What Are We Doing Now?

Time for a blog a friend tells me. He says he’s seeking some of my wisdom. Well, he’ll have to look good and long, for all that I typically expose is my own questions and sorrow, at least that’s how it seems to me. I’ve also gotten feedback about other things that people want to know, not the least of which is more about the Fund itself. Knowing that April will be a tough month and will probably lead me back to reflection about Sean, I think that I will try to explain what it is we are doing and hope to do in the future.First, let me say that I had no idea how easy it would be to get support for the Fund (Sean’s friends and fans are wonderful) and how difficult it would be to manage the start up. I have done many different things in business, but never “managed” volunteers, nor have I done fundraising. I find both of these things to be challenging for much the same reason: I have a difficult time asking for help. If I’m paying you, that’s another matter altogether, as anyone who has worked for me will tell you. I have no problem setting high standards and exacting them. I do believe that I don’t ask more of another than I do myself, which, because I am such a perfectionist, makes me tougher  So, having to ask the support of others who have to have other means of feeding their families and many other responsibilities is difficult. Asking for money is worse. That I leave to others. Telling the story of how our mission evolved is easy. Finding ways to make it happen is challenging.We have only been a designated 501 (c)3 organization for over a year and what we have accomplished is amazing. (Our Annual Report is available on line for review.) However, as has been said to me, we kind of put the cart before the horse in a way. Typically, you start with a business plan and then get to work. I started with a story and a conviction and an avalanche of support propelled us way ahead of the infrastructure needed to sustain that momentum.Operations I do understand, and for any organization to succeed, it must have rules, guidelines, structure.... a plan. So last October, we gathered the majority of our board members in Atlanta for a 2 day Strategic Planning meeting that was very productive. We were able to hone our mission and vision statements and decide what we did and did not want to be. This was much more complex that it seems on the surface, for the clarity of the mission is paramount to both the organization and its donors, customers, etc. What we are not is just as important as what we are.Our finalized Mission Statement is:Uniquely focused on the needs of musicians with bipolar disorder, The Sean Costello Memorial Fund for Bipolar Research supports and conducts research on bipolar disorder and creativity while promoting awareness, providing education, and serving as a resource for these musicians and their support systems in order to foster acceptance, functioning and health.Our Vision Statement is:There is accurate, timely diagnosis, effective treatment, and social acceptance of bipolar disorder so that musicians achieve wellness while pursuing their creative aspirations.We also listed the challenges and the strengths of the organization, both internally and externally and there are many of both. This kind of exercise allows us to formulate a strategic plan that will be our template for moving forward. As you can imagine, “managing” a board of individuals from all over the country and different time zones is challenging; however, the commitment of each member and their availability and flexibility has been nothing short of amazing to me. Again, a testament to Sean and them.As committees, we meet on a regular basis to address things like: fundraising, grant writing, finance, compliance, etc. As a board, we intend to meet twice a year. This year, as we strive to put a solid foundation under us, so that the organization can survive and grow with our without any of us, we realize that, as the nuns used to say at the hospital where I worked: “no money, no mission.”  While that isn’t exactly true: we will always have our mission; it is true that we do need funds to do what we propose. Sometimes those funds are in-kind donations, like printing; others times, we will need money.Our plans are to try to raise the awareness of our cause and we will be communicating ways that you can help us. Simultaneously, we will be developing fundraising campaigns with a national focus. To date, a good portion of our funds have been raised regionally. It is important, we feel, to explain how the donations are going to be used.We have three main goals as a Fund: (1) researching the connection between creativity and anxiety and bipolar disorder; (2) providing information about access to care and education to musicians who are bipolar and/or their support system; and (3) researching the availability of and/or developing evidenced based treatment for a dual diagnosis. While we are not in the position yet, it is a dream of ours to have a place for musicians/creative people to receive care which uses evidenced based care guidelines. We would want it to be named in honor of Sean.These are lofty and aggressive goals, especially considering the economy and the number of other organizations seeking funding and acceptance. However, there is none totally focused on the unique needs and personality of musicians, nor really creative people in general. The first phase of our plan must be organization for obvious reasons. At some point in the near future, the board may deem it appropriate to hire someone who has the expertise in non-profit management and funding to give us the experience we need to access funding.The first logical thing to explore is supporting research on the topic of creativity and bipolar disorder. We were founded on the belief that creative people think and react differently and may need specific interventions. We also need to know how medications affect the creative process - an important consideration to foster compliance.It is also our belief that we do not want to present the same thing that is being offered elsewhere if it’s not working, and it isn’t.  We want to gather data that will tell us the best way to offer hope and wellness to someone who is a musician and bipolar. We believe that it is not only possible, but that it’s necessary and better for the community at large.Simultaneously, members of our Program Committee are working on research of evidenced based treatment guidelines. Hopefully, by working both of these ends at the same time, we will move more quickly to an approach that is valid and effective.As we begin to ramp up our efforts, it is important for all of our supporters to know what it is we are doing and intend to do. As significant, is the feedback and input that we can get from the community that we wish to serve. We have the hardest working, most talented group of individuals on our board, but we are only as successful as the community senses our worth. In other words:"We got to just keep pushin’ every day...”