Artfulchange and Connect the Dots: Greening Nonprofits

Connect the DotsNonprofits are typically working for a specific cause, and their work requires focus and dedication from a devoted and talented staff. They often face the challenge of raising enough money to keep their operations going as well as making amazing things happen for their chosen cause. In this time of a societal shift toward green awareness and a focus on sustainability, most nonprofits are interested or at least sympathetic toward the idea of sustainability but have an even more difficult time finding the financial and organization resources to make their operations as green or sustainable as they can. If that nonprofit is a San Francisco Bay Area organization, there is help out there.

Connect the Dots is a Bay Area nonprofit that exists specifically to help other Bay Area nonprofits lower their environmental impact as they deliver on their social missions.

As Maikhanh Nguyen, founding director of Connect the Dots, says:

 “We recognize that we enjoy the luxury to not be overwhelmed with other operational responsibilities and emergencies to concentrate efforts in energy efficiency, water conservation, waste diversion, and responsible purchasing.  Also, we have access to utility bills across multiple facilities which enable us to identify these savings opportunities to spread from one organization to another.”

Artfulchange is another Bay Area nonprofit that uses the arts to create events to raise money for other Bay Area nonprofits- this Friday, March 5, they will be hosting a Benefit Concert featuring the Jay Trainer Band and The San Francisco Review for a night of fun and support for greening Non-Profits. Here is the Event Schedule: 5:30 - Visual arts gallery reception & HAPPY HOUR 7:00 - Jay Trainer Band  | Jay Trainer YouTube Channel 8:30 - The San Fran Review featuring *bernadette* & Pamela Parker!  | Location: Root Division (Map) 3175 17th Street (at South Van Ness) San Francisco, CA 94110 You can learn more about this event or RSVP on Facebook through the Event invitation and help Connect the Dots in their mission to green Bay Area nonprofits.

Nguyen elaborates: “In analyzing utility bills to track the effectiveness of our work, we have discovered numerous opportunities for financial savings from activities not traditionally related to “greening” efforts. We see significant value in pursuing them as they preserve the much needed funding for other activities. For example, we have found overlooked discount programs, alternate energy rate schedule, billing oversight, and unused services…one client is able to save about $375 each month by rolling their waste bins to the curb themselves rather than incur the “distance service” from the waste company…we enrolled a nonprofit facility on the PG&E CARE program to cut their energy bill by 20% discount. We helped another remove a $178 per month “key charge” from their waste bill after seeing that the locks were not used.“

At the event, Connect the Dots will feature their 3-month Green Start program concentrating on easy conservation practices yielding deep impact to "jump start" organizations towards sustainability. Their services include connecting nonprofits to single-issue incentive programs that diminish their ecological footprint and generate near-term financial savings, with a focus on under-resourced and critical Bay Area communities. Why? Because they recognize that their constituents are typically most vulnerable to environmental degradation and catastrophes.

“Remember that sustainability is a journey, not a destination.” –Maikhanh Nguyen

Agreed- if you are interested in being part of that journey, check out this event or get in touch with Connect the Dots to learn more.