the fruit punch to other organizations that might have a use for it, but no one wanted it. The teddy bears turned out to be donated from individual children and each one had a handwritten tag revealing that child’s name. After talking with our local staff, we decided that the best plan was to donate the bears to an organization working with children as well as some to local area orphanages. It was amazing to witness the smiles and laughter as the kids lit up receiving these gently used and very loved animals. Each orphanage also received a healthily (or not-so-healthy) supply of fruit punch to boot. 2 - Getting out behind...
