Building connective tissue within

Inspire. Connect. Learn. Share. Engage.

All are words frequently used to describe The Patterson Foundation, and we demonstrate them every day through the work of our initiatives.

Through TPF’s blog network, we are able to share our lessons learned with not only our community and beyond – but also within.

As you journey through TPF’s blog, you’ll appreciate each initiative manager’s insight into his or her approach to change the “what is” into “what can be.” This leads to creating new realities. Seeking “connective tissue” (connecting with others) in our other initiatives – embracing lessons of what worked, what didn’t, what needed significant adjustment or just a little tweaking – provides greater impact, efficiency and effectiveness into their work.

For example, in a recent blog by our Military Initiative Manager, Sandy Beckley, she shares about her January vacation in Tennessee and NE Alabama. Not only did her trip entail visiting National Cemeteries to assist in the development of TPF’s assembly area for Sarasota National Cemetery, but she had the opportunity to see firsthand the impact of TPF’s Disaster collaboration with the Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama and First Baptist Church of Williams following the April 2011 tornadoes in the state.

From a financial standpoint, our Finance Lens Consultant, Rob Lane, reaffirmed the importance of nonprofit financial thrivability and efficiency in his blog, “Nonprofits: Don’t Waste a Good Recession”. It was an opportunity to highlight the important facilitating role of TPF’s Collaborative Restructuring Initiative, through which organizations are encouraged to collaborate for mission optimization through partnerships, back-office collaborations and mergers.

Janet Coats, the New Media Journalism(NMJ) Initiative Manager, had a great excuse for a little late start to NMJ’s 2012 blogs…the holidays ate her blog. I hate it when that happens, but it was well worth the wait! Why? Because her year in review blog on NMJ’s learnings is a wonderful testament to how lessons learned can apply to each of TPF's initiatives.

Social media allows the transparency of our learnings to reach beyond our boundaries and supports our mission by being more effective. In doing so, we hope it also inspires others to become interested in creating their own new realities to make an impact, difference or change in their communities.

Have you been inspired by TPF’s work to create your new reality?

Is there a TPF lesson learned that helped you make an impact? If so, pay it forward! We all benefit when you share!