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Moving slowly...

  "The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot." -Michael Altshuler Seriously, where is the time going?  It's almost November.  So much for my plan to provide regular updates on the non-profit start-up process.  How do people have the discipline to sit down and write/edit a blog on a regular basis?  I am too easily distracted by…well, everything: I should sit down and write a blog post tonight, oh wait, the cat wants to play.  OK, now I really should sit down and write, oh, but I think I should do laundry so I can have warm sheets when I go to bed.  Alright, sit down and write…let me just check my email….  OT Students Rock I was finally spurred into action when I found out that an OT student (hi Biz !) will be working with me and the organization for her doctoral capstone project next year. Yay!  In the spring, we’ll figure out more specifically what her project will be with us, but I’m so excited to have another student on ...
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I'm back. Let's get this party started!

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Wow - summer really got away from me!  I can't believe it's been three months since my last post, I have a lot to catch you up on!  So this post is to answer all the questions I've been getting lately: What have you been doing all summer? I had a part-time contract with the university so I could wrap up some research projects and teaching obligations.  Of course, surprising to no one but me, "wrapping up" was more work than I anticipated and so had little time to focus on the non-profit.  My last official day at the university was August 9.  I am now officially without a paying job!  Did you ever decide on a name for your nonprofit? In my last post I asked for advice on a name and I got some really good and creative ideas.  After pitching the ideas to the folks who will actually be served by the organization (i.e. older folks living in low-income housing), the original front runner, Richmond LiveWell, was knocked out because I got too many comments tha...
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Name this organization!

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One must first of all have a solid foundation -Sri Aurobindo While I have a general understanding of the process for starting a non-profit organization (filing articles of incorporation, obtaining EIN, establishing a board, writing bylaws and COI documents, filing for 501(c)(3) status, etc) I also know - from nearly 10 years working in legal/compliance in the federal government - that each of these steps must be completed in a precise way with the right boxes checked and correct words used in order to avoid delays, amendments, or outright rejection of tax exempt status by the IRS.  And without 501(c)(3) status I can't apply for grants (and can't offer you a tax deduction when I ask you for money😉).  I've also learned over the years, that in the long run, it's always easier to start with a solid foundation, even if it takes more up-front time, money, effort, than to just jump in and have to go back later and fix everything.  So, I'm currently looking for an attorney...
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Here we go....

Nothing is written in stone, as a career is an unpredictable journey.   - Zlatan Ibrahimovic If you've known me for a while, you'll understand the appropriateness of the above quote relative to my life (and if you really know me, you rolled your eyes when you realized who I quoted).  For those who weren't aware, my career journey is taking another left turn:  I have decided to leave my position as a fulltime, tenure-track assistant professor of occupational therapy in order to start my own non-profit organization.  A lot went into making this decision and perhaps in a future post I will elaborate more, but essentially it came down to this:  I continually see unmet needs in the community and wish someone would do something about it...I finally realized that I   can be be the someone to do something.  I have the knowledge and skills, I have the professional and community connections, really the only thing left was the confidence (and guts...
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