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Building An Effective, Sustainable, Impactful Organization
By John Heymann
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Building An Effective, Sustainable, Impactful Organization
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"To make the greatest impact on society requires first and foremost a great organization, not a single great program."
— Jim Collins, Good to Great and the Social Sectors
While there is no one formula for building a high-performance social sector organization, there are attributes and processes that all effective organizations have in common. The following is a checklist of some of those basic components.
Clear and Compelling Vision
Brief, well-defined vision and/or mission statement
Statement of core values
Community assessment and feedback processes
Focused approach that is not redundant with other organizations' programs
Defined measures of success
Strong Leadership
Passionate, engaged board members
Clearly defined and consistently practiced roles and responsibilities
Strategic approach to board recruitment and succession
Board and staff are articulate advocates for the organization
Professional approach to staff and staff development
Clear expectations and accountability for board and staff
Written policies and procedures
Fund Development
Strategic fundraising plan
Demonstrated support and participation by the board
Balanced portfolio of funding sources
Constituent Relationship Management program in place
Marketing
Strategic marketing plan
Proactive communications to constituents and the community
Network of key influencers
Clear, jargon-free messaging
Strong, content-rich website
Great stories to demonstrate mission success
Financial Management
Computerized and up-to-date recordkeeping
Monthly financial statements
Well thought-out budget understood by leadership
Independent year-end audit or review
All required forms and filings are made in a timely manner
The entire board is knowledgeable about the organization's finances
Reserve funds
Endowments
John Heymann, CEO of NewLevel Group, has more than 30 years
experience as an entrepreneur, business owner, and leader. A former
Peace Corps volunteer, Managing Director of the Land Trust of Napa
County, and Chief Executive Officer of Motto Kryla & Fisher, John
is well known for his ability to work with disparate groups to gain
consensus and deliver results. John can be reached at 707-255-5555
x105, or jheymann@newlevelgroup.com.