WISDOM FOR YOUR SOUL
There is great wisdom in all corners of society, even the hidden corners.
Some of the finest people I know have the least amount of money.
You can be gracious in all of your dealings with others.
Be thankful every day for all of the gifts you have been given and act accordingly.
Look for holistic answers since few problems exist in isolation.
Strong boards make strong charities.
We all have a duty to serve each other in a manner consistent with our gifts and talents.
People in a community are far more interdependent than we think.
The federal government is not going to sweep in and solve our problems. We must do it for ourselves.
Concentrate on assets, not liabilities. Determine how liabilities can become assets.
The business of the community foundation is to build community through relationships, understanding and communications. The secondary business is to build community fiscal capital for the long term benefit of the community.
Love really is the answer.
Fundraising is a noble profession if properly executed.
All fundraising is built on relationships, credibility and communications.
Donors do what donors want to do.
Understand the fragility of technology.
Love your work or do something else.
We are not in charge.
True authority is derived from the consent of the governed and not by holding a title.
Help others if you want to help yourself.
Remember the value of unrestricted giving.
A lack of spending by charities on marketing, infrastructure and employee training has huge negative consequences long term.
Technology has the potential to be a powerful equalizing force in society but that power can be removed in the matter of seconds.
Remember the power of rest. It is not being weak but rather preparing you for greater things.
Social isolation is a terrible curse.
The culture of an organization determines the quality of people that will work there and its relationship to the rest of the community.
Don't just get out of your comfort zone, expand it.
Families are the building block of society, work on making strong families.
Tolerance is only the goal if you can't do any better.
Treat root causes, not symptoms.
Most charities are built on middle class platforms which often do not serve low income clients well.
We need to pay more attention to gifted education in our schools.
All employees are temporary, some more temporary than others.
The price of indifference is very high.
Much of the conversations in our civic dialogue are either based on fear or intended to increase fear. Neither serves society well.
There are heroes in our society in many hidden spots. Support those people.
We will very soon be a majority non-white country. Accept that fact with grace.
All successful people are like the turtle on the fencepost. They had help getting there.
We all possess numerous types of capital. Financial capital is just one. But knowledge capital, social capital and reputational capital can also be used for the betterment of our community. We can all be philanthropists in our own way.
If each of us did one small act of kindness each day, the world would be a better place and we would be better people. Let's give it a try.
Ethics is the basis of civilized society.
Peter T. Cooper
