EVERY MISSION BEGAN WITH A STORY
Who is preserving yours?
Before there was an organization, there was a moment.
Something happened. You saw a need. You witnessed an injustice. You met someone whose story stayed with you. Or perhaps something happened in your own life that made it impossible to simply look away.
So you did something. You created something.
And somehow, that first act became a mission.
The mission has a history. But you have a story
Let us help you preserve it.
Your Organization Has a History
But you have a story.
Today there may be a board, a staff, donors, volunteers, and people who depend upon the work you began.
But there was a time when none of that existed.
There was only an idea. A need you couldn't ignore. And the belief that somehow, you could make a difference.
There were people who believed in you before anyone else did.
There were probably moments when you wondered how you would find the money, the people or the energy to keep going.
There may even have been a moment when you asked yourself:
“Can we really keep this going?”
And then there were the moments that answered that question.
A person you helped. A family whose life changed. A milestone you never imagined reaching. The moment you looked around and realized that what began as an idea had become something real.
Those stories are part of the organization, too.
THE STORY BEHIND THE MISSION
Your story is more than dates, milestones and annual reports.
I've created The Story Behind the Mission, a short reflection for nonprofit founders designed to take you back to the moments that shaped the organization you built.
Six thoughtful questions. No preparation. No perfect answers.
Just a few minutes to remember.
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The moment that started it.
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The early days.
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The struggle to keep going.
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The people who made it worthwhile.
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The moment you realized it had become something bigger.
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And the story you hope future leaders will carry forward.
You may be surprised by what you remember.