6 things nonprofit leaders should stop saying that create a scarcity mindset.

1. Our team is just too small.
2. Our donor base just can't give enough.
3. We can't afford to _____.
4. Our board will never go for that.
5. There are too many competing nonprofits.
6. I just don't have enough time.

I've said many of those myself. So I get it.

Where Scarcity Mindset Comes From

The combination of tiny resources + big vision can lead to scarcity mindset for us folks in the nonprofit space.

But if you're consumed with your lack of resources, it slowly becomes part of your organization's identity and only perpetuates the challenges you face.

Two Ways to Defeat It

The best two ways to defeat a scarcity mindset is to:

1. Remember your choices.

You have choices. On what you say yes and no to. How you spend your time and money. You might think you're stuck because you "have to" go to this event or that meeting, but how you use the majority of the time and resources you have is up to you.

2. Reframe your challenge.

I'm not saying we should simply relabel problems as "opportunities." Although that is headed in the right direction. It's about truly identifying the positive in every situation, cultivating genuine gratitude, and believing for an even better future. Gratitude fuels hope for abundance.

An Example

So for example, you get invited to a networking event you’d love to go to, but it would take time away from your most important work. So you say no, but you’re disappointed.

When "I don't have enough time to go to cool events like this” shows up, instead…

Remember: "In this season, I'm choosing to invest a lot of time into staff culture."

Reframe: "I'm grateful to make this choice because I'm spending my time on my team and reproducing the values that will sustain us into the future."

As you consistently remember your choices and reframe your challenges with gratitude, you free up your mind to think more strategically.

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Don't Let It Rob You

Don't let scarcity mindset rob your nonprofit of the funds it needs because you're afraid to share your big vision with your board or donors.

Don't let scarcity mindset rob your team from being creative or innovative or taking risks because you are afraid of what might happen if you fail.

Above all, don't let scarcity mindset rob you of the passion you have for your mission.

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