Creating something out of nothing.

Beginning a project or starting down a new, unknown path can be a daunting task. Sure, there are the tangible aspects - file this paperwork, meet with that person, etc. However, anyone who has successfully created an organization will tell you it is what happens when you are not active that will determine your success.

Are your employees engaged? Is your idea sound? Are there competitors undermining your every move?

A successful organization is one that adapts. In essence, every organization is constantly developing. It is not a task to complete or a box to check. It is a way of life.

Such was the case for Honor Flight Louisiana, a Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based nonprofit that flies World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit the memorials erected in their honor - at no cost to the veteran.

In early January 2017, a group of Louisiana State University MBA students, who had either served or were currently serving in the military, got together to discuss an idea for serving and giving back. This group of students varied in age, hometown, and occupation, but all had one thing in common – a desire to serve our veterans. While still in its youth, Honor Flight Louisiana’s goal was to put the oath many of us have sworn to action and honor those men and women with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. They created a purpose.

What is your purpose?

In the years since its founding, Honor Flight Louisiana has raised thousands of dollars toward this purpose, maintains an active volunteer list and board, and has transported more than 30 veterans to Washington, D.C. in the few years they have been able to fly. With interest growing, Honor Flight Louisiana is expected to continue growing at an incredible pace. This growth has not been easy, however. Many obstacles were present to achieving this success.

A key factor in organizational development is creating buy-in both inside the organization and with key stakeholders in the audience you are attempting to reach. Honor Flight Louisiana created its board from scratch. Built a donor list. Researched and built a media contact list. But most importantly, Honor flight Louisiana began community outreach that would result in applications from veterans and volunteers pouring in.

Then there were a charter and bylaws. Meeting minutes. Legal and financial considerations from a nonprofit perspective that was foreign to some.

Honor Flight Louisiana continued to adapt, made even more apparent as a nonprofit surviving the COVID-19 pandemic, when funding became tight, and people became more sheltered. Some of the questions the organization faced dealt with were:

• How do you create funding in this new environment?

• How do you alter your organization’s general way of doing business, given the vulnerable population it serves?

• How do you continue to motivate volunteers and board members who are less active due to the COVID-19 pandemic?

Through it all, a shared purpose continues to drive the organization in achieving its mission, adapting to new challenges and developing its operations to remain flexible.