Mission Driven - Answering the Two Questions That Clearly Define a Nonprofit's Mission

Defining a compelling mission is one of the most important things that the Board of a nonprofit can do. Why? The mission of a nonprofit is its cornerstone. Just as the foundation of a building depends on its cornerstone, so does the strength of a nonprofit rely on its mission.



For the past three decades, I have consulted with boards of small to mid-sized nonprofits across the United States. Often, they engage me to help with fundraising and are surprised when I use the first board session to focus on their mission.



The board members want to talk about how to increase the annual fund or create a capital campaign or access grant funds. They often don't often understand that clarity about their mission and the ability to express it is the first step in successful fundraising.



I use that first board session helping Board members answer the two questions needed to clearly define their mission - and raise more money to support it.



"Why does your organization exist?"
"Who were you created to help?"



I always am amazed at the diversity of answers I hear.



Let me give you two examples. The first nonprofit was a less than a year old. The board members who created it were a group of affluent women who created this nonprofit which provided business clothes for women. Below are some of the answers I received in response to the above questions:



"To help us find a use for good clothes we no longer need."
"To feel useful in the community"
"To help women who can't afford business clothes."
"To teach women about proper business dress."
"To help poor women.



"



No wonder this organization was struggling - there was no clarity on the board about why they existed and who they were created to help. Were they supposed to help poor women, women seeking jobs no matter their income, themselves or the community? The more they talked, the more they disagreed.



It soon became apparent that there was not agreement within the group about why they existed or whom they wanted to help. And, the more they talked, the more they disagreed. They wanted me to create a fundraising plan right away.



Later they would define their mission. I had to refuse their request because no plan can succeed long term when an organization isn't mission driven. It came as no surprise to me that this nonprofit went out of business in less than two years.



The second example is another nonprofit also in its first year of operations in the mid-eighties. It had adequate start-up funds but wanted to create a long term fundraising plan. When I began the first workshop with the mission focus, the Board rebelled.



"We're not the Salvation Army." (This was two decades ago before the term "mission" had become standard in both the profit and nonprofit world.) When I substituted the word "purpose" for mission, Board members began answering the questions.



In response to the question of why this organization existed, board members agreed its purpose was to revitalize a neighborhood where the homes, streets and parks were physically distressed. This group was also very clear about whom they would serve. First, they would help the homeowners who couldn't afford bank loans to fix up their houses.



Second, they would work with all the residents in the community who wanted their neighborhood to be a better place to live.



I can't say I was surprised when I received an invitation to attend the 25th Anniversary Celebration for this housing nonprofit. I was surprised, however, to learn that they no longer served a single neighborhood but now provided services county-wide. Each time they had expanded geographically and/or added new programs, Board members used the two questions to guide their expansion efforts.



This is truly a mission driven nonprofit and its successful fundraising reflects this.