Anticipating that 2009 financial gifts would be reduced as a result of the declining U.S. economy, in the fall of 2008 the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship developed strategies to manage the expected shortfall. The organization engaged in an in-house philosophical conversation about core commitments and management tenets, then took a holistic approach to maintaining their values and promises. Steps included reducing small expenses like paper coffee cups, and reducing large expenses by small amounts, like rolling back 1% pay raises. It helped that they had prepared a reserve in the fat times, and have been able to draw on those reserves in measured and strategic ways. Read more of this encouraging and insightful interview here: http://www.faithandleadership.com/multimedia/connie-mcneill-strategy-not-tactics.