22 Mar 2017 Stay Curious My Friends
Are you a student of wonder?
One of the 5 values that guides our team’s work at the Southwest Florida Community Foundation is encouraging curiosity and exploration to promote learning and development from the inside out.
One of the risks of value statements is they are created, written down but not actively lived out in the culture of the organization.
At the Foundation, we understand that as we pursue cultivating regional change for the common good, our mission, we must be relentless students of wonder. We must strive to be curious.
A big part of our work is our connection to others. Donors, non-profits, community advocates, and our neighbors. We can’t wait for partners to seek us out, instead we must be actively curious about the work, challenges and opportunities in our region.
Curiosity leads to exploration, conversations and in some cases solutions.
Our team must commit to listen well, ask questions and respond when it is helpful. I hope you have seen us out and about involved in the community through our work with grantees, donors, civic leaders or engaged in conversations, events, meetings or gatherings.
Once a quarter we host “Caffeinated Conversations” in which nonprofits come to our Community Hub and share their work with our team. Just a couple of weeks ago, a group of 6 leaders of nonprofits were at the table and 3 were new organizations that we learned about for the first time.
Later that same week I found myself in several conversations with donors and colleagues and shared what I had heard, which in turn sparked their interest. That’s one of the great things about curiosity, it’s contagious when cultivated.
I would love to hear what you are curious about in our region. I might not have the answers but our team is willing to find out. Your input will guide some exploration expeditions across the region next year and we will invite you to come along! You can contact me at iamlistening.
Let’s stay curious together.
The Southwest Florida Community Foundation, founded in 1976, cultivates regional change for the common good through collective leadership, social innovation and philanthropy to address the evolving community needs in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties. The Foundation partners with individuals, families and corporations who have created over 400 philanthropic funds. Thanks to them, last year the Foundation invested $5 million in grants and programs to the community. With assets of $93 million, the Community Foundation has provided more than $67 million in grants and scholarships to the communities it serves since inception. The Foundation is the backbone organization for the regional FutureMakers Coalition and Lee County’s Sustainability Plan. Based in Fort Myers, the Foundation has satellite offices located in Sanibel Island, LaBelle (Hendry County), and downtown Fort Myers. For more information, visit www.FloridaCommunity.com or call 239-274-5900.