"You don't fail when you don't quit"

By Sherry Ristau
President and CEO

As we find ourselves marking six months into the COVID-19 pandemic and living and working differently, I am reminded every day to choose my attitude and look for the positive. I miss people very much, and I am still grateful there are other ways to connect. I am excited about a future when I can leave my mask off, hug my friends and colleagues, and act on plans we are hard at work on for the community—and the Quad Cities Community Foundation. 
 
Even with the uncertainty that 2020 has brought, the Community Foundation is full speed ahead on our new strategic plan. We’re asking questions like: what’s the gift in all this? What does it make possible? What are the most important lessons learned?
 
When we created our current plan in 2018, we had no idea that a historic flood and a worldwide pandemic would force us to adapt and respond to our bi-state region's needs in ways we hadn't previously imagined. While previous plans positioned us with the infrastructure and tools to act quickly should a disaster strike, they didn't fully consider how it would transform our office and the philanthropic work we partner with donors on in the Quad Cities. Who would have known? 
 
As we look ahead to the next three years, our strategic planning forces us to imagine a future that we know will be different. And as president and CEO, I am excited because I know we will be better when we emerge from all this year has brought. As a colleague reminded me recently, “you don’t fail when you don’t quit.”
 
That’s true. We won’t quit. You can count on your Community Foundation to never accept the status quo for our community, our donors, our nonprofits, and this organization.
 
Right now, we’re reflecting on big questions. What is the purpose that guides our activities? What do we mean by leadership—and how do we want to lead? Where are our most vital partnerships, and who do we want to forge new or deeper connections with that we have not in the past? Or, my personal favorite: What does it actually mean to transform a region, as our mission states?
 
We’re seeking the answers by committing time to learn from our community—from donors who make all our work possible to the nonprofits and community partners who are meeting basic human needs, identifying promising opportunities, and transforming the lives of Quad Citizens. The stories we hear and the advice we're offered not only give us hope and insight—they help inform our future.
 
While none of us may know what tomorrow will bring, we are confident that there will always be a need—and an opportunity—to champion generosity in our community. And you can be assured that no matter the outcome of our planning process, this Community Foundation will always be about our regional community.
 
As we look to the future, I invite you to participate in guiding it. If you’ve got a big idea, a dream for the future, or a heart for spreading goodness in the community you love, I want to hear from you. Don’t be shy—reply to this email and share it. I can keep your response anonymous if you request it. You can trust me and trust your Community Foundation.
 
I look forward to hearing from you.