O N an early January day, Terry Adners was stretched out on the couch amid a pile of reports, brochures, newsletters, and summaries of last year' s board minutes. As a new board member for the Counseling Center, Terry conscientiously prepared for the upcoming meeting. The quiet day at home was welcome and relaxing after a hectic holiday season. This was the perfect time to ponder the history, mission, and current situation of the Counseling Center. Maybe careful reflection would reduce the uncertainty and uneasiness that accompanied the important decision ahead. The thought of either closing down one of the center' s major divisions or allowing it to continue operating at a substantial deficit was clearly troubling Terry. With these two options dominating the agenda, the January board meeting would be anything but quiet.
The brochures and newsletters described the Counseling Center as a nonprofit organization that provides free counseling to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. The center was founded in 1974 by a former emergency room nurse and two friends; now, with an annual budget of over $1 million and a staff of nine counselors, as well as specialists in accounting, development, public relations, and marketing, it was one of the most admired nonprofits in the region. The current executive director was a highly visible and tireless advocate for the center' s mission and was widely respected for exceptional organizational skills and ability to creatively motivate staff. Board members were well chosen and provided both a broad base of community support and specific areas of technical expertise (law, accounting, marketing, and strategic planning). The combined leadership of the director and the board had created a financially solid organization accustomed to having a reserve equivalent to two months' operating budget as a cushion for stability throughout the year. This was viewed as more a necessity than a luxury, as the Counseling Center took special pride in its ability to continue offering counseling services free of charge when so many nonprofits were moving to some type (partial reimbursement, flat rate, sliding scale) of fee system. The staff felt strongly that their clients had "already paid dearly" and should not have to add counseling fees to the substantial barriers that exist when victims decide about reporting incidents and getting help. In fact, a clause had been recently added to the mission statement to highlight this distinguishing characteristic: