Downstream Impact: Our Work with the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly (MRWA)
The Muskegon River Watershed Assembly (MRWA) has spent nearly three decades protecting what it calls Michigan’s rarest river. Founded in 1998, MRWA works to preserve, protect, restore, and sustain the Muskegon River. Today, that work spans eight counties in west-central Michigan. With a board of just seven to ten members and a staff of four, MRWA had built something many organizations spend years chasing: a deeply loyal, long-tenured base of supporters who already trust the organization. What MRWA didn’t yet have was a documented strategy for turning that trust into growth. In 2026, MRWA partnered with Nonprofit Nav to build one.
“In my retirement as Mayor of Grand Rapids I continue to serve on a number of non-profit corporation boards. Non-profits always benefit from having outside counsel when it comes to strategic planning and I have been through many of those planning sessions with many different consultants over the years. The work with Nonprofit Nav on a recent planning exercise for the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly board was outstanding; indeed, I can say it was the best I have been through. I found Nonprofit Nav to be professional, collaborative, and to draw out and engage every member of our board in setting the strategic direction for the organization. I recommend Nonprofit Nav without reservation.”
George K. Heartwell, Former Mayor of Grand Rapids (2014-2016) Muskegon River Watershed Assembly
The Roadmap
Our work with MRWA began in February 2026, through a referral from the Fremont Area Community Foundation, a longtime Nonprofit Nav partner. What started as an introduction grew into a 7-month-long engagement to build MRWA’s 2027-2029 strategic plan, grounded not in assumptions but in research, board input, and a clear-eyed look at how MRWA compares to its peers across Michigan.
The Journey
Listening Before Planning
Before recommending a single initiative, Nonprofit Nav built a complete picture of MRWA’s standing. We conducted a comprehensive review of MRWA’s internal documentation, deployed a board self-assessment that scored the organization across governance domains, and completed a comparative analysis of MRWA against 12 peer watershed and conservation organizations in Michigan. We then conducted individual interviews with MRWA board members, followed by a stakeholder survey reaching MRWA’s broader community of donors, volunteers, property owners, and partners, to close out the research process.
The research told a clear, consistent story. MRWA has built a loyal base of longtime supporters who trust the organization deeply, but that trust hadn’t yet converted into broad participation. Stakeholders understood how MRWA was funded, yet relatively few had ever given, and community engagement was the one area where trust consistently lagged. Across donors and non-donors alike, one message outperformed every other: protecting the health of the Muskegon River.
From Insight to a Plan
With research in hand, Nonprofit Nav facilitated a strategy session with MRWA’s board and staff, building from what was already working rather than simply cataloging problems. Together, we prioritized where MRWA should focus first and refreshed the organization’s foundational identity, including its vision, values, and the language it uses to talk about its work.
Three Initiatives, One Direction
The result is a three-year strategic plan built around three High-Level Initiatives: Building Awareness, Stewardship & Fund Development, and Expanding the Volunteer Base. Together, they give MRWA a clear path to strengthen its public profile, deepen the relationships that sustain its work, and grow the board and volunteer base it needs to carry that work forward. Each initiative comes with a clear set of objectives and milestones MRWA’s board can track and act on.
The Destination
The Destination
Nonprofit Nav delivered the plan in layers, matching how MRWA’s team will actually use it: an at-a-glance summary for quick reference, a slide deck for board and staff meetings, and a comprehensive report carrying the research, rationale, and source materials behind every decision. MRWA didn’t need to be convinced its mission mattered; its community already believed in it. What MRWA needed was a documented, board-owned plan that turned that belief into a more diverse board, sustained giving, and a broader base of hands in the water. That is the destination we aim for with every client: not just a plan on paper, but the clarity and structure to carry a mission forward with confidence.