Should strategic planning take six months or six hours?

by | Apr 6, 2024 | Strategic Planning

Spoiler alert…as you probably guessed, the answer is it depends…on a lot of things.

About ten years ago, I was working for a nonprofit and serving with two others in a board capacity. My Thursdays were dedicated to galas and my Saturdays to strategic planning sessions. A half-day of my weekend seemed like a small investment for the assurance that an organization I cared about would move in a synchronized swimming fashion toward absolute success over the next five to ten years. In reality, a lot of weekend time was spent talking over each other as someone furiously jotted our thoughts onto a flipchart or white board. Our great takeaways ended up living on the director’s digital camera or those giant post-it notes in a closet. The good news? These half-day investments cost us only $500! That’s right. Every foundation, club, and nonprofit retiree was willing to host a strategy session for the low low cost of $500. Half a grand and half a day for a decade’s worth of strategy!

Jump ahead to today…I work with national organizations that spend 3–6 months on their strategic plans as well as community-based organizations that struggle to coordinate a one-day, one-time gathering for the same purpose. So, which is better? Do the big guys have this figured out and the grassroots organizations need to get on board? Not exactly.

Do you need a map or a destination?

Often, organizations have a well-defined vision of where they want to go. Whether it’s the growth of existing programs or perhaps a new building. What they’re missing is a strategy to get there. On the other hand, your organization might not have a clear objective in mind OR (more common) it might have multiple objectives. Determining what to pursue when is necessary for a strategic plan. 

 

Providing a map is much easier than helping determine a destination and then building a map. A one-day session can often help teams articulate and document the steps necessary to achieve their goals. Determining a destination will often require research (see below) and a longer engagement. 

Research Requires Time

I’ll be the first to admit that as a nonprofit leader, it’s easy to fall under the illusion that I know best or that my vision should singularly guide the organization. Sure, I might need a consultant to help get the board on board, but I know where we’re going! The thing is, as a nonprofit leader, you’re not the owner. Even if you’re the founder, you created a community-owned entity. You owe it to them to get their input. Great strategies are built on insight from the community you serve, not just the internal team and board. Focus groups, interviews, and surveys are all necessary to build a well-rounded strategy. 

When faced with multiple opportunities, due diligence is required to help your organization make the wisest choice. Proceeding without asking and answering the right questions can lead to mission drift, financial risk and burnout. At their fastest pace, solid research initiatives still take months to schedule, complete and analyze, but the return on investment is significant. 

 

Add-ons Add Time

There are a lot of items that are often lumped together with strategic planning. Not a bad thing, necessarily, but these “add-ons” often cause organizations to need longer planning periods. Items like board training, creation or revision of identity statements, i.e., core values or a vision statement, and team building activities are not strategic planning. They are, however, critical to good strategy. If you know these items are needing an update it’s best to plan for additional time so they’re not addressed in a rush or skipped altogether. 

 

Actionable Plans are Shorter-Term and Require Less Time

A major casualty seldom reported from the COVID-19 Pandemic was the catastrophic end to millions of strategic plans. No one saw it coming. No one had a “Pandemic Contingency Plan” in the appendix of their organization’s strategy documents. A silver lining of this tragedy was that we started to get more realistic about what we could plan for. Do you even plan to work for the same nonprofit in ten years? Will any of your current board members still be serving? Is it right to make plans for people who aren’t in the room to execute upon? 

 

While I still receive plenty of RFPs for long-term plans, most organizations recognize the wisdom in planning for a shorter period of time. This shorter goal also allows for a shorter planning period. 

 

A Closing Thought: The Water Analogy

Health experts recommend we drink at least 8-8oz glasses of water each day. That’s a lot. Especially for those of us who consume the majority of their daily liquids via the coffee cup. I rarely drink even two glasses of water per day, but that doesn’t diminish the health benefits of those two glasses. 

 

You may not be able to make an investment in a multi-month strategic planning process that includes research and all the bells and whistles. If that is the case, there is a still value in a half-day session! If that is what you can gather your board for, start there. The level-setting of time in a room with a focus of alignment around your yearly objectives is never time wasted.

Ten Common Experiences of New Nonprofit Leaders

by | Jan 20, 2024 | Leadership

The following list was compiled based on my personal experiences and those of peers. It’s biased, but still valuable. New nonprofit leaders might not experience all of the following, but at least a few of these cautions will be relevant, even if only in hindsight. Whether you’re stepping in to the nonprofit leadership scene for the first time or joining a new organization mid-career, there is wisdom in being prepared. 

1) You’ll be informed of anything and everything that has ever bothered anyone. 

There’s a new sheriff in town and many will hope that you address things previously overlooked. Whether it’s the brand of copy paper in the printer or the frequency of volunteer newsletters, each and every matter that has ever bugged anyone will be brought to you…with urgency. Whether softened with “I’m so glad you are here to fix this!” or presented as a threat to the existence of the public sector, each matter will be considered urgent by the person presenting it. You’ll have to decide whether it truly is and if not, does it even warrant your attention? 

It’s always important to hear people out, but if your predecessor didn’t take action, perhaps there was a reason. Chances are you can noodle on these items for a month or two or three in order to make an informed decision.

 

2) Your leadership will be tested…and you might fail. 

Someone thinks you’re unqualified for your new role. I guarantee it. There’s a nay-sayer in each hiring situation. They may bait you in board meetings or simply ask you for opinions on institutional matters you’re not oriented enough to address yet. There’s a decent chance you’re not going to pass their tests, too. How could you? You just arrived.

Nay-sayers can be won over, but if they can’t, they usually self-select out due to frustration. Try to demonstrate patience and gratitude for them preparing you for what you’ll eventually need to know. Whatever their tactic, exhaust their energies with positivity. So what if you don’t have the answer yet? You will soon.

 

3) You’ll feel judgy.

How could they have done it this way for so long??? Don’t they know any better??? Well, no, probably not. That’s why they hired you! Try to resist feelings of superiority and the urge to be a “know-it-all.” The Biblical truth holds true in new employment situations: the measure in which you judge others will be used to measure you. 

Rather than fostering a culture of critique and criticism, try to create a culture of innovation by always asking, “Can we make this better?” 

 

4) You’ll try to find allies, and allies will try to find you.

To quote Anton Ego, famed antagonist in the Disney film Ratatouille (a family favorite at my house): The new needs friends.

It’s lonely at the top, and never quite so much as upon arrival. No matter how fantastic your new organization’s onboarding system is, you’ll likely feel like you’ve been thrown into the deep-end.  A friendly face or kind word can and will go a long way toward your security and comfort in the new role. Be cautious, though. Solid colleague relationships usually involve ‘iron sharpening iron,’ so if your new buddies nod in unison more than they challenge or provide unbiased insight, you may want to take a step back. As mentioned in #1, a new leader can be seen as an opportunity to move a previously unaddressed agenda forward or save a sinking ship. 

 

5) You’ll want to change something…big. 

It’s hard to feel at home until some part of the place resembles you. Someone else’s office chair. A former executive’s filing system. A style of team meetings that you never would have chosen. A powerful combination of fresh eyes, personal taste, and different lived experiences will wake you up at 3am with an insatiable appetite to start the day. Enjoy it, embrace it, but don’t overdo it. (you’ll read why in #9). 

The biggest thing you’ll be tempted to change is the culture and, unfortunately, to do so safely takes time. Modest tweaks can lead to big gains so long as your focus remains as much on your team and mission as those 3AM epiphanies about how it should have always been done differently. Demonstrate responsibility and restraint by kicking off your new nonprofit leadership with a strategic plan that involves your team and board. 

 

6) There will be a honeymoon period.

“Move fast and break things,” was the early motto of Facebook, and in the years following the platform’s massive growth it became a mantra of entrepreneurial leaders everywhere – including Nonprofitland. While this motto/mindset has some major inherent flaws, it also has its season. When you’re new, you will have the right combination of courage, will, and outside thinking to pull off radical changes with collateral damages taken in stride. 

So what if you’re over budget by $20,000? The organization has revamped X,Y and Z! 

So 25% of the team resigned? It’s the price of moving forward. 

We didn’t include a certain partner in the conversation? Oh well, you can’t be expected to think of every detail. 

These combinations of consolation/accolades will eventually transform into admonishments. The more you know the more you’re expected to behave as though you know better. Knowing the honeymoon will someday be over, execute on goals that may require the most grace from your peers and board in the early days. 

 

7) You’ll miss opportunities.

The last time I started a new executive role I found myself missing meetings, important deadlines, etc. due to lack of training/onboarding. I finally started asking each person I met with this question, “Is there anything else I should be aware of to do well in this role?”

Oh my. The floodgates opened. Granted, I received more gossip and opinions (see #1) than I bargained for, but I also started getting the details I needed. This simple question provided a shift in onus for my success that made all the difference. 

 

8) You’ll wonder if you made the right choice.

At some point in your new leadership role, whatever you did before, even if it was crying into the couch about awful career decisions will suddenly glisten with the glow of nostalgia. Deciding to lead is a big decision. You’re signing up for a huge amount of responsibility, sacrifice of personal time, and a learning curve. When you signed that employment agreement, you signed up to climb a mountain. At some point, you’ll be tempted to look back. As tempting as it is to wax nostalgic, you took this opportunity for a reason. Keep your eyes forward and keep a journal. Give yourself a roadmap to remember how you got to where you’re going. 

 

9) You’ll get tired.

Remember those 3am epiphanies from #5? They come at a price. While being tired feels like burnout, it’s not the same. When you’re burned out, there is no more spark to fan into a flame. You’re done. The challenge is to recognize and treat tiredness before it becomes something more permanent. You’ve probably had your hands in everything trying to get to know your new organization’s operations. Now is a good time to take a step back and test out other areas of responsibility on your team. Who is most reliable? What areas run seamlessly? Pull back where you can and rebuild your reserves. After all, there is more work to be done. 

 

10) You’ll no longer be new. 

“This is our executive director, [insert your name].” Is there anything as sweet as the absence of the word “new” in that sentence? Enjoy it. You’ve come a long way.

What does a government shutdown mean for your nonprofit?

by | Sep 30, 2023 | Management

While the government shutdown might seem like something that only happens once in a blue moon or only impacts government employees, nothing could be further from reality. Even if your organization’s only interaction with the federal government is your federal filings, chances are those you serve will be impacted. Here’s a breakdown of what the government shutdown means for nonprofits:

Overview

This is not the first time this has happened, and it is not likely to be the last. Previous shutdowns occurred in 2013 for 16 days (Clinton Administration) and 2018 for 25 days (Obama Administration). As with past shutdowns, services deemed non-essential will cease operation, and the federal employees handling those non-essential services will be furloughed. Examples of “essential” services include the postal service, military, and congress (hmmm…). This website has the latest information on contingency plans and how agencies may operate during the shutdown.

What does the government shutdown mean for nonprofit organizations?

Your Nonprofit Status is Not Considered Essential

Sad, but true. If you are pursuing tax-exempt status from the federal government, your wait may be extended beyond the typical 1-3 months for the short form and 3-6 months for the long form. 

 

Federal Contractors Are Not Paid

If your organization has a contract for services with the federal government, you will not receive payments during the shutdown period. 

 

Existing Federal Grants are Honored

If you were awarded a federal grant before the shutdown, you will still receive funding; however, if you are in the approval process or seeking to apply for a federal grant opportunity, the process will be delayed as long as the shutdown is in place. 

 

What does the government shutdown mean for those your nonprofit serves?

If your organization serves vulnerable populations, this is where you will feel the most significant impact as critical services like Medicare, Medicaid, and family aid programs are affected. 

 

Department of Health and Human Services LogoHealth and Human Services

  • Medicare payments are expected to continue; however, new enrollees may be delayed after a shutdown until furloughed employees return to work.
  • Medicaid will continue as contingency funds allow the program to operate through roughly the end of 2023.
  • An estimated 10,000 children immediately lose access to Head Start programs since new grants cannot be initiated during this time. 

 

USDA LogoUSDA

  • Some contingency funds are available for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women Infants and Children (WIC) to continue beyond the shutdown phase. 
  • There is concern over WIC program vouchers; some states have limited funds to continue the program, so persons trying to redeem these vouchers may be turned away from retail counters within days as funds are exhausted.

 

HUD

  • The HUD program currently has two months of operating reserves that can be advanced to public housing authorities.
  • No new applications can be accepted during a shutdown.
  • Monthly assistance programs, including Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers, public housing, and multi-family assistance contracts, can continue as long as funding is available.
  • FHA housing work will continue, although processing of new or closing of loans in progress may be delayed until staffing is available.

 

Social Security LogoSocial Security

  • Social Security payments will continue as scheduled.
  • New applications for survivor benefits, retirement benefits, SSDI, and SSI will continue. Hearings will continue as scheduled.
  • A few non-essential processes will be suspended during the shutdown, such as benefit verifications.

The Value of Five Minutes

by | Jun 7, 2023 | Uncategorized

How Can I Get Any Work Done with So Many Meetings?

A day filled with meetings is the norm in the nonprofit sector. Perhaps once or twice, someone wraps up their discussion early, and you reclaim 10-15 minutes of your day, but more often than not, your windows for actual sit-down-at-your-desk work are narrow. Too narrow, it seems, to be productive. So, we surf social networks, grab a snack and stare mindlessly as life passes by. After all, what can you do in five minutes?

 

The world can and does repeatedly change in five minutes. International negotiations, babies born (and conceived😆), and natural disasters occur regularly in windows as briefly as five minutes. Your ability to leverage these short windows for bursts of productivity, decision-making, and restorative habits should not be discounted. Taking advantage of these short windows requires a mindset shift related to time and tasks. 

 

It Doesn’t Have to be All or Nothing at All

Humans crave accomplishment. Our need for achievement is as well-documented in science as it is high school yearbooks and office trophy shelves around the world. While all this striving can be healthy and motivational, it can also rob us of the pleasure of incremental progress. What is the point of starting if I can’t finish? Isn’t there a “touch it once” rule to increase productivity? We’re caught in the trap of not tackling what we can’t complete and not having the blocks of time necessary to tackle what we need to do. This limitation is drawn from the assumption that all of our work is equal…that signing donation letters is on the same playing field as writing an employee performance review. A task requiring systematic thinking is different from one requiring consideration and creativity. How things are perceived varies by person, but here are some items on my to-do list and how I would categorize them.

Systematic Thinking Consideration & Creativity
Things I can do on “auto-pilot” because I do them daily or weekly. Items with high levels of exposure, i.e., media announcements, newsletters, or ED Reports. 
Tasks that have defined increments where I can stop and pick up later (checking things off a list, bank reconciliations, signing donor letters, etc.) Work that includes the value and time of others, such as collaborative projects, performance reviews, and check-in meetings. 
Simple correspondence, e.g., answering questions or acknowledging I received something. Exacting work where mistakes are critical. Budgets and process formation are good examples. 

Systematic tasks are the things that can be tackled during your in-between times that are too short for larger projects. 

 

Break it Down. Then, Break it Down Again.

The worst strategic plans are the ones that leave you with lofty goals and no incremental steps to get there. The Nonprofit Nav team always focuses on breaking down the big dreams until you know the steps you need to take that day to make progress. A task list should be the same. Don’t write down “Grow online donations” and then wonder why you can’t find the time to accomplish that task. It’s not a task – it’s a goal. Break down your goals to the point that you can make incremental progress and enjoy the achievement of crossing off more during shorter periods.

 

If your to-do list is already entering the danger zone of Page 2, take a step back. Are the things on your list all to be addressed this week? If not, move them over to a different page, notebook, or Trello board. Stay focused on what is current and achievable. 

 

Worried your task list is getting into the minutiae? If you can’t afford to forget to do it, you should document it. These simple tasks are the things that often accumulate into a half-day on Saturday in the office playing catch up. If you start to manage them proactively and leverage five minutes here and there to get them done, you’ll recoup hours over the course of a week.

 

Five Minute Windows of Active Recovery

There’s a term in the fitness world called “active recovery.” It generally refers to low-impact activity that keeps you moving while offering rest during a workout. The same logic can be applied to your workday. Been meeting with donors all day? Pause and write thank you cards for a few minutes to decompress. Prepping for a big board meeting? Take a break and do some rounds of your office or check-in on Slack with your teammates. Allowing your mind to switch to a different task can clear the cobwebs, stop creative blocks and help you refresh your perspective. 

 

There are also non-work-related ways to do active recovery during your workday. Five minutes regularly spent on deep breathing exercises, stretching or lifting weights can help develop mental and physical wellness and endurance. 

The Flip Side of Five Minutes: There’s Danger in Distraction

We all do it. We pull out our phones and scroll social media. Our minds have a temporary reprieve from the workday, our endorphins spike as we scan over our notifications, and then…BAM! Your ex-boss posts a pic of their new team. Your ex-significant other posts a vaycay pic. The nonprofit next door announces they won the grant you were also going for. And just like that,  you’re in a funk. 

 

Social media isn’t the only culprit of workday disruptions. Chatty coworkers, notoriously demanding people and dark rabbit holes of thought abound in nonprofit land. 

 

Five measly minutes have the power to disrupt your day. So, before you open the Pandora’s box of social media or troublesome conversations, consider the benefits of keeping your focus on work, even if for only five minutes. 

5 Considerations When Hiring a Feasibility Consultant

by | Mar 21, 2023 | Fundraising

Is your nonprofit’s project ready for a feasibility study? 

You’ve decided it’s time to grow, build, or revamp. You’re going to take on a capital campaign. Depending on your donor relationships, community climate, and other factors, you may be considering completing a feasibility study ahead of the campaign launch. A feasibility study can help your organization get feedback from donors and community stakeholders and test their appetite for supporting your project. While many nonprofits forego a feasibility study or conduct a low-scale version internally, most hire an outside consultant to act as a neutral interface between your audience and your nonprofit. Below are five considerations when hiring a consultant to help you carry your campaign forward. 

 

1. What administrative support will be required of your organization?

A feasibility study is more complex than a series of interviews. There are a considerable amount of logistical elements, including scheduling, mailings, and coordination. Make sure your consultant’s services are a fit for your team’s capacity. 

2. What if the project doesn’t get a “green light?” Does the feasibility consultant help with the next steps?

Pursuing a feasibility study is not a guarantee of a “green light” for your project. If the process reveals the project to be out of scope or lacking in support, how will your consultant help you navigate away from the project or toward other avenues for completion?

3. Does the consultant have the capacity to complete the study within the organization’s desired timeframe?

A feasibility study is designed to be a first step in a campaign – a sort of gateway to move forward. When you’re ready to get started, however, you’re ready to begin immediately. Delays in this preliminary phase can be a detriment to your momentum and overall time frame. Make sure the consultant you select is aware of your overarching plans and when you hope to have the study completed. 

4. Does the feasibility consultant know your community and its constituents?

While the onus of curating a list of interviewees should fall to your nonprofit, having a consultant who knows the networks can help. When you’re close to a project, you often have blind spots for individuals, businesses, and stakeholders that can offer valuable insight. A consultant who knows your community and all the politics, preferences, and projects that make it hum can be helpful.  

5. Has the consultant conducted a study in your area recently, or is he/she working on any other studies in your area simultaneously? 

If your consultant is interviewing Mr. Green on Monday for your organization and on Tuesday for another, you have a problem. Make sure your consultant is not over-represented on the campaign circuit. This can lead to issues with conflicts of interest, preconceived notions, and unintended influence. For example, if your consultant’s last two projects were not green-lighted and he brings your campaign to a top donor in your community, do you think they’ll be influenced positively or negatively? What if the consultant is a bigger fan of a project they’re handling simultaneously with yours?

If your consultant is a frequent flier on the feasibility circuit, how will he/she ensure the unique consideration of your project?

Three Feasibility Study Consultant Must-Have Items 

Proper insurance and licensing

Anytime you have a consultant handling money matters for your organization – be it actual cash or simply discussions, make sure they’re insured! The limits of that insurance should be proportional to your campaign goal. In many states, consultants are required to obtain a license from the state to consult on fundraising campaigns. 

Formation of Case Statement or Case for Support

If your consultant wants you to create the case statement independently – this is a flag! You don’t need a mouthpiece to simply conduct the interviews. WHAT you’re communicating is as important as who does the talking. Your consultant should be your greatest collaborator on this all-important piece. Not only will you need their insight based on their experience with other campaigns, but they need the working knowledge of your project. 

Belief in your project

Doubt is hard to hide. Even for the best actors. If your consultant doesn’t believe in your project, will he/she be able to obscure their uncertainty in interviews? A pretty big risk to take. How will you know if your consultant believes in your project? You will. Doubt is hard to hide. Also, aggressive pricing is a sign that your feasibility expert questions the feasibility of your project. They may be willing to take it on, but only for the right price.

Ready to kick-off your capital campaign? Check out our consulting and feasibility study services.