INSIGHTS
The Top 3 Takeaways from Nonprofit Organization Design Projects
You may have heard the phrase “structure follows strategy”, which signifies the need to assess and change how an organization operates to ensure its ability to fulfill its’ nonprofit strategic plan. When our nonprofit consultants engage with clients during organization design projects we often see 3 common themes that arise throughout the process. The way in which the organization and its leadership respond to these themes is critical to success and the ability to achieve desired outcomes.
Making Mergers & Affiliations Part of Your Strategic Plan
The most challenging part of implementing nonprofit M&A as a strategic solution is that the relationship building process between organizations can often take time and success is not guaranteed. However, mergers and affiliations can be used to reach a level of scale that can’t be achieved organically, which may be a necessity to remain competitive, sustain payroll, address succession, or to improve an organization’s ability to meet the demands of those being served. Mergers are a vehicle that will allow leaders to fulfill their strategic needs at scale.
5 Reasons to Start Strategic Planning Today
With 2023 quickly approaching, many purpose-driven organizations may be thinking about designing new strategic plans to help ensure long-term sustainability and viability.
Whether you operate in health and human services, higher education, credit unions, or associations, our strategic planning consultants have 5 reasons for you to start strategic planning today.
The Top 3 Areas to Address when Transitioning from Strategic Planning to Implementation
The nonprofit strategic planning process is a time that unites leadership and teams to collaborate, innovate, and ultimately create a solid plan that will guide the organization into the future.
But what comes next?
When the planning process is complete, many nonprofits are left to wonder how to implement the plan and meet the goals that have been set forth. The enthusiasm begins to wane and is replaced with feelings of unease and uncertainly as bigger and more timely decisions must be made.
If you have felt this shift, then you are not alone. Our nonprofit consultants have recommended 3 areas to address when transitioning from strategic planning to implementation.
Leading Through Times of Organizational Change
Change involves going from the current way of doing things to a desired future state. Throughout the change process it is the organization’s leaders—the sponsors of change—who play the most critical role in determining the success of the effort. It’s easy to lead when all goes according to plan. However, organizations typically experience challenges with implementation. While these challenges can be temporarily uncomfortable, organizational leaders should not let that deter them. Instead they need to embrace change and view it as part of their role. Organizational leaders need to be adaptable by being able to detect and respond to change. That begins by embedding change and innovative thinking into the organization’s culture.
5 Nonprofit Strategic Planning Tips for Senior Leadership
A dynamic and effective nonprofit strategic plan is arguably one of the most integral parts of any organization’s viability and success in today’s landscape. Get 5 Tips from our nonprofit consultants to make your strategic planning project a success.
4 Steps for Taking On Technology Today!
Complexity is a word that today's nonprofits are all too familiar with and the manner in which leaders address it can mean the difference between success and failure.
What is making the difference for many leaders and giving them the competitive edge, is the understanding, adoption, and implementation of improved and scalable technology solutions.
However, the adoption of new technology and digitalization can be a culture shift for many nonprofit organizations. The multitude of options, new terminology, and projected costs can - at times - make it feel as though it would be easier to maintain the status quo. For new systems to be successful, it requires an organization-wide commitment to learning, exploration, and buy-in. This begins with senior leadership making a commitment to the change.
Clarity, Capacity, or Capability? 3 Methods for Improving Team Performance Today
As a nonprofit organization implements new strategy or experiences growth, there are oftentimes roles within that organization that require new skills and capabilities, and deeper levels of understanding by management. Whether it be the ability to manage more complexity, learn new skills, increase the sphere of oversight, and/or operate with an increased level of strategic perspective, some team members embrace the challenge and exceed their perceived limitations while others may struggle to succeed in a new or expanded role.
Learn how to better structure the roles within your organization to support success or identify areas where change is necessary.
New Nonprofit Partnership Opportunity! Blue Skies Ahead?
Effective partnerships have always been critical to accelerating impact. On the other side, poor partnerships have drained significant resources, energy, and good will.
While many organizations focus on the legal aspects of forming partnerships, it is also critical to consider some of the softer issues necessary to identifying and developing effective relationships. Here are some of the issues and questions that you and your team should discuss before signing on the dotted line.
Ten Steps to Reinvigorating a Partnership Gone Bad
Nonprofit partnerships are wonderful when they work as intended. Great partnerships can help amplify your story, augment your capacity, accelerate impact, and much more.
But what about when they do not go as planned? Even when both parties have done their due diligence before signing on the dotted line, there are times that partnerships require renegotiating or unplanned, early closure.
While it may feel easier to let a not-so-great partnership to slowly fade, it's actually better in the long run to lead with a professional, proactive approach to addressing issues in a constructive way.
Follow our ten steps for reinvigorating a nonprofit partnership and get back on track today!
The Driving Forces Behind Nonprofit Mergers & Affiliations and Why Leaders Should Address Them
As organizations navigate the external forces and internal disruptors that are impacting and shaping each sector, we are seeing the pace of mergers and affiliations (M&A) accelerating with no signs of slowing.
While some organizations are being forced to consider M&A as a strategy for survival, others are embracing it as an opportunity to better serve their clients, build upon the beneficial work they are already doing, expand their reach geographically, and offer more to their employees.
Most nonprofit leaders today are aware of the forces driving mergers and affiliations, but any decision on what force or forces to address can’t be made without understanding how the organization(s) may benefit.