Lessons from the Komen-Planned Parenthood fracas: It’s simply not enough to state your cause—you must live it, too | Marisa LeVeque, Siegel+Gale

Wherever you stood in the conflict between Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Planned Parenthood (I stood with Planned Parenthood), Leveque's blog concludes with a key lesson for all nonprofits.


She writes:

The first step for any nonprofit organization looking to attract and retain a loyal group of donors and volunteers should be clearly defining its cause: what is the change you’re trying to make in the world?

But it’s not enough to simply say what you stand for—you must then align around it. Every action and interaction should be in support of advancing your unique cause. Only then can you attract—and more importantly, retain—donors and volunteers who can help you achieve your vision for a better world.

Or, to use a cliche: Practice what you preach.