Lisa Van Zyll Celebrates Nonprofits, Nature & NANOE
Lisa Van Zyll Celebrates Nonprofits, Nature & NANOE is our beloved Member Relations Director take on the beauty of nature and nonprofit growth. Let’s hear what this veteran administrator has to share.
I can’t seem to stop watching a remarkable YouTube 24hr live stream from Big Bear Valley, California, where Jackie and Shadow, a devoted pair of bald eagles, are tending to their newly laid eggs.
Watching them up close has been an awe-inspiring experience. At any given time, over 50,000 viewers are a witness to their tender care, patience, and fierce dedication as they nurture their future hatchlings.
As I sit here and watch Jackie & Shadow prepare for the birth and growth of their eaglets and am amazed at how patient they are, and the dedication they possess to set up their babies for success.
This reminds of how nonprofit organizations prepare for the outcomes for their missions. This is done through patience, dedication and adherence to their long-term goals.It is easy to relate how eagle parents prepare for their young to how a nonprofit raises money by drawing parallels between their dedication, planning, and long-term vision. Here’s how:
1. Preparation & Nest Building = Laying the Financial Foundation
Just as eagles carefully build a strong nest before their eggs arrive, nonprofits must establish a solid financial base before they can support their mission. This involves strategic fundraising, budgeting, and securing resources to sustain their cause.
2. Protecting the Eggs = Stewardship of Funds
Eagles diligently guard and incubate their eggs, ensuring they stay warm and safe. Similarly, nonprofits must be responsible stewards of their funds, ensuring donations are wisely managed and invested to maximize impact.
3. Hunting & Providing = Active Fundraising & Grant Seeking
Parent eagles hunt tirelessly to feed their young, just as nonprofits must consistently seek funding through grants, donors, and fundraising campaigns. Without continuous effort, both the eaglets and the nonprofit’s programs wouldn’t survive.
4. Teaching Young to Fly = Program Growth & Sustainability
As eaglets grow, their parents teach them to fly and eventually become independent. Similarly, nonprofits aim to develop sustainable programs that empower communities, ensuring lasting impact beyond immediate financial contributions.
Eagle parents and nonprofits both develop patience as they nurture and invest in growth, whether it’s in their young or their donor relationships. Here’s how the comparison works:
1. Waiting for the Right Time
Eagle Parents: After laying eggs, eagles must patiently incubate them for weeks, knowing they cannot rush the hatching process. They trust that, with time and care, their young will emerge when ready.
Nonprofit Organizations: Fundraising isn’t instant. Nonprofits must cultivate relationships with donors over time, understanding that trust, connection, and giving capacity develop gradually.
2. Providing Consistent Care & Engagement
Eagle Parents: Even after eaglets hatch, they aren’t immediately ready to fly. Parents must consistently feed and nurture them until they are strong enough.
Nonprofit Organizations: Donors may not give large amounts immediately. Through ongoing engagement—emails, updates, and appreciation—nonprofits build trust and demonstrate impact, leading to long-term support.
3. Teaching & Encouraging Without Forcing
Eagle Parents: Eagles don’t push their young out of the nest too soon. Instead, they guide and encourage them until they are ready to fly on their own.
Nonprofit Organizations: Pressuring donors too soon can backfire. Nonprofits must educate and inspire donors at their own pace, allowing them to give when they feel confident in the cause.
4. Trusting the Process
Eagle Parents: They instinctively know that patience leads to success—if they stay committed, their young will thrive and eventually soar.
Nonprofits: Building lasting donor relationships takes time. By staying patient, nurturing connections, and showing impact, nonprofits create loyal donors who will support them for years to come.
Just as eaglets don’t fly overnight, donor relationships don’t develop instantly. Patience, care, and consistency are key to success in both cases.
Lisa Van Zyll
Member Relations Director
712 H Street NE Suite 1149
Washington, DC 20002
(800) 257-6670
[email protected]
https://NANOE.org
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