In this engaging conversation, Elizabeth Cousens, President and CEO of the United Nations Foundation, shares her insights from the frontlines of global diplomacy and peacebuilding. She reveals how her team raised over $200 million during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the balance of crisis and opportunity in global health. Elizabeth discusses the importance of leading with kindness and harnessing the energy of 'impatient optimists' to drive change. She also reflects on the critical intersections of personal well-being and professional responsibilities in tackling global challenges.
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COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund
The UN Foundation raised over $200 million in four months for COVID-19 relief through the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.
This was achieved by partnering with WHO and engaging non-traditional donors like individuals and companies.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Fundraising at Speed and Scale
To achieve large-scale fundraising success, work at speed and scale, redeploying staff as needed.
Maintain close partnerships with beneficiaries and provide transparent information about fund allocation.
insights INSIGHT
The Power of Giving
People are driven by a desire to help during crises, especially when feeling powerless.
Providing a clear avenue for contribution empowers individuals and organizations to make a difference.
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And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time
Keith Ferrazzi
In 'Never Eat Alone,' Keith Ferrazzi shares his insights on networking and relationship-building, emphasizing the importance of genuine connections and mutual success. The book outlines specific steps and an inner mindset for connecting with others, highlighting principles such as generosity, constant communication, and reciprocity without keeping score. Ferrazzi draws from his own experiences and those of highly connected individuals to provide practical advice on handling rejection, attending events, and maintaining long-lasting connections in both personal and professional settings.
Elizabeth Cousens: UN Foundation
Elizabeth is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the United Nations Foundation, leading the Foundation’s next generation of work to support the United Nations. She is a diplomat and thought leader who has worked on the frontlines of peace processes, played an influential role in UN policy innovations from peacebuilding to the Sustainable Development Goals, and helped build public-private partnerships to solve global challenges at scale.
Before joining the Foundation, Elizabeth served for several years at the U.S. Mission to the UN in New York. She was Principal Policy Advisor and Counselor to the Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations and later served as the U.S. Ambassador to the UN Economic and Social Council and Alternate Representative to the UN General Assembly.
In this conversation, Elizabeth and I discuss the short and long term goals of the UN Foundation. In addition, we explore how Elizabeth’s team raised $200 million in the face of COVID-19, how she works with impatient optimists, and the importance of leading with kindness.
Key Points
The COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund has raised over $200 million for relief efforts.
Leaders should work to lead with kindness in every sector.
Many high-performing leaders are natural impatient optimists, always pushing for change.
COVID-19 is front of mind for most of us, but we cannot let it override our organization’s strategic goals.
Resources Mentioned
COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO
Elizabeth Cousens Has Raised Over $200 Million for the World Health Organization (Mostly) in Her Pajamas
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