Community Foundation Conference Inspires 3 Things

Having just returned from Community Foundations of Canada's national conference, my mind has a pile of ideas to evaluate and prioritize.

With guest speakers including City of Calgary's Mayor Naheed Nenshi, Aga Khan Foundation's CEO Khalil Shariff, Commander Chris Hadfield, the Nebraska Community Foundation's Jeff Yost and Fogo Island's Zita Cobb, there was no shortage of inspiration. The challenge is breaking it down into things that 'need' to be done in Golden & Area A.

Mayor Nenshi spoke about "3 Thing for Calgary" as a way of involving citizens in volunteerism and community development. This fits very well with Golden & District Community Foundation's "Take Action" section from Vital Signs 2014.

Maybe that's where I'll start. What 3 things can I do for Golden & Area A right now?

Thing #1: I will push/pull/drive/support/lead/coach/negotiate/influence the relevant and interested local leaders toward the formation of a holistic-thinking and acting Community Team for Golden & Area A. This has a finite term (June) and many moving parts so this requires my utmost attention and priority.

Thing #2: I will share the relevant resources with people in the community so that they can be inspired to make the most of their potential and resources for their community. This will include an annual plan & budget for the Golden & District Community Foundation (GDCF), hosting space for the execution of Golden's Age Friendly Community Plan and sharing of the many relevant resources from the CFC Conference (#CFC2015). This should result in the perception of abundance, over scarcity.

Thing #3: I will be there to support Youth, Sports & Rec groups to come together and share their ideas, challenges and goals in regular meetings as they work toward working together, forming coalitions and hosting events. I can't be Chris Hadfield, but I can inspire others. And you can too!

So, there you have it - my 3 Things for Golden. Individuals can decide to do '3 Things for Golden' quite easily. But can organizations do the same? Yes, and it could have a massive positive impact!

One piece of advice to get there: Discover your 'why?' Why do you want to do things? Not sure what I mean? Check out Simon Sinek's TEDtalk.

What would be your organization's 3 Things for Golden? Start the discussion at your next meeting and see where it goes. Hopefully it gets to the heart of why you formed in the first place and what you need to be focusing on each year forward.

Write your 3 things down today and share them - #3ThingsGolden !

I wonder what could be accomplished if a community focused on 3 things? Hmm…


Ryan Watmough
nonprofits.gcrs@gmail.com