Last week, we challenged you to increase your level of strategic thinking (Thinking Strategically Improves Sustainability). This week, we will build on that.
In the preceding article we suggest that changing your strategy from serving a group of individuals to serving the needs of a community (how ever you define community) has significant benefits that will increase your nonprofit’s sustainability. That is easily done if one is starting a new nonprofit. However, changing the strategy of an existing nonprofit requires a little planning:
1 Work with your board, a select group of significant donors, and the staff to select and define the new need-based strategy
2 Change the way your organization talks about the current services and clients (need-based services that benefit the entire community but are only provided to a select group of individuals)
3 Change the way you recruit, train, evaluate, and reward staff, volunteers, and board members to ensure everyone is focused on need-based services rather than client-based services
4 Begin changing the services with the goal of providing more benefits and value for the larger community
The first three steps lay the foundation for the fourth step. Part of laying the foundation is to begin the cultural change process from client-based services to need-based services. Unless your nonprofit is experiencing a decline in clients served and donor support, taking six months to work through the first three steps will create a comfortable transition for your nonprofit and your supporters. If your nonprofit is experiencing a decline in both clients served and donor support you need to move through the process as quickly as possible.
Next Step:
Determine the best time to start the transition process
Monitor the impact the transition is having on support from your donors, volunteers, advocates, and referral sources
Reach out to your supporters who maybe uncertain about the change in strategy
Once you have made the transition to the new strategy, add a strategy review to your list of annual activities. During the annual strategic review, assess the changing needs of the community your nonprofit serves and determine what additional services are necessary to meet the evolving community needs. Every three years assess the definition of community to determine if a broader or narrower definition is appropriate.
The annual strategic review and the tri-annual community redefinition will ensure your nonprofit is always relevant and highly sustainable.
