Latest / The Nonprofit Podcast / Ep 207| 5 Steps to building a nonprofit strategy that actually works

Transcript

Ep 207| 5 Steps to building a nonprofit strategy that actually works · The Nonprofit Podcast

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_01: Here's the part no one really talks about.
• 0:02
  SPEAKER_01: You can grow your nonprofit, serve more people, even raise more money, and still have no clear direction because strategic planning can feel too big, too complex, or just out of reach.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_01: So it gets pushed aside.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_01: And that's when teams start to drift, making decisions without a clear destination.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_01: The Nonprofit Podcast, powered by DonorBox.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to the Nonprofit Podcast.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_01: I'm Kara, CEO of Grace Care Center Foundation, and your on-the-ground podcast correspondent here at DonorBox.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_01: Each week we bring you practical strategies, clear insights, and inspiration to help you raise more, reach further, and take your nonprofit to the next level.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_01: Today we're talking about strategic planning, but we're keeping it simple because if you're leading a small or early stage nonprofit, the goal isn't perfection, it's progress.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_01: It's getting clear on what you're doing and what you're doing next.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_01: And I want to start with my own experience.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_01: Grace Care Center is where we come alongside our neighbors facing poverty.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_01: We provide food, help meet those basic needs, and mobilize an incredible community of hundreds of volunteers each week.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_01: And they're there to serve as the need keeps growing.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_01: So we have a lot of balls in the air.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_01: And we recently went through a strategic planning process as an organization.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_01: And honestly, it felt like exhaling for a minute.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_01: For years, we've been really strong at seeing a problem and then building solutions to fix it.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_01: We've grown a lot as an organization.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_01: We've engaged many, many people, and we've created real impact.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_01: But then we started to see new data.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_01: Our community is expecting a significant population growth over the next 10 years.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_01: And with that comes pressure.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_01: Poverty comes.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_01: Access to basic needs is harder.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_01: It's harder to get around.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_01: And transportation is really dependent on making sure that you have a vehicle that runs.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_01: Housing is going to be a big issue.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_01: And so we had this moment where we realized we already have programs that work in these areas.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_01: So the questions became how do we become an even stronger solution for what's coming?
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_01: And that's where our strategic planning process started.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_01: We spent about six months digging in.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_01: We worked with outside experts and we even raised money to support that process specifically.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_01: And we came out with a clear plan.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_01: And I'll be honest, right now it kind of feels like a very expensive stack of paper.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_01: But here's the shift: the value isn't in the document itself.
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_01: It's what happens when you actually start using it.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_01: Because without that plan, you're doing good work still, yes, but everything feels urgent.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_01: And when everything feels urgent, everything starts to feel equally important.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_01: And so you're making decisions quickly, sometimes reactively, because you have to.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_01: A need shows up, an opportunity comes in, a funder asks for something, and you respond.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_01: And none of that is wrong, but over time it gets harder to tell the difference between what's actually strategic and what's just immediate.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_01: And that's where a lot of teams, including ours, start to feel really stretched, even when they're growing.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_01: So here's what we do to realize the full value in the plan and putting action to the plan.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_01: So first we're going to want to start with clarity.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_01: And this is where a lot of teams move too fast.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_01: So you'll want to get really clear on who you serve, what actually changes for them because you exist.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_01: Because it's really easy to assume that this is so obvious.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_01: And believe me, it's not.
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_01: Drill down.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_01: Ask who are we exactly are we helping and what is different in their life because we exist?
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_01: And here's why.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_01: The programs that we offer, the people that are here, whatever it is.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_01: And if that's unclear, everything else, including your fundraising, stays unclear too.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_01: And you'll see it show up in small ways.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_01: If you're trying to explain what you do and it takes a few sentences too many, it's confusing.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_01: It's not clear.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_01: If your messaging shifts depending on who you're talking to, you might not have that clarity that you need.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_01: And maybe your donors are supportive, but they're not always deeply connected to the outcome.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_01: It might be related to clarity.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_01: That is usually not necessarily a communication problem.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_01: For instance, for years, we had a clarity problem.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_01: We were doing a lot, we were serving people, we were running programs, but when it came to explaining it, we didn't always make sure that it came out clearly.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_01: And if it's not clear to us, it's definitely not clear to the people we're trying to invite in.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_01: And once that clicks, everything else starts to get easier.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_01: And for us, it all started with defining our mission.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_01: So looking at the clarity around your communications, clarity around your programs.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_01: From there, you define your mission, what you do and who you do it for, and your vision.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_01: So the world that you're working toward.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_01: Don't rush this.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_01: We didn't, we got stuck here for a while, actually.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_01: But it's so foundational and it's worth getting right because when you have it down, you'll be able to explain what you do and why you do it very clearly.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_01: Your board members will be able to explain why they care and why this work is important.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_01: And best case scenario, others will be able to share your mission easily.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_01: So make sure you are clear on what you do, who you do it for, why you're doing it, and what this world's gonna look like when you achieve your mission.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_01: Next, let's move into what I like to call the do less discipline.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_01: And I see this trap all the time.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_01: We're all doing too much.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_01: And this is also where things start to break down.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_01: It's not a lack of effort, it's honestly just getting pulled in too many directions at once.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that the strategic planning process can really help with this.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_01: There's a question that changes everything.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_01: When you look at all of your programs, when you look at the people around the table, you need to think, what are we not going to focus on this year?
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_01: It creates a little breathing room immediately.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_01: It could even be uncomfortable because saying no to something always is, but without it, everything stays diluted.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_01: And this is where a lot of really good organizations get stuck because saying yes feels aligned with your mission.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_01: But no is very powerful.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_01: Saying yes to something really feels often aligned with your mission.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_01: It's that what we do response, and it comes so naturally to a lot of us in nonprofits.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_01: There's always another opportunity to serve.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_01: So you just keep adding and adding.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_01: But without clear priorities, your growth starts to feel heavier instead of stronger.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_01: You're doing more, but it's not always building in the same direction.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_01: And so that's why the what are we not doing question really matters so much.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_01: For our organization, it looked like saying no to an event we'd done for years.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_01: It was meaningful.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_01: People loved it, but it took a ton of time and didn't really move our core mission forward in a significant way.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_01: So letting it go freed up some space to invest more deeply in serving families, engaging volunteers in ways that actually aligned with where we were headed.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_01: That moment was really uncomfortable, but it immediately created clarity and some extra capacity, which was a real gift.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_01: All right, next, let's talk about funding and do a little funding reality check.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_01: This is where even good plans fall apart.
• 8:01
  SPEAKER_01: And this is the part people tend to avoid because nobody really wants to talk about funding.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_01: So it's important to ask: is our vision matched to our reality?
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_01: And is our funding also matched to our reality?
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_01: Those are two really important questions because sometimes organizations are running programs that cost more than they're bringing in, or maybe they're relying too heavily on one donor or one grant, or maybe they're even doing work that doesn't yet have a clear funding path.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_01: And sometimes you just don't see those things right away because programs are running, people are being served, but underneath it, there's this pressure building.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_01: You're stretching resources, you're relying on short-term fixes, and then just hoping that the next grant or fundraising campaign closes that gap.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_01: And again, this isn't about getting it perfect overnight.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm trying not to overwhelm you, but it's about being honest about what's actually sustainable and what might need to shift over time.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_01: You can't fund everything all at once, usually.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_01: And so that awareness, that recognition alone changes how you plan.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_01: So awareness comes first, adjustment comes over time.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_01: And it's really important to make sure that you have sustainable funding in place or insight to make those things a reality.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_01: All right, let's talk a minute about what a good year actually looks like.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_01: This brings up a question a lot of leaders ask.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_01: I know I ask it myself, what does a good year actually look like?
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_01: Because it can feel vague.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_01: A good year isn't necessarily a feeling, it's setting and attaining a few clear targets.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_01: And it's not all about the donation flow all the time.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_01: But yeah, you have to start with your fundraising goal, not your ideal number, but maybe what you actually need to operate and then break it down.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_01: Where is that money coming from?
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_01: So for example, um,$50,000 needs to come from individual donors this year, and$25,000 needs to come from our events, and$30,000 needs to come from grants.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_01: So you're gonna figure out how much it takes to run your organization and then break that down into your funding streams so that you can create a plan to reach those funding goals.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it's really setting and attaining those clear targets and it keeps you focused all year long.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_01: And so, what activity actually supports that?
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_01: You know, I get that question a lot.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_01: And that's where strategy comes into place.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_01: So if you're aiming for those individual donors, it might look like making sure that you have four to six email appeals, that if you're trying to raise that$50,000 from individual donors, that you're having 10 to 15 donor conversations one-on-one, and that you are growing a monthly giving program to keep that revenue stream sustainable.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_01: It really moves us from that we need to fundraise to this is what it actually looks like week to week.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_01: And that's where some of that stress starts to break down.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_01: You're starting to feel a little bit better because now your team knows what matters.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_01: You're not guessing what to focus on each week.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_01: You're working towards something that's really defined.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_01: And even if things don't go exactly as planned, you have something to adjust.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you have you've set your baseline, you've set your strategic guardrails, and that's a very different kind of pressure than starting from scratch every single time.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_01: All right, there's one more piece, and this one matters.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_01: What does stability look like?
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_01: For some organizations, it's simple.
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_01: You're not wondering if you can make payroll, you're not scrambling every month, you have some predictable income, and that counts, especially early on, and that's real success.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_01: It's worth owning, it's worth saying it out loud because stability doesn't always look impressive from the outside.
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_01: But internally, it changes everything.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_01: You all breathe, it creates consistency, and it allows you to start thinking longer term instead of just getting through the month.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_01: And so that's a big shift.
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_01: So as we close, I want to leave you with a question.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_01: Are you building something sustainable or are you just responding to what's in front of you?
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_01: Because it's very easy to stay in reaction mode.
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_01: And for a while, it can even feel productive.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_01: You're busy, you're responding, things are happening, but over time it gets harder to build something consistent in that way.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_01: And that's the shift strategic planning creates.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_01: It helps you ask are we making decisions based on direction, or are we just reacting to pressure?
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_01: So if you don't have a full plan yet, that's okay, really.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_01: It truly is.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_01: Just start here.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_01: Get clear on what you actually do, be honest about what it really costs, and understand how it's currently being funded.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_01: Everything else builds from there.
• 12:44
  SPEAKER_01: And honestly, that's what makes fundraising easier too, because now you're not just guessing, you're not just reacting, you're working from something real, and donors can definitely feel that.
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_01: And one more thing, I'd really encourage you not to do this in isolation.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_01: Look around your community.
• 13:02
  SPEAKER_01: Who's doing this well?
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_01: Who's communicating clearly?
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_01: Who's been willing to share their strategic plan publicly?
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_01: Or what advisors or experts do you have around you who could speak into this?
• 13:14
  SPEAKER_01: So reach out, ask questions, have coffee.
• 13:17
  SPEAKER_01: You'll learn so much just by being in conversation with other nonprofit leaders.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_01: We're truly not meant to figure this out alone.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_01: And when we learn from each other, we all get stronger.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_01: You know, strategy isn't about doing more, it's about finally knowing what matters.
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_01: And that clarity, it changes everything.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_01: I'm rooting for you in this, and I really want to just say thank you for choosing to listen to the nonprofit podcast.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_01: We're delighted you're part of this community.
• 13:49
  SPEAKER_01: Your work matters, and we are honored to support it.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_01: If you enjoyed this episode, share it, leave a review, or subscribe to our YouTube channel.
• 13:57
  SPEAKER_01: Until next time, take that first step and stay inspired.
• 14:03
  SPEAKER_00: That warm feeling when you help someone, it's not just happiness, it's fulfillment.
• 14:08
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• 14:10
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• 14:14
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• 14:17
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• 14:18
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