3 Conversations Nonprofits Need to Have Immediately

As a nonprofit leader, the last few months have probably been interesting. And I’m not suggesting "interesting" is a good term here.

The new administration has created a lot of confusion that may have you wondering about your funding and your ability to provide programs and services and deliver your mission.

As you're navigating these changes, it might be helpful to have a brief strategy session with our team. Here's why.

Quinn Strategy Group has stepped back to think about what is happening and how we can help. As a result, we've designed some very targeted support to make our services more responsive to your needs at this time.

In particular, non-profit leaders need to give serious attention to one or more of the following right now:

1. Defining your organization's essential work
2. Planning for a range of scenarios
3. Harnessing the power of your board

Let's talk about each separately and why scheduling the brief strategy session we've developed would be a productive use of your time — invaluable for better navigating your organization over the coming months.

Defining Your Organization's Essential Work

Now more than ever, organizations need to focus on essential work, marshaling resources in order to produce the most impact, meet the most demand and leverage core expertise.

The process of defining essential work begins with a review of your organization's vision, mission and values statements. This will help you understand where your organization is delivering impact.

Next, we'll evaluate your services and programs to determine the level of alignment between where your organization is expending resources and where it's receiving the most return for its effort.

Once we've defined your organization's essential work, we'll ensure the right staff and resources are assigned to it.

You'll then be better positioned to look at funding for essential work and seek partnership opportunities for anything else.

Planning for a Range of Scenarios

Right now, many organizations need a different approach to their strategic plan. Especially thanks to changes in their situation or new factors and uncertainties that need to be considered.

To do this work, we'll build scenarios for a range of situations and devise flexible strategies that will increase your ability to navigate the future successfully.

We'll start the process by identifying the driving forces and uncertainties affecting your organization. Then develop a range of outcomes – what is possible, plausible and probable.

Once we've built a scenario-based framework for your organization, you'll be able to adjust your goals and strategies for each outcome.

Harnessing the Power of Your Board

Your board is an invaluable partner that can be tapped during times of complexity and volatility. But it can only be helpful if the ask is explicit.

To understand where you need the board’s power, we’ll sharpen your priorities and identify areas where assistance from your board is needed.

We'll also engage your board members in determining how to best harness their resources, connections and expertise to move priorities forward.

Finally, we'll identify specific board actions indicating the timeline, responsible party and desired outcome.

Let's Get the Ball Rolling

The three areas outlined build on one another to bolster your organization during these "interesting" times. We all have some muscle memory of the shifts and nimbleness required during the pandemic, and it's time to tap into that way of working again.

We'd love to catch up with you, hear what’s on your mind and discuss how we can help — with the goal of ensuring your organization is proactive and prepared to respond throughout the coming year.

To get the ball rolling, email Ann Quinn at ann@quinnstrategygroup.com (or direct message me in LinkedIn) and include a couple of day/time options that work for you and we'll get this important conversation on our respective calendars.