This is a post about money

     Before I dive in, let me just remind you that next week I get to deliver a HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT!
     So...make sure you tune in for that one.


This is a post about money.  It is not a panic letter.  There is no doomsday clock or people threatening to evict us.  But it is about money.


If you are still reading, you have my gratitude.  There are few things that we like to talk about less than money.  But there are some realities of doing business in the nonprofit sector, and talking about money is one of those. 

First off, the good news: we are in a better place than we ever have been before.  Joel's Place is turning a corner towards sustainability.  Our earned income is increasing, our costs are dropping, our local partnerships are growing and our community reputation is blooming.  There are too many people to thank in this space but I want you all to know that I am so proud to be working with you all to create a haven of stability for the youth of our community.

Our year tends to be fairly predictable when looking at donated income.  The first third of the year is dry.  Giving is low and we tend to dig ourselves a hole trying to pay staff and falling behind with bills.  Summer we will break even, not falling farther behind but not making up much ground either.  The final third of the year, especially November and December, is when most charitable comes in for nonprofits all around the nation; it allows us to catch up and end the year even, if not ahead to prepare for the beginning dry spell of the next year.

This year we have mostly weathered the dry spell and have received a few gifts that allow us to be close to even.  We are about $5,000 behind on our bills which is not bad, but I don't want to float that through the next six months.  If you would be interested in helping us make up the difference, I would love to go into the rest of this year out of the hole.  This would allow us to run Joel's Place throughout the year and actually build up reserves during the end of the year that would carry us through next year's spring....which would allow us to be even over the summer and save in the winter for the next year's spring...like a beautiful cycle of out-of-debtedness. 

If you want to give, there are some options on the right side of this page.  I know we just finished up with tax season, which for some of you means a little extra money coming in and for others of you it means you never want to look at numbers again.  Just consider a donation to Joel's Place getting a head start on your charitable giving deduction for next year's taxes.

We are really close to having this place become sustainable.  Thanks for everything that you do to lift us up and invest in the youth of Interior Alaska.

Remember to check back next week for our big announcement.  I am really excited to talk about....