by Louisa Hackett - Times are tough for social service organizations. For many, demand for services is increasing while resources to meet client needs are shrinking. What is an organization to do? After all, when fundraising pressures intensify, isn’t it the worst possible time to plan? And what self-respecting organization can take the time when there is so much money to raise, when there are salaries and rent to pay, and when there is so much need to address? Yet, focused strategic planning can often quickly answer some of the hard internal and external questions an organization faces during challenging economic periods.
Making the effort to plan can provide an opportunity to think strategically about how to achieve greater impact in a world with diminished resources. And being able to articulate a vision and show organizational success will only increase the likelihood of raising more money.
Asking good questions can be provocative, but when an organization is committed to answering the questions, substantial change can result.
So what are some tough questions to be asked in the midst of an economic downturn?
Do we function as an umbrella organization providing management support to independently operating programs? And if the answer is yes, is this balkanized structure preventing programmatic synergy and the ‘economies of scale’ - i.e. savings – that may come with it?
Do our programs each contribute to the impact our organization defines? And is each program helping to support the financial health of the organization?
Are we funder driven or mission driven? And how have strategic changes in the philanthropic, government and individual funding communities affected our long-term plans for sustainability?
What are the implications of asking these questions?
Recently CRE worked with an organization serving at risk children and youth who asked themselves some of these tough questions and ended up deciding to realign their programs to achieve greater results. They recognized their clients were not able to access all their programs had to offer. While they assessed and responded to emerging needs, their various programs operated in silos, had separate admission procedures and little expectation to share information about participants. As a result, children receiving mental health counseling, for example, were not given priority for admission to their youth development programs.
Recognizing their organization was compartmentalized and driven by individual program priorities was tough. But, making the decision to redesign their organization means going forward participants interacting with any of their programs will receive services to meet their needs.
Nonprofits will continue to confront rising needs, shrinking resources and tough questions. As Bob Herbert recently wrote in the New York Times: “The economy is showing absolutely no sign of countering the nation’s staggering jobs deficit.”
Planning during tough times can produce an organization wide strategy designed to achieve greater impact. Being strategic does not have to take us away from being helpful.
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