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And so you should be nostalgic... This is what D.E. Cline, author of the Gifthorse Conspiracy Refresher Course had to say about his brief period as a Wild Gifthorse: "I can tell you that grantmaking outside of the Conspiracy is hell: living in a state of chronic ambiguity, exhausting creativity, agonizing patience, relentless perseverance, fear of being way over your head with nothing beneath your feet, painful struggles to get your mind around the big picture, having to listen with openness and horror to honest criticism, consulting with sincerity and being held properly accountable, connecting disparate dots, surrendering one’s ego, dizzying disorientation, significant risk-taking where failure is a real possibility, trailblazing, questioning the most sacred conventions, treating grantseekers with deference and respect, thinking empathetically from the individual up while acting strategically from the broader context down, practicing long view anticipatory planning, understanding the dynamics of change and its catalyzation, maintaining high ethical standards… And that’s just the shortlist". If this is anything like your donor life, it's time to rejoin the Conspiracy. Like we did with Mr. Cline, we welcome back our prodical ponies with grace and forgiveness. However you must first ensure that you have cleansed yourself of all Wild Gifthorse behaviours.
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