Serious Question

[lizziegrace]

I know where this *could* go...

If money were no object and you knew you couldn't fail, what would you do with your life?

Over the last few years, I've realized that I may have an aptitude for what I do, but I don't like it at all. (I'm in finance) I want to start a non-profit and become an advocate. But how in the world do I survive in the meantime? I'm divorced, got a daughter in college, a 12 year old rusty car, I need health insurance for a chronic condition...

Any ideas? Any cheerleaders out there? Is this my midlife crisis??

[graywarrior]

1. That is exactly what I am doing.

Starting a non-profit!

[lizziegrace]

2. Do tell! n/t

[graywarrior]

3. Decided after years of working for others

and getting no personal satisfaction out of it, we decided to start an educational non-profit for displaced adults.

I'm taking grantwriting courses and volunteering with a local non-profit: designing and editing their newsletter, participating in writing their grants, working with their website developer, attending board meetings, "lunching with board directors, la-dee-dah", and anything else that I can help with to learn how things are done.

I'm taking a course on line which is very helpful and inexpensive. I found some websites that you can go to an examine 990's which shows non-profit's budgets, how much they pay their upper management, who they got grants from.

If you need any info, PM me. I'll send you some great links.

[lizziegrace]

4. Thank you so much

I'll send a message later today or tomorrow.

Anyone else out there have a dream job?

[Thtwudbeme]

5. please read this:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/gate/archive/2005/07/08/notes070805.DTL

[lizziegrace]

7. wow

The article is terrific. I'm sitting in my cubicle at job #1 and when I leave at five, will be heading for job #2 at a grocery store so I can help pay my daughter's college tuition.

My biggest fear, I've decided, is not fear of failure but fear of success.

[bridgit]

6. i'd establish a foundation that would yield funding & donation monies...

applicable to key medical areas & renewable technologies while investing in affordable housing keyed as well upon ready-handicap & broadband access...with 'in house' laundry facilities for starters B-)

[emmajane67]

8. Maybe you could start a social enterprise.

Your skills in finance would help you run it like a business but you could have social good involved, like hiring homeless people or people with learning issues and giving them the skills to do their job and then using the profits from the company to go back into a charity type scenario.
This way you would be earning money after a bit. There is genrally funding/grant available for startup costs for something like this is you have a plan.
Examples I have seen lately inculde:
- a restaurant where kids on the 'wrong path' get taught how to be chefs and work in the restaurant
- 'the big issue' magazine where homeless people get to sell the magazine for a profit. Profits for the company go back into a charity which assists these people with work skills/clothes etc to move on to other employment once they have built up self esteem etc from selling the magazines

[bridgit]

9. welcome to du, emmajane67...

:hi: :kick:

[emmajane67]

10. Thanks

Been lurking for a while...about 20,000 registrations ago

[bridgit]

12. whatever works...

[lizziegrace]

13. Yes, Welcome!

The asylum's a fun place. :bounce:

[flvegan]

11. Establish a trust, donating the interest, join Sea Shepherd aboard

the Farley Mowat intercepting Japanese whalers.

[lizziegrace]

14. So

what keeps you from doing that? (I'm not being flip or in your face, I am truly interested.)

[flvegan]

15. Money, mostly.

I don't have it, and what I do have goes into my rescue.

Next year, I do intend to volunteer as crew and head to Canada during the seal hunt, though.

[lizziegrace]

16. You're still working toward that goal

and that may be more important. I believe that some do nothing because they can't do everything they want. I know I'm guilty of that.

Good luck and please keep us posted about your work.