Blog
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(c) Elon Schoenholz Photography
Rising gas prices have motivated many Americans to start bicycling and taking transit in record numbers. While I've experienced this anecdotally while riding around town, I recently learned first hand about the dramatic shifts going on around the country after researching recent media coverage relating to this issue for one of my clients, Bikestation.
Consider some of the following headlines: "Gas Prices Send Surge of Riders to Mass Transit", New York Times; "Bicycling in Region Rolls Up Big Gains", Sacramento Bee; "Interest in Bicycling Soars with Gas Prices", Boston Channel; and even "Save Money, Bike to Work", Christian Broadcasting Network. For every major media publication that covered this issue, hundreds of smaller media outlets around the country report the same phenomenon. Check out this Sunday's LA Times Opinion section as well.
As more people consider transportation alternatives, the more that can be done to accomodate these trips by making them safe and enjoyable, the better.
Locally, we have several organizations that are doing good work: Bikestation provides secure bike parking, the LA County Bicycle Coalition advocates for better policies, the Bike Kitchen provides a space for repair, CICLE gives people the education necessary to ride our streets with confidence. As a consultant, I've had the opportunity to work with the leadership of all of these organizations and am thrilled with the work they do.
Over the last several years, numerous bicycle related groups and rides have sprung up in Los Angeles, creating the beginnings of a more bicycle-oriented culture. While much has been gained, there is much work to be done to truly make Los Angeles a bicycle-friendly county. I'm optimistic that this will occur.
For more info, check out www.reconnectingamerica.org.
Greetings,
Welcome to my new website! In addition to describing the services I provide, background on my experience and my past clients, I’m excited to launch a blog where I will share with you valuable lessons I’ve learned about nonprofit management over the last 11 years. Every week, my goal is to capture a bit of wisdom I’ve learned that will hopefully be a resource to you and your organization. Over time, I hope to build an online library that you can access anytime, on a series of different topics. If there are certain areas you would like for me to address, or questions you have, please email them to me. If you would like to discuss any of these areas in greater detail, please contact me. Thanks and keep up the good work!
Cheers,
Ron
The best fundraising advice I ever received was from a seasoned fundraising veteran name Susan. Shortly after I launched my first nonprofit organization, she said “Your job is to ask. The person you ask’s job is to decide. If you don’t do your job and ask, the other person will never have the opportunity to decide.” The key moment in the fundraising process is the ask. Get comfortable with it. Remember, it is your job. And if you don’t do your job, the person you ask will never do their job – decide on whether or not to give your organization money.
Ready to launch a nonprofit organization? What’s the most important ingredient? Passion. When I launched a nonprofit at age 22, passion fueled my work. When challenges arose, my passion for the organization’s mission helped me navigate through the tough times. With it, I learned everything I needed to success at leading a nonprofit – strategic planning, fundraising, board development, budgeting and so much more. So ask yourself, how passionate are you about the mission of your nonprofit? If your answer is “I’m extremely passionate about the mission of my new nonprofit”, then you’ve got what it takes to make your dream reality.

