Nonprofit's Defeating The Outrage Machine

The Nonprofit Show

This provocative session sheds light on the complexities of managing nonprofit organizations in a divided society and offering practical insights into fostering unity and channeling outrage towards constructive outcomes. Through her unconventional methods and business-oriented mindset, Deborah Cribbs, of GiveThemTen.org, demonstrates how even the most contentious issues amongst nonprofits can be tackled with innovation and collaboration.
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Deborah starts by explaining the origins of her organization, Give Them Ten, which is dedicated to the health and safety of cats in Cincinnati. Despite the seemingly niche focus, her insights quickly reveal broader implications. "We are bankers, we're businesspeople. So, we approach the idea of cat welfare a little differently," Cribbs notes, highlighting how her team’s business acumen has influenced their strategies that support nonprofits.
The conversation moves towards the concept of the "outrage machine," a term that has become ubiquitous in today's polarized society. Deborah describes this phenomenon, pointing out, "Everybody's outraged about something. And right now, in this great nation, we're all outraged, kind of about the same thing, but on different sides of the fence." She connects this societal trend to her work with animal shelters, illustrating how initial resistance and entrenched competition among shelters were significant hurdles.
The discussion intensifies as Deborah recounts the painstaking process of uniting disparate shelter groups into a cohesive coalition. "They saw each other as competitors. Everybody's fighting for the same donor dollar," she explains. Despite this, Deborah and her team managed to foster a spirit of collaboration by emphasizing mutual benefits and leveraging financial incentives. "Once they realized that others could help them solve their problems as an emergency, like kind of in crisis mode... that's the muscle memory that made it sustainable," she describes.
The two also explore the role of social media in amplifying both outrage and positive change. Deborah points to the value of professional social media strategies in the nonprofit sector, stating, "It's the least expensive method of communication with the public, and it so happens to be the most effective."
Towards the end of the conversation, Deborah addresses the challenge of overcoming fear and division within organizations. She candidly shares her approach: "I'm going to let you say your baggage one more time about each other. If you want to. And actually they did speak up... And then we said no more. We don't want to hear about it anymore."
This fast-paced conversation will open your eyes to the possibilities that might be right in front of you already. Enjoy!

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