A few weeks ago, Robert Egger, CEO of the DC Central Kitchen, founder of the Nonprofit Congress and winner of the 2007 Non Profit Times 50 Most Powerful and Influential Leaders was in town to give us his insights on the nonprofit sector in Austin. Here’s what he had to say…..
- We are working in a nonprofit sector that isn’t “rockin”, which is why minorities and young, energetic employees aren’t “knockin!”
- In order for our sector to grow and remain viable in the not-so distant baby-boomers-retired future, we need to not only create new ideas, but stand up for them and believe in them.
- We, as young people in the sector need to demand a voice at the table with our sector’s leaders, as well as our country’s leaders.
- We are 10% of the workforce with an economic share greater than the GNP of India – we deserve that voice, but aren’t given that respect by our nation’s leaders.
- We need to get past the notion of nonprofits as “charities that do random nice things” and see ourselves as a common movement.
- We need to shed the “make them come to us” model and start going to them – the volunteers and resources are out there and excited to work with us.
- Young Nonprofit Professional Network (YNPN) has the opportunity and obligation to work towards revolutionizing the state of nonprofits to work for us and future generations, because the current system has gotten bigger, but not better.
Or better yet, click on the video to hear it first hand….
Muchisimas gracias to Greenlights for Nonprofit Success and to YNPN superstar Kimberly Caldwell for (your notes!) and for hosting Robert “The House is Rockin” Egger!
Mando
Director, Hands On Central Texas