Embracing change by smart-sizing your organization

What’s your organization’s target weight and height?

If you were going to smart-size your organization’s weight and height, what would it look like?  Think of your organization’s weight in terms of budget size.  Imagine your organization’s height as the program capacity. Now that you have an idea of what that looks like, are you prepared for the predicted changes that are on the menu for 2019?

• Tax reform– We know it’s here, but we don’t know how it’s going to impact our giving.  Predictions estimate a loss of charitable giving ranging between $13 to $21 billion.

• Workforce demographics – Are you looking at ways to capitalize on an aging work force while combining tactics to create a culture that is inviting and engaging to millennials? Creating an organizational culture that embraces learning from one another takes initiative from leadership and an understanding of how to lead a multigenerational workforce.

• Gender pay gap– Women earn $.80 for each dollar their male counterparts earn.  And the pay gap is even wider for black and Hispanic women, who earn 62.5% and 54.5% respectively.  Women working in the nonprofit sector don’t fair any differently, in fact nonprofit CEO’s continue to lag in their compensation compared to men as evidenced in Guidestar’s 2018 Nonprofit Compensation Report advocating about the importance of fairly compensating nonprofit sector employees should be a part of our messaging.

• Cybersecurity– According to a December 2018 report, prepared by NTEN, 68% of nonprofits responding did not have documented policies and procedures in case of a cyberattack.  You can download the full report and evaluate your organization’s preparedness.

• Crowdfunding – According to Fortune Magazine, the global crowdfunding market could reach $90 billion by 2025. Developing a strategy to include crowdfunding in your fundraising tactics should include costs of platforms and fundraising laws for raising money in other states.

• Mergers, partnerships, and collaborations – Mergers, partnerships, and collaborations are predicted to increase in 2019.  Board and staff members should be aware of what organizations align with their vision. I think a well-defined vision statement embodies a mission that is completed, has aspirational qualities and calls others to partnership.  So who shares your nonprofit’s vision?  Is there an opportunity to combine resources and have greater impact through a partnership or collaboration?  An even bolder choice would be to consider a merger.  New nonprofits continue to be created, but much fewer nonprofits consider merging as a strategy for growth.  Engage your board in this discussion to see what might be possible and if there are others in your space that would benefit in exploring a shared vision.

What is predicted to happen and what will actually happen in 2019, none of us knows.  We do know we want to lead healthy nonprofits. Targeting your organization’s “smart-size” for 2019 can be a part of your organization’s wellness program.

“If you want something new, you have to stop doing something old.” – Peter Drucker

Debra Box, M.A.
President and CEO
Support Kansas City, Inc.