“Officially” Three Years Old
If you use social media, you may have discovered Facebook’s “on this day” feature or apps like Timehop and Memoir – tools that help you relive and celebrate milestones, big and small. I love these daily reminders that make me laugh, make me miss my son’s blonde baby curls or my daughter’s toothless grin, help me relive a fantastically lazy vacation or make me think: “did I REALLY post that?!?”
Whether or not I get to relive a milestone through social media, I like to revisit even the small milestones to reflect on progress made or momentum lost, and more importantly – as opportunities to practice gratitude. There has been plenty of research on the proven benefits of gratitude and as I shared in a blog this past spring, several important milestones have given KNN wonderful opportunities to practice gratitude.
One recent milestone last week and one coming up on Monday provide an opportunity for, you guessed it – gratitude. While we’ve been partnering with you to strengthen the nonprofit sector for nearly fourteen years, Kentucky Nonprofit Network, Inc. will officially celebrate its third birthday/receipt of our 501 (c) 3 tax-exempt status on September 21. And last week, we celebrated two years in our modest office space with fantastic parking.
As I look back at the on the road to how we became an independent nonprofit, it’s been quite a roller coaster ride. As many of you who have had to scale back quickly or grow rapidly can attest, sometimes the most important thing you can do is buckle up. While there are days the transition seems like thirty years instead of three, I am truly grateful for the progress made, the victories won and even the bumps and potholes along the way.
Every time an organization renews their KNN membership, I am thankful. When a new organization becomes a KNN member, I am excited to have another member on the team. When a nonprofit takes advantage of our state association health plan or an executive learns about the latest updates to KY laws for nonprofits because of our tools, I am proud of the resources KNN offers. When I see nonprofits contacting their legislators about issues of importance to them and our sector, I am energized. And yes, I have to be honest, when a nonprofit is utilizing KNN resources yet doesn’t feel the investment in membership is “worth it,” I’m disappointed and eager to convince them that the work of a state association of nonprofits doesn’t just happen – they need us and we need them.
As KNN reaches this three-year milestone, I’m thrilled to report that your state association is 534 members strong – and growing! The investments of membership dues, sponsorships, grants, donations, time, expertise, interest, energy and passion for improving the quality of life in our communities that each of you brings to this partnership to advance our sector is appreciated and energizing. So, I thank you. And I am grateful for these milestones.
How do you reflect and celebrate your milestones? Let us hear from you.
Danielle
P.S. Not yet a member of your state association? Now is the perfect time…create a milestone and join today!
