Mission Impact: Breakthrough Strategies for Nonprofits

Introduction xiii

Acknowledgments xxi

About the Author xxv

Chapter 1 What Is Nonprofit Strategy? 1

What Is Strategy? 1

Strategy Guides Performance 7

Nonprofit Strategy 13

Hypothetical Example Organizations 15

Chapter 2 Designing the Strategy Development Process 19

Are You Ready? 19

Stakeholder Identification and Involvement 26

Length and Scope 30

The Strategy Development Group 32

Application to Hypothetical Organizations 35

Chapter 3 Your Mission Impact 49

The Mission Accomplishment Approach 49

The Mission Statement 51

Mission Accomplishment Measures 54

Your Mission Gap 64

Application to Hypothetical Organizations 66

Chapter 4 Vision for Your Organization 77

What Is Vision? 77

Aspirational Visions 78

Role of Aspirational Visions 86

Real-World Applications of Aspirational Visions 92

Application to Hypothetical Organizations 97

Chapter 5 Strategic Stretch Goals 103

What We Know about Goals 103

Outcome-Based SMART Goals 105

Almost Impossible 107

Real-World Applications of Stretch Goals 118

Application to Hypothetical Organizations 124

Chapter 6 Organization Assessment 131

Planning Your Assessment 131

External Assessments 134

Internal Assessments 134

The Venture Philanthropy Partners Capacity Framework 141

The SDG SWOT Analysis 144

Application to Hypothetical Organizations 146

Chapter 7 Strategy Development 159

Nonprofit Strategy Revisited 159

Creating Your Organization’s Strategy 160

The Strategy Narrative 166

Application to Hypothetical Organizations 173

Chapter 8 Strategy Implementation and Management 187

Strategy First 187

Aligning the Organization 189

Annual Operating Plans 195

Additional Management Concepts and Tools 200

Leveraging Your Commitment and Hard Work 219

Epilogue: The Seven Deadly Sins of Nonprofit Strategy 221

Appendix A Venture Philanthropy Partners Capacity Assessment Grid 223

Appendix B Summary of Hypothetical Organization Strategy Development Outcomes 257

References 275

AFP Code of Ethics for Professional Philanthropic Fundraisers 281

Donor Bill of Rights 283

Index 285