The Nudge Report (5/28/2021)
“Community”
Recently, I attended a four-session course given by the Mid-Shore Community Foundation on “Deepening Community Engagement.” People involved with non-profits on the Eastern Shore were invited to attend. One of the purposes of this training was to provide a more expansive view of the meaning of community. I was able to share the story of Rebuilding and others shared their stories about a need their organization fills in our community - on the Eastern Shore. One of the take-aways, for me, was how relational all of these organizations are.
We speak of “neighbors” - not clients, applicants or people-in-need. In a very real sense, we’re in the “people business” with construction on the side. Neighbors may come to us wanting to live in a safer and healthier home, and oftentimes we discuss other services that the county or state offers.
If we are to truly embrace our aspiration of “Ending substandard housing in our community” we need to understand how we can collaborate and coordinate with other organizations that share our aspiration AND we need to maintain a mindset that “we’re all in this together!”
Our community of nonprofits…
I am on the CVMA* task force on homelessness… this is a group of representatives from organizations in our area looking at solutions for homelessness in Kent County.
I spoke briefly with the new Executive Director of Kent Attainable Housing about how we might partner to serve more people. We also spoke about resource sharing!
I am on the Basic Needs Work Group that was established by Dawson Hunter (Housing & Transportation Coordinator, Local Management Board). We are being intentional with efforts to nudge the county commissioners to fund a county position to administer potential CDBG** funding available from the state.
I am planning on “sharing our story” with the county commissioners at a future County Commissioners Meeting.
Genevieve and I serve on several focus groups within the national Rebuilding Together organization - helping other affiliates navigate their way in accomplishing their goals. One amazing outcome of this “helping others” is that WE ourselves are helped by the work of these focus groups. We are able to tap into the collective intelligence of the larger Rebuilding Together community!
I attended the ribbon cutting of Hope House in Rock Hall. Their mission statement is “Sharing the Hope by Sharing Food and Clothing.” I’ll be meeting with their pastor in the next couple of weeks to explore ways we can serve the community, together.
As the pandemic is put behind us, I will be reaching out to organizations to share our story and to simply ask, “How can we help them, in their mission?” We are not in this alone. We don’t need to do this all by ourselves. As I’ve said before, all of the resources we need to accomplish our mission, ALREADY exist! We don’t need to print any money. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. We don’t need to create volunteers or contractors or donors out of thin air! They’re already here! “All” we need to do is share our compelling story with them!
It takes a village… I know this is cliche…
AND…
Our mission and vision are powerful. We are revitalizing our community - one repair at a time! Working alongside other organizations, we are poised to make a significant difference in the lives of our neighbors, today and in the future!
Have a restful weekend!
- Wayne
SAVE the DATE! Fall Rebuilding Day - September 25th!
*CVMA - Chester Valley Ministers Association
**CDBG - Community Development Block Grant
As a reminder, for the month of June, Rebuilding Together Kent County will receive a $1 donation from each purchase of the $3.00 reusable GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Bag at the ACME store located at 711 Washington Avenue, Chestertown MD.
Rebuilding Together Kent County is the most impactful nonprofit in Kent County!
Repairing homes, revitalizing communities, rebuilding lives. Safe homes and communities for everyone.
…ending substandard housing in our community!
The Nudge Report (5/21/2021)
May Days!
Whew! We “made” it! Covid angst, for the most part, is behind us! Our focus will be on repair work. Scott has done a great job at the smaller repairs, and now we’ll be utilizing contractors for the larger jobs. We have been communicating with all of the neighbors that have submitted applications updating them on when we’ll be addressing their issues.
I spoke with Pam about engaging volunteers later this summer and when we identify an appropriate project, we’ll be reaching out to the community!
We’re working on a new board report entitled “Grant Summary 2021.” This will provide a high level overview of our success in obtaining funding. Look for it at the next board meeting.
Other highlights this week:
Just an update from my story about Minerva
Minerva is over the moon about her ceiling being repaired. But the cool postscript is that Scott found one panel that her kids (or maybe grandkids) scribbled all over when they were little and she's so pleased to have this memento.
We submitted a Letter of Intent to the Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund for a grant of $20,000. We will hear if our proposal is accepted in the next 30 days. If accepted, we’ll be invited to apply for the funding. Historically, proposals that are accepted to apply have about an 85% chance of being funded!
The purpose of the grant is to increase the overall capacity of rural-serving nonprofit organizations to meet a multitude of rural development challenges and to help them establish new public/private partnerships for leveraging non-state sources of funding.
We have the properties identified that we’ll be working on during June, July & August. We have a small amount of the $42,500 from the USDA to spend. We will be aggressively working to invest the $75,000 from the MAHT over the next three months.
Rebuilding Together Training Institute 2021
[Re]Builders from across the country will convene in Philadelphia, October 28-30, for a three-day high-impact event with hundreds of affiliate leaders attending nonprofit management and core business-focused sessions, plenary sessions, and facilitated networking time for the affiliate network. The most highly attended and anticipated event of the Rebuilding Together training calendar, the curriculum is developed with the goals of increasing affiliates’ capacity and sustainability and is implemented through a combination of nonprofit consultants, sector experts, affiliate leaders and National Office staff. Stay tuned for how YOU may be able to attend!
It’s gonna be a NICE day, today! Come out and show your support for the Chestertown business community!
Celebrating a new location for The Hearing Center of Chestertown at 500 Washington Avenue. Ribbon Cutting! Today @11:30.
- Wayne
SAVE the DATE! Fall Rebuilding Day - September 25th!
Your staff hard at work planning out a very busy summer!
Rebuilding Together Kent County is the most impactful nonprofit in Kent County!
Repairing homes, revitalizing communities, rebuilding lives. Safe homes and communities for everyone.
…ending substandard housing in our community!
The Nudge Report (5/14/2021)
133 Days!
More than a third of the year has passed! We had some “BIG WINS” in the first several months. We scored a BIG win with National Rebuilding Day and are already planning our Fall Rebuilding Day. We secured another large ($25,000) operating grant from the Constance and Card Ferris Family Foundation - they will be sending the check next week. And, we hired a construction manager! We’re on our way!
Other highlights from this week:
Rebuilding Together Kent County has been selected by local ACME store leadership as the benefiting non-profit in the GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Bag Program! For the month of June, Rebuilding Together Kent County will receive a $1 donation from each purchase of the reusable GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Bag at the ACME store located at 711 Washington Avenue, Chestertown MD. Buy a couple of bags and give them to family members!
Maryland Affordable Housing Trust has signed our $75,000 Grant Agreement and we are now able to submit repair expenses for reimbursement! The deadline for using these funds is December 17, 2021.
Town Council Approves Task Force For Rescue Plan Funds! (Whom can YOU nudge and suggest RTKC as a recipient?)
The Chestertown Town Council voted to form a task force to decide how the town will spend its $4.2 million share of the $589 million headed to Maryland municipalities under the American Rescue Plan Act that passed on March 11. The money can be used to help households, businesses and nonprofits. READ the complete story > HERE.
2021 Maryland Charity Campaign
We have been approved to participate in the 2021 Maryland Charity Campaign (MCC), the State’s workplace giving program! The MCC offers State employees and eligible retirees the opportunity to support pre-approved charities via payroll deductions or one-time contributions.
[Re]Visit Initiative Update
My original intention was to reach out to 100 neighbors, contractors, volunteers and donors to understand a bit better about our impact. I really have been just focusing on our neighbors. My learnings so far… We need to do a better job of “interviewing” our neighbors that apply for services. We need to understand their unique situation. I’m not suggesting that we “interrogate” them - just that we have an extended conversation - ideally, in person - and get a good grasp of how we could make their environment safer and healthier. Also, an extended discussion may allow us to see where we might help them out in contacting other social services.
In many of these instances, small repairs may make a huge difference. We might be able to use volunteers to address some of the smaller issues that are mentioned. Often, people only put the BIG repair items on their applications… most ignore railings, lighting, or other beneficial, yet inexpensive home modifications.
Our newly adopted Strategic Plan addresses many of these aspirations. Now that we have the “green light” on the MAHT funds, we’ll be moving ahead with completing the USDA repairs and getting estimates for the other neighbors we’ve identified.
- Wayne
SAVE the DATE! Fall Rebuilding Day - September 25th!
Rebuilding Together Kent County is the most impactful nonprofit in Kent County!
Repairing homes, revitalizing communities, rebuilding lives. Safe homes and communities for everyone.
…ending substandard housing in our community!
The Nudge Report (5/7/2021)
Back to Business, as usual?
With a successful National Rebuilding Day in our rear-view mirror, we’re ready to repair homes for our Kent County neighbors this summer! On Monday, we reviewed the neighbors where Scott has done an initial home visit. We analyzed the various repair requests and discerned the most critical needs. While we have not yet received confirmation from the Maryland Housing Trust to submit repairs costs, Scott will be engaging contractors to obtain written estimates for the selected repairs.
Our intention is to be able to invest the $75,000 from the MAHT grant between now and the end of September. We will also be using a portion of the MAHT grant to do additional repairs on some of the homes that had repairs funded by the USDA Grant. We also have a $10,000 grant from Lowes to assist in funding these repairs.
Later on Monday, with Scott’s guidance, Genevieve and I helped sort through and organize one of our storage bins. We were also able to move the contents of this bin to a vacant spot next to the other existing storage unit!
Other highlights from this week:
I attended a virtual information session to review program guidelines and criteria for the Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund (MAERDAF) and the Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund (RMPIF) for FY2022. This could be a great funding opportunity for 2022.
The Kent County Commission on Aging, an advisory group appointed by the Commissioners is undertaking a project to potentially improve meeting the needs of local seniors by forming partnerships among local organizations. They are meeting with Kent County service organizations who may help meet these needs and plan to hold a luncheon with both groups to explain needs and pursue potential matches. This is a great opportunity to engage area seniors as volunteers!
Rebuilding Together Kent County has been selected by local ACME store leadership as the benefiting non-profit in the GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Bag Program! For the month of June 2021, Rebuilding Together Kent County will receive a $1 donation from each purchase of the $3.00 reusable GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Bag at the ACME store located at 711 Washington Avenue, Chestertown MD.
We’ve received the first cut of a professionally produced neighbor video, featuring Candy, a neighbor we served on NRD!
We just received our “Certificate of Status” for 2021 (generally called a “good standing” certificate) from the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation. They issue a certificate verifying that a business entity is in “good standing,” which means that all documents and fees required by law to be submitted to the Department have been received and that no other government agency has notified the Department that the entity is delinquent in tax payments. This certificate is typically required when we apply for grants.
Yet another PPP (Payroll Protection Program) update! PNC Bank has begun accepting requests for “Forgiveness” of the loan they made us last year at the beginning of the pandemic. They indicated we should hear within “2 or 3 weeks” that the paperwork was accepted and we would be eligible for forgiveness of the entire loan! We’ll see!
SAVE the DATE! Fall Rebuilding Day - September 25th!
- Wayne
Rebuilding Together Kent County is the most impactful nonprofit in Kent County!
Repairing homes, revitalizing communities, rebuilding lives. Safe homes and communities for everyone.
…ending substandard housing in our community!
The Nudge Report (4/30/2021)
Celebrate!
With a successful National Rebuilding Day in our rear-view mirror and the upcoming months of contractor repairs funded by MAHT ahead of us, I wanted to pause and celebrate the past 18 months. When COVID “hit” I’m sure we all were a bit uncertain about how this would affect us.
Perry Bird was very kind in his opening remarks for NRD in saying that we should be proud we were able to pivot successfully and still serve our neighbors.
We had worked on the goals for the fiscal year prior to all of the challenges of COVID. We could have scaled back our expectations. We could have decided to return the money to MAHT & USDA. Instead, we moved ahead.
As a reminder, here are the goals we set for July 2020 - June 2021:
Operations: Create a comprehensive operations manual by December 1, 2020.
Development: Obtain at least $155,500 in unrestricted funding by June 30, 2021.
Program Services: Provide 15 major repairs (over $5,000) and 30 minor repairs.
** We created an online operations document that followed the Affiliate Core Standards that are part of our Affiliate Agreement we signed with the national office in October 2018.
** We raised over $161,000 in our fundraising efforts over the past 10 months.
** We’ll accomplish over 30 minor repairs by June 30. We have completed 7 major repairs, so far, and if MAHT had released the $75,000 in December, as planned - we would have scheduled and completed all 15 major repairs by June 30.
On top of all this success, we have begun to re-engage volunteers. We are in the process of putting the finishing touches on a strategic plan that will carry us into the future.
I am not very good at taking time to, pause, reflect, look around, and celebrate a recent success. I tend to push forward and minimize the accomplishments that got us to where we are. Especially, since I am always focused on the BIGGER compelling future! Instead of cheering at $161,000 - I said, small step…
So, THIS Nudge Report was for me, as much as anyone… for me, to pause, reflect, look around, and celebrate a recent success.
HAPPY Friday!
- Wayne
Repairing homes, revitalizing communities, rebuilding lives.
Safe homes and communities for everyone!
Rebuilding Together Kent County is the most impactful nonprofit in Kent County!
Repairing homes, revitalizing communities, rebuilding lives. Safe homes and communities for everyone.
…ending substandard housing in our community!
The Nudge Report (4/23/2021)
Compelling Future!
Tomorrow is National Rebuilding Day! This is our signature event! So much of what Rebuilding Together is all about is collapsed into this one day. It’s a microcosm of the entire organization. I’ve looked at some of the history of Rebuilding Together Kent County, and we have created some fantastic NRD events in the past! Lots of volunteers, businesses, neighbors and community effort. Tomorrow is a peek at the future.
Last week, I spoke of the aspirations we have for our future and for the future of the neighbors in Kent County. Tomorrow, we’ll see the beginning of some of the aspirations take root. I was chatting with Terry earlier this week and I was feeling kind of sheepish because our NRD seems a bit “small.” Terry reminded me that it’s exactly THESE types of repairs WHY Rebuilding Together exists. I was reminded of the “Starfish Story.” (See below… after my name…)
I am also reminded of a sermon I heard years ago about why some people feel powerless. Especially when they look around our world and see all of the injustice, divisiveness, lack of clean water for billions, substandard housing here in Kent County - you name it - the world - this life - is a hard place for many. The sermon message was this:
“Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone. Because if we all did for one what we wish we could do for everyone, it might change the world.”
Our strategic plan reminds us with a list of aspirations and strategies of what the future will look like for Rebuilding Together Kent County. We are intentional about being good stewards of the resources we’ve been given. Genevieve, Scott and I are thankful for this opportunity to walk alongside you all as we serve our neighbors. Tomorrow is more than a “reboot” or “restart” - it’s what we’re all about!
As we serve our neighbors tomorrow, remind yourself, nudge yourself, and remember the mission & vision:
Repairing homes, revitalizing communities, rebuilding lives.
Safe homes and communities for everyone!
- Wayne
STARFISH STORY - Original Story by Loren Eisley
One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.
Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?”
The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”
“Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can’t make a difference!”
After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf.
Then, smiling at the man, he said…..“I made a difference for that one.”
(Don’t forget to visit the Board Resource Page to see what’s trending THIS week!)
Rebuilding Together Kent County is the most impactful nonprofit in Kent County!
Repairing homes, revitalizing communities, rebuilding lives. Safe homes and communities for everyone.
…ending substandard housing in our community!
The Nudge Report (4/16/2021)
“ASPIRATIONS”
An aspiration can be described as an ideal future - a brief description of the desired outcome.
For example, my aspiration for my children is for them to enjoy a healthy and happy life. I’m not telling them - or nudging them - how to do it; I’m not offering advice or strategies for them to use. It’s simply what I desire for their life!
I’m excited we - as an organization - have crafted a dynamic strategic plan.
Look at the aspirations from the plan listed below. Imagine an organization that achieves all of them! How awesome would that be?! Which ones, “Speak to you?” Which ONE do you read and immediately think, “When we achieve THIS, I will know we’re successful?”
That’s it. Just select an aspiration and ponder. What would success in that one aspiration mean? How would we be different than we are today?
Now, here’s the $64,000 nudge… Imagine that YOU are responsible for helping RTKC achieving the aspiration you just selected! How will YOU contribute to the success of the aspiration?
Rebuilding Together Kent County aspires to…
Have all of the homeowner neighbors that we help come away from the experience living in safer and healthier houses, and feeling well served.
Increase the number of neighbors served annually.
Have an agile, high-quality professional construction program with engaged and committed contractors utilizing volunteers in a meaningful and appropriate manner.
Be transparent and widely understood and confidential about what we do, how we do it, and whom we serve.
Expand the range of homeowner-related services provided.
Be in 100% compliance with the most recent National Affiliate Agreement signed.
Intentional stewardship of all RTKC stakeholders.
Have well-defined and understood regularly practiced processes and procedures for every aspect of operations.
Have well-trained and adequate staff and board of directors delivering extraordinary services.
Build a culture of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in all aspects of our work.
Our leadership having an external presence and engendering trust in the organization.
Being supported by a variety of regular, reliable, annual funding sources that sustain our organization.
Effective stewardship of our donors and our annual retention rate is high.
Being recognized within our community as the main resource for safe & healthy homes.
Having a board of directors fully committed to supporting the financial success of the organization and serving the community.
Growing our social media impact and engaging more people with the content.
- Wayne
p.s. I’ll be asking each of you over the next several weeks what aspiration you chose!
p.p.s. I just added the current Standards of Excellence to the Board Resource Page
Rebuilding Together Kent County is the most impactful nonprofit in Kent County!
Repairing homes, revitalizing communities, rebuilding lives. Safe homes and communities for everyone.
…ending substandard housing in our community!
The Nudge Report (4/9/2021)
THREE THINGS TODAY!
(1) National Rebuilding Day (NRD) - Saturday, April 24th!
We’ve identified the four neighbors we’ll be serving. We’ve identified the volunteers and site leaders. Scott is getting the materials and tool list together. The sign at The Peoples Bank will be displayed for the next two weeks acknowledging our $1000 NRD sponsor. T-shirts are being ordered. Publicity is planned. New volunteer waivers have been created. (These now include a COVID clause.) Training for the various team leads is being planned. We’ve arranged for good weather. We’re ready!
This is the [Re]Start we’ve all been waiting for!
Terry & Perry NRD Visit! Terry Scott - The Master [Re]Builder himself and the Best Eastern Regional Director - Perry Bird - will be attending our NRD activities.
(2) New [Re]Visit Initiative!
This past week I spoke to several of the neighbors we served over the past 2 years. I’ll share some of their responses and my insights at the next board meeting. As a reminder, I’ll be revisiting our contractors, vendors, donors, volunteers, foundations and neighbors - neighbors we’ve served - and neighbors that applied and we were unable to help. My goal is to contact people over the next 100 days to see how they remember their experience with us. I’ll report each week about my progress and their responses.
(3) National [Re]Building Day… and beyond.
Genevieve, Scott & I are working to ensure that we cover all the bases with this initial effort engaging volunteers on an RTKC project for our neighbors in more than a year. There are many “moving parts” to a successful day. Once we have this event in our rear-view mirror, we’ll be looking to engage volunteers on the last Saturday of every month serving our neighbors.
I will be talking with our existing contractors about the new insurance requirements. Scott has hit the ground running and has already met almost all of the neighbors that have requested repairs!
Two weeks from tomorrow, we’ll begin, again.
I appreciate all of your support and encouragement over the past two years. I’m thankful for the opportunity to walk alongside all of you!
- Wayne
Board Resource Page link > Board Resource Page
Rebuilding Together Kent County is the most impactful nonprofit in Kent County!
Repairing homes, revitalizing communities, rebuilding lives. Safe homes and communities for everyone.
…ending substandard housing in our community!
The Nudge Report (4/2/2021)
National Rebuilding Day - Saturday, April 24th!
Each year on the last Saturday in April, National Rebuilding Day encourages organizations and volunteers to pick up their tools and roll up their sleeves. On this day and over the weekend, tens of thousands of volunteers join together to provide much-needed and sometimes critical and life-saving repairs, for vulnerable families in their communities.
The work done by volunteers is at no cost to the families. Monies for materials are raised through sponsorships, donations, and in-kind gifts. Volunteers come together from area businesses, schools, faith-based organizations, civic and community groups and associations and work selflessly to help others.
This will be the first National Rebuilding Day (NRD) we’ve participated in since April 2018! This will be our initial effort engaging volunteers this year! This will be the first NRD for Scott! We’re focusing on outside work and getting back in the saddle serving our neighbors.
Welcome to Scott!
Scott “officially” began as our Construction Manager yesterday! He’s already been involved in many repairs over the past several months! He’s met many of our neighbors and enjoys the time spent chatting with them!
New Partnership for National Rebuilding Day!
Our RT Green Team – in partnership with Shore Rivers and their River Friendly Yards initiative – will work with a neighbor and begin the creation of a River Friendly Yard!
A River-Friendly Yard mimics the natural environment to benefit water quality. Even if you are not on the waterfront, every drop of water from your property is carried to our rivers. We are learning that stitching together small habitats into conservation corridors may make the essential difference we need for all species, including our own, to thrive. In a time when it is easy to feel despondent about our environmental future, there is real hope in your yard of any size. Enjoy beautiful native plantings; create bird and pollinator habitats; improve soggy lawns and basements; and help ShoreRivers achieve our vision of healthy waterways across Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
In support of our mission to revitalize our community, we are in discussion with their Director of Community Engagement, Darran Tilghman, to explore ways how we can join forces every time we serve a neighbor.
New [Re]Visit Initiative!
A bit of background… One of the “ultimate” aspirations for most organizations is to strive to ensure everyone who comes into contact with the organization has a “transformative” experience. In other words, we want people to wonder “what’s happening at Rebuilding Together Kent County?” Why are they so enthusiastic? Why do they go beyond what seems reasonable? Why do they do things a bit differently? Why do they care so much?
This transformative experience extends to our donors, vendors, volunteers, board, community organizations, foundations, and, of course, our neighbors.
Personally, I have attempted to be the biggest cheerleader and the most enthusiastic supporter of Rebuilding Together Kent County.
[Re]Visit initiative: I will be reaching out to 100 people we’ve interacted with over the past 2 years. I’ll be revisiting our contractors, vendors, donors, volunteers, foundations and neighbors - neighbors we’ve done repairs for and neighbors that applied and we were unable to help. My goal is to contact people over the next 100 days to see how they remember their experience with us. I’ll report each week about my progress and their responses.
Around the town…
Jon Hanley was seen in the fountain this past week - getting it ready for the season!
Jen Rickert has accepted the position of Administrative Assistant for Sam Shoge, the Executive Director of the Kent County Chamber. (Apparently, supporting just ONE Executive Director wasn’t enough!)
AmeriCorps Update!
We’ve been approved to participate in the AmeriCorps program for this September! Genevieve has been approved as the AmeriCorps supervisor and will be attending training. The position we will be filling is a new position called “Neighbor Care Coordinator.” We will now begin the marketing efforts to attract someone to join us here in Chestertown for a transformative year of service! (Well, 11 months!)
- Wayne
Board Resource Page link > Board Resource Page
Rebuilding Together Kent County is the most impactful nonprofit in Kent County!
Repairing homes, revitalizing communities, rebuilding lives. Safe homes and communities for everyone.
…ending substandard housing in our community!
The Nudge Report (3/26/2021)
National Rebuilding Day
Saturday, April 24th! Here we are - almost at the end of the month, and we are “March”ing toward the big day! We’ve identified the four neighbors we’ll be serving and gearing up with volunteers.
Welcome to Scott!
Mr. Scott Brewer will officially begin as our Construction Manager next Thursday! He’s already been involved in many repairs over the past several months! He’s met many of our neighbors and enjoys the time spent chatting with them!
Two Years…
Jen & I have this “notion” about two years. Over the course of our marriage and nudging 6 children, we oftentimes remind ourselves that things don’t happen overnight - and neither does it take decades for hopes & dreams to materialize. For some reason, we settled on a timeframe of two years. We like to look backward and observe the changes that have happened in a two-year time frame. This provides hope for the future. We have lived long enough to experience the dramatic changes that can - and do - happen in only 24 short months - two years!
Two years ago, I was asked to join Rebuilding Together Kent County along with John Leek, Maggie, Pam, Len & Vic! I was assured by Perry that what was being asked of me was possible. Having been in the volunteer construction world for many years and being associated with a very successful home repair nonprofit, I could “see” a bright future right here in Kent County. In one of my first Bullet Point Fridays, I proposed a future of a sustainable expanding organization that wasn’t going to reinvent the wheel and was going to serve more people than ever before. We are all aware of how we’ve grown. And now…
Two years from today?! Whew! We haven’t quite achieved the ambitions from the “early days” (April 2019). And yet, we’re well on our way! In another life, I started more than a couple of businesses. I know from experience, starting a business is the EASY part. The fun part. The exciting, invigorating part. The reason you get up in the morning part.
It’s not hyperbole to say these next two years will be a make it or break it time for us. We can decide to continue moving towards a sustainable organization or not. We can decide to serve more neighbors or not. We can embrace the strategic plan. As a famous movie alien once say, “Do or do not. There is no try.”
Our success is 100% up to us. The money already exists to end substandard housing in our community. It doesn’t need to be printed or created out of thin air. It’s already “here.” We don’t need to reinvent the way we do things. Other affiliates already exist and are successful in rural areas, just as challenging as Kent County. We need to decide and act - and believe we are successful.
Here’s my nudge for today, “We’ll see it when we believe it!”
- Wayne
Board Resource Page link > Board Resource Page
Rebuilding Together Kent County is the most impactful nonprofit in Kent County!
Repairing homes, revitalizing communities, rebuilding lives. Safe homes and communities for everyone.
…ending substandard housing in our community!
The Nudge Report (3/12/2021)
National Rebuilding Day
Saturday, April 24th! The planning has begun! We will engage a small number of volunteers! We are contacting local businesses about possible sponsorships. Perry from the national office will be visiting! Kent County is vaccinating residents. The new-normal is arriving, and we’ll be ready!
Welcome to Scott!
We will be on-boarding our new construction manager over the next few weeks. Mr. Scott Brewer will be joining our team, “officially” on April 1st.
Strategic Plan
We’re well on our way to creating a strategic plan that will guide us into the future with wisdom and intentionality.
SWOT?
This acronym was mentioned at the board meeting. If you’re interested in what SWOT is and how it might be beneficial for us as we create a strategic plan, check out the Board Resource Page!
Basic Needs Working Group Task Force update
This is the group that the Local Management Board is facilitating to address issues of housing and transportation in Kent County. We are in communication with the county commissioners about requesting a budget line item to fund a position to manage any new Community Development Block Grants. We’re making progress!
- Wayne
Board Resource Page link > Board Resource Page
Rebuilding Together Kent County is the most impactful nonprofit in Kent County!
Repairing home, revitalizing communities, rebuilding lives. Safe homes and communities for everyone.
…ending substandard housing in our community!
The Nudge Report (3/5/2021)
The Executive Director Role…
I am constantly improving (I hope!) in my role as your ED. That’s why I attended the USC course. It’s why I attend meetings each month focused on running a home repair nonprofit successfully. Joan Garry’s book and a book by Keith J. Cunningham have nudged me to consider asking better questions. I like to think these Nudge Reports provide an insight into my role and my personality. As some of you who have read the book, LifeNudge, you know the author has a discipline of asking a question and then responding with 20 answers. I won’t include all 20, but look at the list below and you’ll gain a bit of insight into my thinking and how, as the saying goes, “When the leader gets better, everyone gets better!”
• In light of the seven fundamental jobs of an ED, where have I dropped the ball, and what do I need to do differently to cause us to get better? (Nothing changes if nothing changes.)
• As I am thinking about the next 100 days and what I will do differently, what are the things I must do less of to make room for the things I need to do more of?
• If my team represents my leverage, what do I need to do or say to ensure their success?
• Starting and perfection are rarely simultaneous. What are the three things I could begin doing that would get me 80% of the way there?
• What is the discipline I need to adopt to create the outcomes I want?
• What is my specific, measurable plan to improve our results?
• Where have I abdicated my responsibilities as an ED, and what do I need to do about it?
• Where have I optimized for easy instead of outcomes?
National Rebuilding Day
Saturday, April 24th! The planning has begun! The national organization has released the PR package for National Rebuilding Month - April. This PR package includes samples of press releases, email templates and other resources to highlight National Rebuilding Month. Check it out!
We will be engaging volunteers to perform outside, socially distanced projects for neighbors in a community. Stay tuned!
Joan Garry’s book - Guide to Nonprofit Leadership
It’s been great to hear from some of you the different insights you’re gleaning from the book! I won’t ask you to share at the board meeting, but I recommend investing time to review the book. Click HERE to see what I thought was significant.
- Wayne
Board Resource Page link > Board Resource Page
Rebuilding Together Kent County is the most impactful nonprofit in Kent County!
Repairing home, revitalizing communities, rebuilding lives. Safe homes and communities for everyone.
…ending substandard housing in our community!
The Nudge Report (2/19/2021)
Metrics & Intentions & Resources…
It’s been said, “What gets measured gets done” - I’m not so sure about that! I’m a numbers guy. I like statistics. As a young boy, I could tell you the stats of every Phillies player when I was growing up in Philadelphia in the early sixties. I like spreadsheets. Financial statements.
I also know that numbers don’t tell the whole story. And yet, we need to monitor what we do. We need to pay attention to the number of home repairs we do; we need to pay attention to the budget; to the number of neighbors we serve. We’re working on a strategic plan for the next several years - our mission and vision statements coming alive to end substandard housing in our community. The metrics related to our strategic plan will let us know if we succeed!
I am immersed in our mission on a daily basis. So many resources are available. So many opportunities to get off track. The enemy of achieving your goals is not INaction, it’s that so many other worthy activities can distract you! (See Google Alerts below)
We’ve created a spreadsheet that will allow us to monitor the number of neighbors served and the number of critical home repairs we provide. The National office has a goal - by 2030 - Rebuilding Together will eliminate one million household hazards for neighbors in need nationwide. We will still track the unique addresses we serve and we will ensure that we track individual repairs to support the national goal.
Click on the link to see our current activities > Neighbors served and repairs completed!
Another area where we want to pay attention is the way we interact with people in cyberspace - on the internet - on social media. Here’s a peek into recent statistics about our website (we went live with our current website last July.) > Website Visitors (Stay tuned for even more metrics from our FaceBook page!)
Finally, here’s the - long-anticipated - Board Resource Page link > Board Resource Page
Here’s a peek at what I took away from Joan Garry’s book > My 20-list of insights.
-Wayne
p.s. WHY I get distracted? If you’ve never discovered “Google Alerts” - see below. I use this to keep up-to-date on specific topics that may help us grow Rebuilding Together Kent County.
How to create an alert! >Go to Google Alerts >In the box at the top, enter a topic you want to follow > To change your settings, click Show options. You can change: How often you get notifications. The types of sites you'll see. Your language. Click Create Alert! You'll get emails whenever we find matching search results.
I have created several alerts for “Rebuilding Together” “Rebuilding Together Kent County” “Nonprofit Fundraising Ideas” etc… so I get a summary email letting me know whenever these specific terms appear on the Internet!
Rebuilding Together Kent County is the most impactful nonprofit in Kent County!
Repairing home, revitalizing communities, rebuilding lives. Safe homes and communities for everyone.
…ending substandard housing in our community!
The Nudge Report (2/12/2021)
Friends,
1,2,3… That’s all for today. Pretty simple! 3 nudges…
Nudge #1 >
If you have not completed the self-assessment survey, please do so: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6149805/2021-USDA-RCDI-Rebuilding-Together-Organizational-Capacity-Asse
Nudge #2 >
Pick up Joan Garry’s book and invest 15 minutes in reading 10 pages of ANY chapter you think is interesting!
My musings…
I’ve enjoyed meeting each of you 1-on-1. I’m excited about the prospect of serving more people than ever before this year. I’ll be working with Jon & Larry to create a well-defined process for our construction activities. I’m encouraged by Pam & Marcus and the rest of the Volunteer Committee as they plan for National Rebuilding Day. It will be fun to read through the Joan Garry book as a board and discern subtle ways we can get better. I was reminded by Genevieve the other day that where we want to be is NOT going to happen overnight. This is a process. We are all students here. We’re all in this together.
So here we are…
Nudge #3 >
Ask questions. Ask me. Ask Vic. Ask Genevieve. If you don’t understand WHY we do something the way we do it. Question it. And let me know. If you have suggestions for doing something differently. Let me know.
-Wayne
p.s. I know, I know, I said last week, that I’d be creating a one-stop type of FAQ page for you all - containing the various nudges and documents I reference weekly… well, it’s not yet ready for prime-time!
Rebuilding Together Kent County is the most impactful nonprofit in Kent County!
Repairing home, revitalizing communities, rebuilding lives. Safe homes and communities for everyone.
…ending substandard housing in our community!
The Nudge Report (2/5/2021)
Friends,
A reminder nudge… The BOARD ASSESSMENT document. As part of the Rural Capacity Building Grant and our participation in the Rural Community Development Initiative we - Rebuilding Together Kent County - are required to complete this survey. This should be familiar to those of you that participated in the fall strategy day. Our deadline is February 15th. It’s rather fun, and even if you’re unsure of an answer, say that! If you have been on the board for only 1 month and have no clue, say that! This is designed to get an accurate overview of the board, staff and any “note-takers.”
Please click on this link to access the self-assessment survey: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6149805/2021-USDA-RCDI-Rebuilding-Together-Organizational-Capacity-Asse
Last week, the title of the Nudge Report was “Books, Trainings & Resources, Oh My!” - I’m creating a one-stop type of FAQ page for you all. It will contain the various nudges and documents I reference weekly. I realize that there’s way too much to digest in a week, so I’ll be sharing this resource page in my next Nudge Report.
>> GREAT article about funding >> Imagine a group of firefighters rushing to a site to take care of a wildfire. Now, imagine every half-mile someone stops the fire truck to have this conversation: READ it HERE
Wayne's thoughts about the firefighter analogy above… this is something we all need to be able to verbalize and frame properly when we are talking with donors, volunteers, foundations, etc… We want people to support the “Mission” of Rebuilding Together Kent County. Within our mission, obviously, we will purchase lumber to do repairs… AND we will employ staff to manage volunteers, comply with government agencies that have generously funded repairs, pay the phone bill, and continue to finance all of the other typical fixed costs. (Joan Garry’s book “Guide to Nonprofit Leadership: Because the World Is Counting on You” has a bit to say about this!)
>> PPL Update >> From PNC Bank about our Payroll Protection Program loan we received last year > Due to recent guidance and technical changes by the Small Business Administration (SBA) contained in the January 19, 2021 Interim Final Rule (IFR), the Procedural Notice on Over-Funded Loan Amounts and the Procedural Notice on Re-Submission of Forgiveness Applications, PNC has temporarily paused the forgiveness application process for all 2020 first-draw Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.
-Wayne
Rebuilding Together Kent County is the most impactful nonprofit in Kent County!
…ending substandard housing in our community!
The Nudge Report (1/29/2021): Books & Training & Resources, oh MY!
Friends,
It’s hard to believe that we are at the end of Month #1 in 2021. Typically, I have this document open and put things in my Nudge Report as I go through the week. I think it’s important that you all are informed as to the operations of our organization. I had multiple items and bullet points this week already in the report, and then I deleted them all.
TOO much, I thought. What’s really important?
You’ll be hearing about a book that Vic will share and encourage all of us to read. I’ll be including links to training opportunities next week, especially a link to the national website that will give you access to ALL things Rebuilding! We are extremely fortunate to have the national organization supporting us! I was privileged to speak to the Chestertown Lions this week. The affiliate survey is complete. The annual report is done. January has been a flurry of activities. Both construction and “administrative.” The USC course is almost complete - and Genevieve and I will have a Certificate in Home Modifications from the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. So MUCH…
This week, I want to focus on ONE item. The BOARD ASSESSMENT document. As part of the Rural Capacity Building Grant and our participation in the Rural Community Development Initiative we - Rebuilding Together Kent County - are required to complete this survey. This should be familiar to those of you that participated in the fall strategy day. Our deadline is February 15th. It’s rather fun, and even if you’re unsure of an answer, say that! If you have been on the board for only 1 month and have no clue, say that! This is designed to get an accurate overview of the board, staff and any “note-takers.”
Here’s the text of the email…
FROM Perry Bird:
You have been invited to participate in a self-assessment of your Rebuilding Together affiliate's organizational capacity as part of your affiliate’s participation in Rebuilding Together’s USDA Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) grant program.
About the self-assessment: This assessment is based on 501 Commons’ Five Elements of a Healthy Nonprofit Self-Assessment, the Marguerite Casey Foundation’s Organizational Capacity Assessment Tool, the Rebuilding Together Standards of Excellence, as well as the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits’ Principles and Practices for Nonprofit Excellence. Please click on this link to access the self-assessment survey: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6149805/2021-USDA-RCDI-Rebuilding-Together-Organizational-Capacity-Asse
Directions: In this self-assessment, you will be rating your affiliate on a variety of capacity elements in the following areas: Strategic Planning for Sustainability; Leadership and Staff Development; Fundraising and Financial Management; Program Design and Implementation; Stakeholder Engagement > Deadline: Friday, February 15, 2021.
Most people will take between 45-60 minutes to complete the assessment. Please note that you can also save and continue later the assessment at any point in time after you click 'next' through to the second page, by selecting the button at the top of the screen and entering your email address. You will receive an email that enables you to resume the assessment on the page where you left off.
If you have any questions about the assessment, please contact your regional director: Perry Bird, Director, Eastern Region, (202) 518-5170, pbird@rebuildingtogether.org
Thanks! And enjoy the assessment!
-Wayne
Rebuilding Together Kent County is the most impactful nonprofit in Kent County!
…ending substandard housing in our community!
The Nudge Report (1/22/2021): A good start…
Last Friday, we were notified that our request for a $75,000 from the Maryland Affordable Housing Trust was approved! We applied for several other grants this past week. One grant request was to fund our anticipated AmeriCorps member that will be working with us beginning in August.
We were also approved for the 2021 Maryland Charity Campaign - this allows state workers to designate a portion of their salary to directly benefit us!
My high for the week has to be the anticipated [RE]energized PP&L Committee and the [RE]invigorated Volunteer Committee. These two committees are looking forward to 2021 and how they can nudge us towards our goal of ending substandard housing in our community.
I spoke with the Regional Director from HUD about the funding opportunities that exist for us at the federal level. I will also be meeting with her and the person in charge of CDBG, ESG & HOME funding* in the state of Maryland. The new Kent County Housing & Transportation Coordinator, Dawson Hunter, will be joining the conversation. I’m excited about the possibility of creating momentum around the idea of critical home modifications for ALL neighbors that need them here in our community.
I thank all of the Board members for investing their time in writing personal thank you notes to all of the people that so generously supported our fall campaign. Part of our strategic plan is to stay engaged with our supporters and volunteers on a regular basis. This is critical to our long-term sustainability. I couldn’t let you all get away with NO links this week, so…
Here’s your LINK of the week > How to Build Meaningful Relationships With Your Donors
Ok, you knew I couldn’t stop at ONE link. I just found out that a friend/mentor-at-a-distance, Steve Burris is entering the next phase of his career. He is the ED of Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh. This was an affiliate that started out as an all-volunteer organization. From their website:
What began as an all-volunteer organization completing a handful of modest housing rehabs is now an organization with an annual budget of over $3 million that supports the work of over 30 staff completing more than 130 physical rehabilitation projects annually for low-income homeowners in Allegheny County.
Next Week!
The annual report will be released next week! The annual affiliate survey will be submitted to the national office. We’ll be sending out the first monthly newsletter of 2021 (with a message from the Executive Director!). We will identify four possible funding sources to nudge about supporting our mission. Continued discussions with the Presbyterian Church and their mission committee about “adopting” a house - stay tuned!
- Wayne
p.s. I’m still looking for that BIG WIN in the first 100 days of 2021!
CDBG, ESG & HOME funding* - CDBG = Community Development Block Grant / ESG = Emergency Solutions Grants / HOME = HOME
The Nudge Report (1/15/2021)… Fast, Focused & Fired-up!
Fast… we are awaiting the decision on our $75,000 MAHT Grant. Hopefully, we’ll know by the end of today, January 15th. Fast, because we exceeded our fall campaign fundraising goal!
Focused… we are focused on finalizing the annual report and submitting two grant applications by the end of the month. Along with focusing on completing the annual affiliate reporting requirements detailing the neighbors we served and the investment we made in the community. Focused on the volunteer committee and their aspirations for 2021!
Fired-up! We should ALL be excited about this year and the opportunities that will present themselves. It may even be a year filled with MORE opportunities than last year! Imagine that!
First 100 days of 2021 - This will be especially exciting because of the BIG WIN we’ll experience!
MORE…
The Annual National Rebuilding Together Affiliate Survey is due by end of the month. We need to upgrade SalesForce with customized reporting to answer all of the affiliate questions.
Payroll Protection Program ll - We do not qualify for the 2nd round. Need to have had revenue in one quarter of 2020 be at least 25% LESS than the same quarter in 2019. We INCREASED revenue every quarter in 2020 over 2019!
HUD Announces $10 Million in Capacity Building Grants for Rural America - The national office will receive $2.4 million of these funds. STAY TUNED!
Genevieve & I are in the home stretch. We are continuing our remote classes at USC for the Executive Certificate on Home Modification. We have complete 3 of the 5 courses needed for “graduation.” This was funded by an educational grant ($2,000) provided by the National Office.
I will be attending the Nonprofit Leadership Institute at the Mid-Shore Community Foundation for a 4-session program entitled, “Strategic Planning Intensive.”
Focused on Funding! Grants.gov - Grants.Gov - this is THE database the government uses to publicize federal grants and accept applications. We can never have too many eyes LOOKING for appropriate grants for Rebuilding Together Kent County. I invite you to peruse this site and dig a bit to identify possible grants we may apply to!
Focused on Foundations! fcoline.foundationcenter.org - Foundation Directory Online is a resource that we subscribe to. We can never have too many eyes LOOKING for appropriate grants for Rebuilding Together Kent County. I invite you to peruse this site and dig a bit to identify possible grants we may apply to! [username = rtgrants / password = rtgrants]
I’m anxious to start this year, Fast, Focused & FIRED-UP!
I’m looking for that BIG WIN in the first 100 days of 2021!
- Wayne
The Nudge Report (1/8/2021)… Best, Worst Year?!
I recently heard 2020 described as the Best Worst year ever.
Undoubtedly, social unrest, political divisiveness, more hurricanes than we've seen in a lifetime, more fires out west than ever before and a devious little virus made this year a candidate for the Worst Year Ever award.
AND,
because of all of the above, we have a new focus on being antiracist, perhaps a new awareness of climate change, a new appreciation of what it means to put others above ourselves by wearing a mask, a reinvigorated electorate,
AND...
Rebuilding Together Kent County was able to pivot successfully...
to engage contractors
to invest over $150,000 in repairs and building equity in our neighbors' homes
to identify and obtain unrestricted funding from a variety of foundations
to enhance our data management capability
to document and streamline procedures to prepare the foundation for a sustainable nonprofit
to begin in earnest the task of ending substandard housing in our community!
[If you think this year was a challenging year and are having a difficult time reconciling your life with what's happening in the world, I suggest you read Man's Search for Meaning. I remember the impact made on me when I first read this moving account of a holocaust thriver.]
Clarity, not certainty. I like these three words and the concept. I remind myself I cannot know with certainty what WILL happen - and yet - I CAN have clarity about my intentions, beliefs and efforts. We can be 100% clear about our intention to eradicate substandard housing in Kent County. We can work towards this outcome with the belief that it is possible. Intention and belief are not dependent upon circumstances. They exist within us. We are in control. Our efforts are a result of these two internally held concepts... while circumstances may alter our plans, circumstances can only alter our intentions and beliefs if we allow them to discourage us. Again, we are in control.
Where is Rebuilding Together Kent County today?
I am more optimistic about the next 24 months than I was when I first started in April 2019. In an odd turn of events, because of 2020, we are better prepared - organizationally and financially - than I could have imagined only 9 months ago. Just looking at the financial dashboards gives me encouragement. We have customized our data management system to generate useful reporting for grant compliance. We are planning for the largest gathering of volunteers in Kent County for 2021 on Saturday, September 25th - Our fall [Re]Building Day!
We are planning on [Re]starting our monthly [Re]Building day on the last Saturday of the month, beginning with our fall [Re]Building Day.
I'm excited about what our Volunteer & Community Engagement team will create for National Rebuilding Day on April 24th.
We're planning on applying to at least 4 foundations every month! A national survey indicates that donations are flowing into nonprofits at a greater rate than anticipated - even with an uncertain future!
Genevieve and I are continuing our remote classes at USC for the Executive Certificate on Home Modification. We have complete 3 of the 5 courses needed for “graduation.” This was an educational grant ($2,000) provided by the National Office.
I will be attending the Nonprofit Leadership Institute at the Mid-Shore Community Foundation for a 4-session program entitled, “Strategic Planning Intensive.”
I’m anxious to start this year, Fast, Focused & FIRED-UP!
I’m looking for that BIG WIN in the first 100 days of this new year!
Probably the “best” outcome of 2020 is that I’m more optimistic than ever about the future of Rebuilding Together Kent County!