'I Have a Dream': 3 Lessons for Nonprofit Leaders from Martin Luther King Jr.

Today we celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The man embodied many things, but perhaps among his most notable identifiers was that he was a man of remarkable vision.

Vision is crucial to inspiring others to give, volunteer and participate. However, many nonprofit leaders spend countless hours writing a compelling vision statement, only to lose it “in the weeds” of all their other responsibilities. It’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture and get caught up in the day-to-day functions of your role. Vision statements might get framed on the wall or inserted into the “About” pages of websites, but for many nonprofits, the vision statement either doesn’t drive where the organization is headed or it’s not even relevant.