The past five years have flown by and most of us have seen more change than ever before. The scary part is that the next five years will fly by even faster and change will speed up. Change is tough for a lot of people. So, what does this mean? I envision people will slow their lives down by doing less.

We see changes happen in our personal lives and it takes time to adapt. It is always nice when we can give ourselves grace to work through things. The same is true with the nonprofits in our community because they work so hard for the things they do to serve us. A nonprofit deserves our grace as well.

A nonprofit is more likely to feel the challenge of change because there may be a need for additional funds. A poor economy makes raising money more difficult because it affects a person’s ability to give charitable donations. A nonprofit may raise money through event planning but the costs have gone up on most everything and that raises the cost for people to attend an event. And, if a person is doing less, they may not participate.

Nonprofits may discover that grant writing is a bigger priority these days. There are companies who have a steady flow of income and charitable gifts are part of their program. The internet allows for an easier way to examine grant opportunities but it often comes down to sharing your story. SOAR is an acronym for developing relationships. It is important to SHARE your message, OFFER opportunities for people to be involved, ACCEPT the way people participate and RESPECT & thank the people involved.

People who are ready to slow down change will either drag their feet or fall back and let go. These choices are not healthy. The advice I offer is just a matter of personal opinion but I’ll say it anyway – give yourself grace.

This means, put your feet down and secure stable ground and then fall back but do not let go. This is a great time to relax and lighten your load because rushing into an alternative solution can be detrimental to the larger picture. I see it happening everywhere with meetings moving to every other month, video calls are an option, and wellness is a practical excuse for missing an activity.

So, the next five years are too far into the distance to think about. Instead, let’s think about the Lights Above the Clouds Parade happening in December in Woodland Park. It is time to support three nonprofits. You can email lightsATC@gmail.com to request information on the sponsor package. This event has an excellent marketing campaign for your business. Let’s SOAR through change together and enjoy the ride.

Contact Gayle Gross at iwantto@soarwithnetworkfundraising.org or 719-233-9902 if you want your nonprofit to be part of this column or to be part of the Nonprofit Cooperative of Teller County. Gayle Gross has worked with nonprofits since 1998. Now, she facilitates SOAR’s Nonprofit Cooperative of Teller County. Meetings are on the second Tuesday of each month, 9:30 a.m. – 10:45. The group meets at Reserve Our Gallery or at a nonprofit’s location. Join the group on March 12 at the gallery.