You know things are bad when even the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is worried about money. A recent posting on their website says, "The financial crisis is affecting everyone, from our foundation to our partners".

When corporations, foundations and individual donors cut back on their charitable giving, nonprofits suffer. Especially at this time of year, when most nonprofits count on their annual fundraising drives to bring in the revenue that will allow them to provide services next year. Making up the difference is not easy. It is not just a matter of asking them to cut corners or to get creative about raising money. They already do that. Constantly.

The reality is that some nonprofits may not survive. And a year from now, the people and communities that those organizations serve will really be hurting. Some organizations, however, are well positioned to weather the storm. Take for example, Checkoff Colorado, one of my clients.

Checkoff Colorado is a collaborative campaign for the charitable organizations that are part of Colorado's tax checkoff program. Anyone can make a big difference by making a small donation when they file their state income tax return. The campaign's tagline is "A Simple Way to Give," because the average donation is about $10. So even in hard times, everyone can feel like they helping a worthy cause.

I have always enjoyed helping nonprofit organizations get the attention they deserve for the important work they do. Public relations is a great way to do that, but you can also help by volunteering or joining a board or becoming a donor.

However we decide to get involved, the important thing is to not let the economy prevent us from remembering that as bad as things might seem, there are people who have it much worse. From Denver to Darfur, they need our help now more than ever.

When it comes to the economy, as FDR said, we have nothing to fear but fear itself. The problem is that everyone seems really scared. So as PR pros, we need to stay focused and positive if we expect to be able to talk our clients down off the ledge.

That was the gist of a panel discussion today at a PRSA Colorado program in Denver. The panelists included Andrew Hudson, the wizard behind Andrew Hudson's Jobs List, Scott Bemis, the publisher of the Denver Business Journal, and Laura Love, the founder of Ground Floor Media, one of Denver's top PR firms.

It may feel like the end of the world, but it only is if we allow ourselves to wallow in our fear and trepidation. The choice is ours. We can give in to paralysis or take advantage of the opportunities that this recession presents. Opportunities to refocus on who we are and what we do. To redefine our brand and help our clients do the same. To boldly go where...oh, sorry, I am getting carried away.

In times like these, public relations can play an important role in helping companies find those opportunities. We can create cost effective strategies to open new doors using social media to reach new audiences and develop new business. We can design internal communications programs to improve transparency, keep employees informed, and contain rumors and anxiety. We can use this time to plan for the future and set new priorities and goals. And we can over serve our clients by providing added value more often.

As if we all weren't feeling bad enough, later in the program the keynote speaker, online guru Dave Taylor, pretty much said traditional PR was dead and we all need to get with the Web 2.0 program. Who asked Dave anyway?

So here's what I learned at school today. The car goes where we point it. We can either look backward or shift it into drive and keep moving forward. We can sit on the shoulder or merge into traffic. It's our choice.

See you in the fast lane.

The late great Bill Monroe was the Father of Bluegrass. He was a regal, revered legend in country music who commanded respect wherever he went. A friend of mine who played in his band, The Bluegrass Boys, told me this story.

One day Bill and the boys were in New York City for a concert at Carnegie Hall. Bill was a southern gentleman from rural Kentucky, so the noise, chaos and intensity that is just daily life for New Yorkers was a major culture shock for Bill.

As the Father of Bluegrass stepped from the serenity of his hotel out on the streets of Manhattan, he was overwhelmed by the sound of jackhammers, horns honking, people yelling and other sounds of the City. It wasn't exactly music to his ears, so he yelled "Quiet!!!" at the top of his lungs, as though he could wave his regal wand and the city would fall silent on his order.

That's the way a lot of people have been feeling about the incredibly long election campaign. Here in Colorado, a swing state, the ear piercing noise level from all the negative ads, TV pundits, robo-calls and talk radio screamers has been truly deafening. Now that it is finally election day, no matter how the ace turns out it will be nice to have some relief from all that shouting.

Of course, if the election doesn't turn out the way I hope, I'll be doing some screaming of my own. But at least I will have one day of peace and quiet.