HOPE was born

Many years ago, a baby was born in New York. Her parents gave her a fairly common first name for the times—but for a middle name, they gave her something more powerful. They gave her a mantra.

In case I’ve never mentioned it: my middle name is HOPE. And it has served me well my entire life.

Now, I often say HOPE is not a strategy… but it is a steady burn in your soul that whispers: this just might be worth it.

A Lesson in HOPE

Back in the early 1990s, the real estate market was BAD—and getting worse. Homes weren’t selling. Many realtors were abandoning their careers in search of something less stressful. My husband and I had just gotten married and were looking to buy a home. We visited a cool area in Brooklyn called Park Slope and met a realtor who told us she was very busy.

We were surprised—how could she be busy when no homes were selling?

She explained that so many of her competitors had given up, but she hadn’t. She knew that even in the worst markets, someone is still selling homes.

That’s HOPE in action.

Holding on to HOPE

I had a dear friend who was very sick with cancer. Toward the end of her illness, people in the community began reaching out, asking for updates. There were so many love-fueled rumors swirling around. But I didn’t feel it was my place to share her personal health news.

So I said this: Her husband hasn’t given up hope for her recovery—and you shouldn’t either.

To be clear, HOPE didn’t save her life. The cancer won. But we stood by her, her husband, and her daughter with an abundance of love—and yes, HOPE—until the very end.

HOPE When All Seems Lost

During the 2008 banking crisis, one of the best salespeople I’ve ever worked with came to me in a panic. Banks were folding, clients were canceling left and right, and she thought she’d lost her magic. She’d been up all night and just needed to talk.

We had a long conversation. I reminded her she was magic—and that the crisis would pass. But until it did, she needed to adjust. Work her (newly diminished) closing ratio like she was a brand-new salesperson. Call more people. Hustle. Even if the success rate was lower, more effort would still bring results.

She listened, dug deep, worked harder than ever—and she hit her numbers.

That’s HOPE backed by action.

HOPE for the Future

Fundraising is hard—even on the best days. Right now, it can feel terrifying.

But as the woman who named me HOPE (my mom!) always said:

You can only control what you can control.

Stay informed. Follow organizations like the National Council of Nonprofits for updates. But don’t get so deep into the "soup" that you get overwhelmed.

HOPE for the best—but prepare for the worst. Expand your network. Meet new potential donors. If you’re at risk of losing funding, have a plan. Look into foundation grants, corporate partnerships, new supporters. Like my salesperson in 2008, you may have to work smarter and harder.

Keep your donors in the loop—they want you to succeed. Stay in touch. Let them know how much they matter. And be creative! Send pictures, updates, and mix in communications that aren’t always an ask.Think outside the box. Make new friends.

At Team Kat & Mouse, we love seeing nonprofits collaborate to create stronger outcomes and increased funding.

Try to Have HOPE

Being hopeful costs nothing. But it can fuel everything. And doing the things above—connecting, preparing, adapting—can give you that little fire in your soul that says: It’s going to be OK.

We’ve gotten through hard times before—Covid, the market crashes, all the bad surprises. You didn’t lose your magic then.

Please don’t lose your HOPE now.

And if you need a few new ideas, give us a call.

We started Team Kat & Mouse in the middle of Covid to help nonprofits succeed during truly challenging times.

We’re still here. So are you.