Running a non-profit is a pretty tough business. When I’m presented with the opportunity to attend a free workshop to learn new tools and strategies that can benefit my organization and the people it serves, I take advantage of it. I am the Director of STRIVE-New Haven, a United Way partner agency, and I recently attended a one-day Harwood Institute seminar on October 21. It was a day that inspired great thought and conversation, and was certainly a call to action for myself and the other individuals represented in the room to turn outward towards our community.

Last Week United Way Staff, Board Members, and community volunteers gathered for a day long workshop with The Harwood Institute to learn about how to strengthen our connection with the Community.  Founder of the Institute, Richard Hardwood lead the discussion and encouraged the group to "turn outward" to the community.  To turn outward, we must have an open and honest discussion with the United Way community around their shared aspirations.  Identifing these shared aspirations will allow us to align our work around what is real for our community.

A lesson I took from the Harwood Innovator's Lab is that successful movements combine technical opportunities of expert knowledge and timed momentum of public knowledge. I wrote this idea in my notes as an equation,

(Expert Knowledge + Public Knowledge) x Timing = Political Will To Change.