Blog Post #2 (Andrew Wharton)

First, I want to apologize for the late posting of this blog. I had one of those “oh crap moments” last night and realized my week had got away from me. Also a big thank you for the pumpkin cookies and apple cider. That was awesome!

Last Friday’s class was very much an eye opener for me in terms of non-profit-organizations, but also their involvement in the Columbus area. I thought that Dr. Amy Wade’s presentation was awesome in terms of not just giving us the answers but more of a “MythBuster” feel. One of the biggest things I took away from the meeting is the importance of relationships involved in working with a non-profit. Non-profits just don’t start on a whim. Finances, technical experts, and passionate believers in the organization all have to come together to serve a common purpose. I also found it very informative when Dr. Wade discussed her grant writing role in her NPO I Know I Can. Continuing education is definitely something I am a big believer in and it is very cool to know that organizations like I Know I Can actually provide that service here in our Columbus Community. It is was also very surprising to find out exactly how many hats she wore for the organization. In my internship over the summer, I was a specialist in certain areas and only expected to perform in the area of the business that I was placed. It is good to know that non-profits often mix it up a bit. I also learned that boards come in all shapes and sizes (30 member boards like I Know I Can’s to 4,5 member boards). It was also interesting to note the friction that often exists between most boards and the employees of an organization. I would have to assume this is very typical of most boards but less so in the private sector. I found it very ironic that social services was the largest sector of all NPO’s but had the most minimal resources in terms of spending capability. It was also nice to realize that working for a non-profit doesn’t mean you have to make less than you would in the private sector. Coming from a major that is largely employed by for-profit companies, I have really never gotten that take on non-profits before. Non-distribution policy was also a very enlightening topic considering that the general view of a non-profits is that they are only concerned with breaking even.