Some good news (finally)

One of the hardest parts for me of our upcoming transition has been what to do about The Women's Health Project. I launched this nonprofit organization last summer, and quit my job to work on it full time in November. At the end of January, we decided to move to Portland, so my fledgling organization was suddenly about to lose the founder. Two board members quit on the spot when they heard the news. Individual donations dried up, and fundraising came to a stand still. Meanwhile, the bills kept coming and the community kept asking when our programs would be ready.

I am far from being done worrying about what is going to happen, but today my mailbox brought me a little piece of joy. No, it was not a sizable donation from someone who really *ought* to be contributing to this venture if only to show their support of me personally (no, I don't mean you RJM). Nor was it notice that we won one of the half dozen grants that I have applied for. It was a letter from the IRS, telling me that the Women's Health Project is now officially a federally-recognized non profit organization. Yes, we received our 501 (C) 3 determination today and I let out the biggest WHOOP! when I read it.

It is a small step, but it makes the entity much more real. It lets us out of our fiscal sponsorship arrangement, which while helpful, was also cumbersome. We are on our own now, succeed or fail. I'm voting for succeed, although I won't be around to lead the way.