Nonprofit-Performance-360-Special-Edition-Stanley

From the Editor... “To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition… to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived - that is to have succeeded.” – Bessie A. Stanley, often attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson This quote struck me at an early age. The concept of taking that which has been given to you and turning it into something that grows to impact more is certainly at the heart of philanthropy and the nonprofit movement. At SynerVision Leadership Foundation, the organization behind Nonprofit Performance Magazine , this speaks to the core of why we exist: to amplify the work of other organizations for greater impact! While these words of Bessie Stanley are so true, they aren’t the focus of our intentions often enough. Simply go to someone’s funeral and watch and listen to see the legacy they have left behind, for good or ill. So what are you and your organization leaving behind? For some, it is money through foundations or charitable trusts. Maybe it is ideas on how to bring impact to others. Could it be service provided to a community? In this Special Edition of Nonprofit Performance Magazine , the importance of leaving a legacy is our focus. Whether you are a 20something or an 80something, it is never too early or late to build a culture that will impact communities. It’s imperative for each of us to think about what we are giving that will remain after we are gone. In this issue we deviate from our normal framework of the “how-to”approach for growing your organization to more of a reflective approach on the lives and the organizations that are shaping a legacy. From David Stanley, the younger stepbrother of Elvis Presley, and his focus on Elvis’ charitable impact, to Frances Hesselbein, the former CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA, and her focus on a legacy of service, we seek to understand the factors that lead to a worthy legacy. As you read this issue, we want you to examine your own life, organization, and community. What legacy do you desire to leave behind? What child, garden patch, social condition, or life with easier breathing are you working to impact? Join us on the journey through this issue and remember that it is not too late to help positively impact your world! Regards! Todd

Todd Greer