Once you become a part of a nonprofit organization, supporting and defending the organization becomes second nature. while this loyalty is commendable in some respects, it is detrimental in others. Specifically, nonprofit stakeholders can lose sight of program challenges or organizational issues... and we can’t fix what we can’t see.
Therefore, when working with a new organization, we recommend a quick but robust assessment tool in order to highlight areas in need of improvement. This tool not only helps us develop a personalized development plan for improvement, but helps highlight current and future opportunities and challenges that warrant the organization’s attention.
As the issues facing our communities become more complex, so do the necessary solutions. In addition, changes to improve efficiency and impact require many stakeholders and moving parts. Therefore, we must be focused and diligent when developing plans for improvement.
We have had great success not only in supporting nonprofits in developing a strategic plan, but in implementing the plan, monitoring its success, making adjustments when needed and keeping stakeholders engaged.
A nonprofit is only as successful as its leadership. If your nonprofit has stalled or is experiencing a crisis, it might help to look more closely at your CEO. First, we always try to determine how to help this professional improve, as most nonprofit CEO’s have either taken on too much or understandably focused on clients over development or capacity. In these situations all that is needed is some consulting and/or training, which saves your nonprofit from the heavy costs associated with leadership turnover.
If you do find yourself in need of a new CEO, we can provide a transition plan, assist you in your search, and even find an interim CEO to allow you time to find the best candidate or handle messy transition issues so your new CEO can start with a clean slate.
No matter your unique situation, keep in mind how critical this position is to your nonprofit, and how very different a nonprofit CEO is in comparison to a corporate CEO. Hiring a professional to help you fill this position will not only save you money in the long run, but will ensure a smoother transition and more immediate growth of your nonprofit.
Today’s nonprofit needs more than just funding to make change in the community. Rather, they require a combination of financial, relational and intellectual resources. We offer holistic guidance to support foundations and major donors to increase their impact, while concurrently helping the nonprofits they fund expand their capacity. In addition, we ensure maximum impact with reduced waste.
Embarking on a philanthropic journey is a beautiful yet complicated adventure. Not only do you want your contributions of time and money to be given to the best organization, but you want those limited resources to be used efficiently and effectively. We can help you to:
Philanthropic intermediaries have quickly become essential to improving nonprofit efficiency and effectiveness. If you are planning to start a local intermediary, or need support for an operating intermediary, we have worked with several across the country. In addition, we have researched and developed multiple tools to help these organizations quickly grow into what their community needs.