You are
A nonprofit leader
You want to run your organization well— capture your donors and attract talent, then retain both so you can achieve your mission
A nonprofit organization
501c federally exempt
Size: startup (1-5 employees, <$500K budget); small (5-10 employees, <$3m budget); or medium (10-20 employees, $3-5m budget)
Geography: local, regional/state-wide or national focus
Longevity/years of operation: range from brand new, to established, to historic
You are experiencing and seeking solutions in
Leadership & Governance
-
Unclear or undefined roles and responsibilities for your board members
Confusion over your board-executive director relationship
A disengaged or disinterested board, or at least some board members who are disengaged or disinterested
An extremely engaged board or board member(s)
Infrequent (or nonexistent) reviews of your governance documents
Confusion about who is in charge of doing what, and by when and how and with whom
A culture change or significant leadership change
-
Leadership should espouse and be ambassadors of your core values, mission and vision
Clear roles, responsibilities and expectations of leadership
Establish and maintain a culture of transparency and accountability
Regularly review your governance structure to ensure effectiveness and equity
Strategic Planning & Programs
-
Uncertainty about your “why” or your value-add
A lack of clarity or cohesion around your mission
A lack of clarity or cohesion around your vision (or a complete lack of vision)
A lack of clarity or cohesion around your core values (or a complete lack of defined core values)
An blurring of the lines between passion and blind passion / uncertainty as to how to channel your passion
An outdated or irrelevant strategic plan
A lack of a strategic plan
Inconsistent, infrequent or nonexistent reports on the execution of your strategic plan
No annual reports produced for your donors and/or constituents
New threats or external challenges that might require a new vision and/or strategic plan
Fear or uncertainty about how to take advantage of impending opportunities
-
Define your goals, objectives and actionable steps
Establish a strategic vision with an effective tracking structure for reporting and accountability
Programs should function properly and remain current
Provide clarity in what your organization does, and does well
Organizational Development & Operations
-
Misdirection on leveraging your passion
Disconnect around how your organization is run, managed and/or led
Overall lack of alignment on how to become or remain a sustainable organization
Disorganization of internal files
A lack of a knowledge management system
Minimal or no structures or methods to capture and organize historical knowledge
-
Alignment on overall direction and strategy toward sustainability
Tools and best practices on how to effectively run, manage and lead your organization
Directed passion
Stay up to date and maintain transparency on annual reports and tax filings
Create and maintain a knowledge management system
Establish SOPs and job descriptions to ensure effective operations and an equitable working culture
Consider succession planning tools to ensure effective transitions