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When is it Time to Revise Your Mission Statement?
By Tamara Berry
Few nonprofit organizations don’t recognize the importance of their mission statement. It is your organization’s purpose - your shout out to the world (and to potential funders) about what you are and what you do. It is the binding factor that keeps all your employees, volunteers, and community partners in line with your goals and accomplishments.
However, over time, it’s very easy to start taking a mission statement for granted. The amount of time and effort that almost invariably goes into constructing one makes complacency very easy, and if a few words are no longer pertinent to your underlying goals as an organization, who’s going to be the wiser? Right?
Wrong.
Your mission statement is the foundation of your nonprofit organization. Chances are, it appears on every single grant you apply for, every single brochure that goes out to the public, and your website. In a word, it is the face your organization presents to the world. As you undergo internal changes, it is imperative that your face reflects this growth.
Organizational Changes
Regardless of whether you have undergone a change in leadership or you are reaching out to a new constituent base, changes should always be accompanied by a second look at your mission statement. Are you directing a new campaign to help your surrounding community? Make sure your mission statement includes local interest. Are you expanding your corporate contacts to increase funding? Make sure your mission statement appeals to them (and their pocketbooks) while still remaining true to your organization. If a mission statement is supposed to be who you are, it has to be who you are no matter what your stage of development.
Funding Difficulties
If you are continually being turned down for grants or if you’ve encountered a sudden drop in financial contributions, there is a chance your mission statement has something to do about it. Granted, there are infinite other reasons why your funding may be dropping, but don’t overlook this one simple factor. You may be too vague, too specific, or simply alienating a certain demographic with your word choice. It’s a mistake that could cost you quite a bit of money.
Renewed Vigor
Having employees, volunteers, and other involved parties excited about an organization is one of the primary reasons we all stay in the nonprofit game. You love what you do and want to share that passion, and what better way to do this than with a mission statement that accurately captures and conveys that emotion? Getting key players involved in the process (i.e., drawing on multiple opinions and ideas when revising your mission) is a great way to increase enthusiasm even more. Nothing motivates like contributing to the larger picture.
Focus Your Concentration
Oftentimes, if your mission statement is too broad and vague, so is the work you are trying to accomplish. Striving to reach too broad of a range or serve too large of a population is one of the largest contributing factors to failed nonprofits. Use your mission as a way to reflect on and check on your nonprofit; if your mission statement is overwhelming in its contents, look for parallels within your organization (or vice versa). It’s a great way to do a self-check.
Aid in Evaluation
Speaking of self-checks, mission statements have the added bonus of serving as a way to create measurable outcomes. Because most nonprofits seek to accomplish goals that aren’t quantifiable, a good mission statement can double as a measuring post. Making a few small changes might help to give you a new direction and allow you a way to double check your progress.
Topics: Internal Issues |