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Recent Entries

• Take the Nonprofit Stress Test
• A New Era for Philanthropy?
• No, Not A Retreat!
• Dogging Questions
• Cleansing and Renewal

Recent Comments

• By Ellen Ende from the entry 'Take the Nonprofit Stress Test'
• By David from the entry 'American Pride'
• By Mary from the entry 'American Pride'
• By Car Accident Claim from the entry 'American Pride'
• By love me from the entry 'American Pride'
• By Cash Gifting from the entry 'American Pride'
• By sergio from the entry 'American Pride'
• By Victor from the entry 'American Pride'
• By Road Accident Claim from the entry 'American Pride'
• By Kathline from the entry 'American Pride'

The very idea strikes fear of boredom and endless prattle into the hearts of even the most spirited volunteers. Yet, without a strategic plan a nonprofit drifts, loses focus and becomes ineffective. While painful to develop, a good mission statement guides good decision making on a daily basis and helps keep staff, volunteers, donors and clients on the same page.

New leaders invariably instigate a new planning process. The results are sometimes simple, such as at Maymont (http://www.maymont.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=292). Or they may be complex, such as at the Southeastern Council of Foundations (http://www.secf.org/s_secf/sec_full.asp?CID=13268&DID=29218). The latter encompasses 360 grantmaking foundations of all stripes throughout the southeast. Talk about herding cats! To me, the best part of this detailed plan lies in its values—servant leadership, partnerships and collaboration, agility and creativity to name a few. For those who really dig this stuff, you can even blog about it at http://blog.secf.org/blog/southeastern-council-of-foundations.

I met last week with a representative of ChildFund, whose planning process culminated in a name change from its historic roots as the Christian Children’s Fund. The board felt that “Christian” was an impediment in some of the international communities they serve, and they developed a new mission statement: “We help deprived, excluded and vulnerable children have the capacity to improve their lives and the opportunity to become young adults, parents and leaders who bring lasting and positive change to their communities….”

Consider how Family Lifeline’s mission statement reflects the organization’s name. “To provide families with the tools and resources needed to create a better future for themselves and their community…from the birth of a baby, to adolescents in school, to caring for older adults.”

Now, take this thought and apply it to a family. How does a family stay together through generations? What would be the difference if a family had a mission statement? How would the very existence of articulated shared values affect the behavior of children and adults? On a personal note, is it time for my family to revisit the work that our father did with us in 1992, when he prepared the mission and vision statements that continue to guide the shared portion of our lives? (I can already hear the groans.)

When I speculate about families that must have thought through their vision and mission, I think of the Ukrops, who seem to embrace each other’s individuality and who also seem to move in lock step when it comes to values. I have no personal knowledge, but I feel certain this result requires hard work—intensive planning and constant nurturing.

Few nonprofits and few cohesive families survive for 100 years. I venture that success only comes with plowing through the groans, battling the boredom and articulating the vision. Survival is a constant cyclical process that requires planning, nurturing and evaluating. And, with each new arrival on the team, we need to refocus on the future and adjust our course, if only slightly.