- Culture change
- Strategies
- Organisational design
Does the company have a strategic plan or a road map?
The board is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the business. Is there a shared vision and agreement on priorities? Do all partners know the game plan? It is not enough to say? Yes, we have a plan. Instead, the company’s focus and goals must be recognised and supported by all those involved? senior leaders, board members and volunteer fundraisers. If stakeholders are not all rowing in the same direction, it is just too difficult to move forward.
Does the staff, both collectively and individually, take responsibility for the implementation of the strategic plan?
Does the staff internalise and use the strategic plan as a guide for its work? Are they measuring progress? Are they resisting the temptation to devote significant time and energy to work not aligned with the plan? Businesses that are disciplined and can answer yes, easily set themselves apart from all others.
Does the Board of Directors understand and accept accountability for its fiduciary duties, both for expenses and revenue?
Are they comfortable reading budgets and financial reports? Are they ambassadors and, better yet, champions? Are they fundraisers? Do they fundraise? If the answer to any of these questions is no or not sure, the company’s first step forward is clearly working towards a better understanding of the role of a board and providing adequate financial literacy, ambassador and fundraising training.
Is the business properly resourced?
Does the business have the expertise, people, budget, time and management to get the job done? The need for nonprofits to resource themselves properly has gotten a lot of attention in the past few years thanks to the focus on overhead. Dan Pallotta, entrepreneur and philanthropist, put it best when he said. Everyone wants charities to spend as little as possible on overhead.
Does the Board take accountability to oversee the plan, monitor progress and the environment in which it is operating, and measure results in a consistent and concrete way?