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how strategic clarity will attract more money for your mission!

“would you tell me, please, which way i ought to go from here?” said alice. “that depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the cheshire cat.

this timeless exchange from lewis carroll’s alice in wonderland perfectly encapsulates a challenge faced by many nonprofits: what is the best way to get closer to achieving your vision for social change? and where will the money come from to get there?

here are some signs a nonprofit organisation lacks the strategic clarity to really succeed:

  • intractable legacy views about the “way things are done around here”
  • leaders who say they have a clear strategy – in their head, causing confusion among everyone else
  • a culture of dreaming up new projects to fit grant funding criteria
  • propping-up failing programs to keep staff on the payroll
  • no meaningful metrics to measure success
  • a lack of genuine collaboration on projects between staff and partners
  • you can add others here …

a clear strategy is the foundation for a financing plan. it is a critical step to attract more money from donors and funders for your mission.

smaller nonprofits, however, often lack the time and resources for a comprehensive planning process. that’s why i’m sharing a FREE downloadable guide, tools and template for you to use.

the first tool is our FREE nonprofit health check. the survey is an honest assessment of your nonprofit’s strengths and weaknesses. it will help you understand where you are at and where you can improve.

recognising the lifecycle stage (startup, growth etc) of a nonprofit can also inform your strategic focus—an insight elaborately discussed in nonprofit lifecycles: stage-based wisdom for nonprofit capacity by susan kenny stevens.

the FREE AI assisted PESTLE (political, economic, social, technological, legal, environmental) analysis helps to understand the external environment your nonprofit has to navigate.

and the FREE AI assisted theory of change tool will help you set logical objectives, actions, outcomes and KPIs to achieve your goals and evaluate change.

AI is not a magic bullet. even the most powerful digital resources benefit greatly from the insights from an expert in the nonprofit sector. if you are time poor, and can draw some funds from cash reserves or a sympathetic donor, a facilitated planning process with your team is your best option.

an affordable alternative is for you or a team member to lead the planning process (and develop your skills) with support from an executive coach – simply pay by the hour for what you need when you need it.

either way you will benefit from impartial and objective advice from someone who understands the sector and its unique challenges.

as you chart your organisation’s course, please give me your feedback on the guides, templates and experimental tools available here so i can make them better and more relevant for other nonprofit leaders to use.

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