building an organization and defining your mission focus area: ...

Grant’s Assistance Hotline: 1.866.973.2760 www.NativeLearningCenter.com

Building an Organization and Defining Your Mission

Focus Area: Grants Education

Instructor: Vince Franco


Course Description & ObjectivesCourse Descriptions:Strategic thinking and an honest analysis are essential to building a strong organization that will last. This course will guide attendees through best practices in forming an organization that has a clear vision, goals, and plan.Course Objectives:After this course, attendees will be able to: Conduct a needs assessment; Utilize a SWOT analysis to uncover strengths,

weaknesses, opportunities, and threats; Develop a mission and vision statement; Create a logic model with resources, activities, outcomes and results; Develop goals and a strategic plan; and Develop partnerships.

Building an Organization and Defining Your Mission #1


Your PresenterVince Franco

Grants Compliance ManagerNative Learning Center (NLC)

6363 Taft StreetHollywood, Florida 33024

[email protected]

Ext. 10651

NLC

mailto:[email protected]


Any Questions?• If you have a question please use the hand tool to raise

your hand and type your question into the chat box (next slide).

• The presenter will work to answer your questions as quickly as possible. Questions will be answered in the order they were received.

• Please remember to complete the class survey at the end of this course.


How to ask a question?


Technical Issues? Unable to hear us?


What are the important aspects of a successful organization?

A comprehensive Needs Assessment, a clear

Mission and Vision Statement, and good Goals and/or Strategic

Plan are the foundation for long-term success.

Let’s take a closer look at each aspect.


Conduct a Needs Assessment


Conduct a Needs AssessmentAn excellent processes for any organization is conducting a survey of your potential customers, and/or other research before you launch a product or service. Consider conducting a Needs Assessment to determine if there is really a calling in your community for the services you propose to offer.

Conduct a survey of a sample group to find out what they are thinking. You may assume they need one thing but they may need and/or want something else. Keep in mind that some public resources or records might already be available. Check with the Chamber of Commerce or Visitors Bureau.


Conduct a Needs AssessmentThe first question you should ask or at least consider: is there another organization that is providing or may provide the same program or service you are considering?

Also consider:

• Who is your audience? • What is their demographic profile? (male or female)

Are they senior citizens, youth, single mothers? • What resources (transportation, childcare, etc.) do they lack? • Where do they live and how do they get around? • How many people are there who need your service? • What are this group's needs and desires? (education or healthcare)


Conduct a Needs AssessmentGood. You have conducted a needs assessment or survey and determined that: • There is a demand within your community

that is not being met by another organization, business, or agency.

• Keep in mind that your organization is also a business. As such, it is vital to adopt business-like procedures.


Conduct a Needs Assessment This chart shows a comparison between a for-profit business and a nonprofit organization.

With your needs assessment now complete, let’s look at a process that will help you develop a clear mission and vision statement.

For-Profit Business

NonprofitOrganization

Sales/Profit Revenue

President/CEO Executive Director

Shareholders Board of Directors

Stock/Dividend Issued

NA

Tax Return Tax Return

Staff Staff

Policies and Procedures

Policies and Procedures

Human Resources Human Resources

Accountability Accountability

NA Tax Deductible Contributions


Conduct a SWOT Analysis


Conduct a SWOT AnalysisSWOT is an acronym for

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. In its basic form, it is

a focus group session to gather ideas. It is used to help an organization to focus on its strengths, minimize its weaknesses, address its threats, and take advantage of opportunities.

It is conducted or facilitated through group discussion and brainstorming.


Conduct a SWOT Analysis• The rules of brainstorming are to generate as many

responses as possible to specific questions within a limited time frame.

• Don’t evaluate the idea; defer judgment.

• Think out-of-the-box.

• Record each idea; tagging/combining ideas is okay.


Conduct a SWOT AnalysisWhat are the Strengths of your organization? Think internal or inside the organization.

What are the Weaknesses of your organization? Also think internal or inside the organization.

What Opportunities exist in your environment? Think external or outside the organization.

What Threats exist in your environment? Also think external or outside the organization.


Conduct a SWOT AnalysisWhat are our

Strengths?What are our Weaknesses?

What are our Opportunities?

What are our Threats?

Staff Expertise Staff Turnover Rapid Growth Weak Economy

Morale and/or Attitude

Morale and/or Attitude

New Products and/or Services

Political Structure and/or Elections

Leadership and/or Transparency

Lack of Professional Development

Training and Development

Perception vs. Reality

Mission/Vision Fear of Change Facility Location Competition

Policies/Procedures

Facility Location Potential Partners Uncertainty

Reputation Penalty/Restrictions Strong Economy Consumer Apathy

Relationships Internal Politics Good Relationships Decreasing Funding

Corporate Style Lack of Efficiency Increasing Funding Cost of Operation


Conduct a SWOT AnalysisWhat are our

Strengths?What are our Weaknesses?

What are our Opportunities?

What are our Threats?


Develop a Mission and Vision Statement


Develop a Mission and Vision StatementYour organization should develop a Mission Statement and a Vision Statement. Organizations that do not take the time to develop and implement these statements often fail to effectively operate.

A well written mission statement explains “why” your organization exists and its overall purpose. It also states “what” your organization is doing.

For example, the mission statement of Habitat for Humanity is to bring people together to build homes, communities and hope.


Develop a Mission and Vision StatementBy comparison, a Vision Statement articulates the future path of your organization and the community it serves.

A well written Vision Statement

supports and lends credibility to

the Mission Statement.

The vision statement of Habitat for Humanity is for safe, decent, affordable homes for all.


Develop a Mission and Vision StatementMission Statement of the Native Learning Center: Providing native and indigenous people with knowledge and skills that improve quality of life through housing related educational programs.

Vision Statement of the NativeLearning Center: The recognized educational resource for the development of cultural and quality-of-life skills for all known native and indigenous people.


Develop a Mission and Vision Statement

Mission Statement of our Organization

To provide…________________________________________________________________________________________

Vision Statement of our Organization

To be recognized as …________________________________________________________________________________


Create Realistic Goals(Develop a Logic Model)


Create Realistic Goals – Logic ModelOnce the mission and vision of your organization are established, the next order of business is the clarifying of goals. Goals assist an organization in defining its purpose.

One way to express information and create goals is through the use of a Logic Model, which requires defining assumptions, problems or issues, and influences that will affect the process of the organization.

This is an optional step, but let’ s look closer.


Create Realistic Goals – Logic ModelLogic Models focus on the accurate establishment of resources, activities, outcomes, and results for an organization. Resources are people, materials, and supplies. Activities are the actions of the organization. Outcomes indicate a realistic short term accomplishment. Results indicate long term changes.

Every goal requires a resource and should generate activities. Most importantly, every goal for an organization should create measurable and realistic outcomes and results to justify its existence. The next step is to develop goals.

ResourcesPeople, Materials,

and Supplies

ActivitiesActions

OutcomesShort-Term

Accomplishments

ResultsLong-Term

Changes

NLC Staff Develop education & training

Create 30 webinar topics

Host 25 webinars

NLC Trainers & Presenters

Provide education & training

Increase awareness

for 500 individuals

Enhance economicchange for

420 individuals


Create Realistic Goals – Logic Model

Our Resources(People, Materials, and

Supplies)

Our Activities(Actions)

Our Outcomes(Short-Term Accomplishments)

Our Results(Long-Term Changes)


Develop a Strategic Plan


Developing a Strategic PlanGenerally, when developing goals, an organization deals with at least one of three key questions:

• What do we do?• For whom do we do it?• How do we excel?

In many organizations, developing a strategic planning is viewed as a process for determining where an organization is going over the next year (goals), or from 3 to 5 years (strategic plan), although some extend their vision even further.


Developing a Strategic PlanDeveloping a strategic plan is an organization’s process of defining its goals - or strategy - and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy. In order to determine the direction of the organization, it is necessary to understand its current position and the possible avenues through which it can pursue a particular course of action.

NLC Strategic Plan 2012-2015

Goal 1: Maintain a Highly Skilled Organization

Goal 2: Provide Premier Education

Programs

Goal 3: Develop Longevity through Partnerships

Goal 4: Develop A Native Distance-

Learning Program


Developing a Strategic Plan# Our Strategic Goal Our Sub-Goals Our Tasks

1

2

3

4


Develop Partnerships


Develop PartnershipsLast but not least, strong partnerships are vital to almost every organization. It allows the organization to share resources and avoid a duplication of services. If you are considering such relationships, make sure to obtain a Letter of Support (LOS) from the other organization.

The LOS should clearly define the purpose of each organization and their specific relationship, support or endorsement. Collaborations are extremely valuable for the pursuit of grants.

Other OrganizationAddressCity, State, Zip

Dear Organization Leader:

ABC is an aboriginal community with a population of approximately 1,500. We are located in Middletown. Not surprisingly, Diabetes is a concern for our community. I am writing to express our support and interest in your “Prevent Diabetes” educational programs.

Unlike other programs, the concept of your program is extremely innovative and involves getting the community involved in attending workshops and making healthier food choices.

Our community would like to become involved in this project by integrating a hands-on approach that encourages our citizen responsible for their health and the health of their children.

Sincerely,


Closing Notes

Technical Assistance Hotline 1-866-973-2760


Thank You! Please visit our Website

www.NativeLearningCenter.com

http://www.nativelearningcenter.com/


Next Webinar!Title: Starting a Nonprofit Organization

Focus Area: Grants EducationCourse Number: GE1102

Date: July 3, 2012 Time: 2:00-3:00pm EST

Instructor: Vince Franco Registration is free!

building an organization and defining your mission focus area: ...

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