what little money can buy

I was asking a friend who works at a recent start-up nonprofit in Philadelphia how her organization is funded. I was surprised to discover that… it basically had no funding. Basically, the nonprofit is operating off one small grant that goes towards my friend's salary. However, at this point, she only has about a month and a half of salary left to go, and is facing the prospect of a potential leave of absence. The building where they operate is owned by a board member who does not charge rent. The nonprofit has less than $400 in their bank account and is currently applying for grants and appealing for contributions, though none have been confirmed so far.

Yet, the lack of resources has opened doors for more community involvement. The nonprofit has been blessed with volunteers who are excited to be there and offer their time and commitment. Others have given generously, including donating beautiful plants for a backyard garden. It seems that people in the neighborhood have begun to invest in and take ownership in what the non-profit is doing in the area.

While many nonprofits may have stronger financial footing, they fail to connect with their neighbourhood. With greater resources, they often get perceived as some outsider trying to "save the poor black kids in lower-income neighbourhood". So despite financial difficulties, my friend's organization seems to be doing well in connecting with the neighborhood, by allowing the neighbourhood to help it, instead of always the other way around.

Sometimes, it's better to enter in humility with little to offer, because it allows the community to give (That was Jesus's model). Sometimes, it's better to enter with little money, because there's a lot that it cannot do. In fact, money often brings out the worst in people, while not having it frequently brings out the best. *

*That being said, unless an organization is willing to depend on God's provision daily (which some do do), a financially precarious situation is not desirable for long-term sustainability. So I hope that my friend's nonprofit is able to secure more reliable funding in the future. But while it isn't there, I hope that not having money will be just as valuable as having it.

**The main ideas in this post is built on John McKnight's book "The Careless Society", which I highly recommend.