blueprints

278 | toolkit: Bent nails and short Boards
and had to back out of a commitment. Express your disappointment, of
course, but in a way that is sympathetic to and focused on the poet and
whatever crisis she faces, be it illness, family issues, or something else (even
the fear-of-flying thing, which is, for those who have it, a very serious matter).
Whatever is keeping her away, chances are it’s not about you. If the
event is still a few weeks or more away, ask whether she is willing to reschedule,
assuming you have another date available.
If rescheduling isn’t practical, you need to decide whether you want to
cancel the event altogether or find a substitute for the poet, basing your
decision on the needs of your organization and its audience. Of course,
finding an acceptable substitute will take time and effort and may be impossible
for either a solo appearance or a group presentation if the poet who
needs to be replaced is very well known and is the focus of the event. If you
can’t find someone who at least approaches the original poet’s reputation—
or, alternatively, someone who is beloved in your community—canceling
might be the way to go.
If the poet is more or less equal among several presenters or faculty, you
will need to decide whether the remaining presenters can fill in; whether
you have time to replace the poet with someone equally well regarded, or
nearly so; or whether to cancel the part of the event involving that poet.
If you find out later that the poet’s cancellation was capricious, there’s
no need to have a confrontation. You’ve learned your lesson. Don’t invite
him again.
Loss of Funding
Perhaps the biggest issue can be a catastrophic drop in funding from
one or more than one source. This is something many organizations—even
venerable and respected ones—have experienced during recent economic
downturns. If this happens to you, first look hard at your budget and see
where you can trim. If you’re paying for receptions, for example, cancel
them, institute a brown-bag policy, or see if you can find local eateries to
donate food. If you’re spending a lot on dinners out, get board members to
host potluck events at their homes. In the worst case—and of course this
will be a last resort—you may have to cut salaries or staff, perhaps even
return to an all-volunteer effort until you weather the crisis. Think hard
about what you are losing and whether you have the volunteer commitment
to pull the work off before you take this route. Consult with your staff