I started my career as a front line child care worker in a residential treatment facility for abused and neglected children. It was a wonderful job. I lived full time with the children, was paid $400 per month and only got a vacation when I took some of the children with me because we were so short staffed. I was young and the 18-20 hour work days did not bother me. I remember thinking what it would be like to have time off or attend a training to become better at my job. No time for that, we were simply too busy taking care of the children.

I often think about the talented, hard-working, dedicated folks who work for the agencies we fund. Many of you have worked your entire careers as nonprofit workers in similar conditions. You are heroes in my eyes.

Although what you do is important, it is equally important to take time every now and then and get away from your work to refresh your mind and spirit. Dedicated folks like you can develop compassion fatigue and burnout and either quit or do your job without feeling or passion. Everyone loses when this happens.

Front line workers, supervisors and management should be nurtured, appreciated and supported. If we don’t take the time to do this, these dedicated care providers will become physical and mental health clients rather than providers.

I had the pleasure of working for the Kauffman Foundation for over 11 years and in the early years of the foundation I had the honor of working directly with Mr. Kauffman (Mr. K). One day Mr. K told us that “Money does not solve problems, people solve problems and if people work together there is nothing that cannot be accomplished”. I have always remembered that quote because in the foundation world we give away money and in Mr. K’s eyes that was not such a big deal. We have the easy job. The tough job lies in the hands to those of you who work in the nonprofit community who are working to provide quality programs to your clients.

Next month this foundation is going to begin discussing a $7 million Safety Net RFP. I encourage you to check our web site for deadlines and funding guidelines. We fund a lot of existing programs because they work. We are very open to consider funding “breakthrough ideas” that may be a big departure from the status quo. I challenge folks who are going to submit a proposal to us to dream big and don’t be afraid to propose a grant request that could cause a massive system change.

As Mr. K said money does not solve problems – People solve problems --but only if we dare to dream outside our comfort zone and think about how things should be. Good Luck!