Is Your Organization Healthy Enough to Grow?
May 28th, 2018By Beth Sorensen Prince (beth@advancementnetwork.org)
Whether you are the leader, staff member or a member of the Board of Directors of a local organization, you play a part in the health and sustainability of your nonprofit. And though the wish is that nonprofits will be sustainable based on meeting the needs of our community alone, being able to meet the mission of our organizations takes more than passion. So how can your organization be healthy enough to grow? The answer may be capacity building.
When considering capacity building to move toward sustainability for nonprofits, research shows three areas to focus on; management, adaptability, and program capacity. Depending on the size, age and purpose of your nonprofit, these three areas can take on different meanings. What is important to remember is that sustainability is not reliant on funding alone. Think of it this way: if you give an organization a $10 million gift, sustainability and growth is not possible if the management is not well prepared, if the organization cannot adapt to current conditions, or if the organization does not have the resources, people, and planning to meet the needs of the people reaching out. This is where the Community Advancement Network can help.
The Community Advancement Network partners with regional entities such as the Midland Area Community Foundation to help provide capacity building services to our nonprofits. Through consulting, professional development and executive learning, the Network can help with the management, adaptability and program capacity of your organization. Board governance training, team building, best practices in human resources, marketing assistance, strategic planning and business consulting are just some of the ways that the Network supports our region.
If you are connected with a nonprofit in Midland, begin the conversation. Are we healthy enough to grow and sustain our programs? Then reach out to find out more about the Community Advancement Network, a program to support you in your journey.
