​Nonprofits are, at their core, champions for the best in their communities. To best assess how well they are advancing their missions, reaching target audiences, or enacting social and community change efforts, nonprofits need to gather focused and targeted data from engaged stakeholders and from those community members they seek to serve.
How you go about gathering information about or feedback from your stakeholders (participants, audience or community members, donors, or other people who are or may become connected to your nonprofit) will be specific to your organization.  Your efforts should be focused on your mission, your programs, and the communities you seek to serve.
Starting with your nonprofit’s mission and vision, or the intended outcomes of a particular program, consider what questions you have that only your stakeholders can answer. Here are a few big-picture questions you might ask: 

• How aligned is our internal understanding of and our community’s understanding of our brand, mission or purpose?
  • How does our community think about us, about what we are here for, and about who we serve?
• How aligned is our intended audience and our actual audience?
  • What sectors of our community are we actually serving vs who we want to serve?
• How well are we achieving the different aspects of our mission?
  • How are our participants, board members, and other community stakeholders participating in or connecting with our mission?

Starting with big questions such as these will allow your evaluation efforts to focus on gathering the critical information you do not yet have about how well you are serving your community and your mission. Non-profits exist to advance community-grounded efforts, provide necessary services, and to, ultimately, provide a positive social good for individuals, groups, or the entirety of our communities. By integrating practices that allow us to gather information from and about those we serve, or seek to serve, our non-profits can continuously refine our programs, practices, and engagement efforts to make a meaningful difference in our communities. 

Featured below is a success story from the nonprofit sector demonstrating how the LSS approach helped one organizations increase services to the Homeless.  Click here to watch the short video.  A transcript of the video and the slides are also available by scrolling down the page.  

​Our training partner Go Lean Six Sigma has many tools and resources on their website. www.goleansixsigma.com

This program specifically focuses on LSS work in nonprofits and enables you to complete a  LEAN Six Sigma process improvement project from start to finish.  Green Belts carry more recognition and can deliver measurable, sustainable improvements by finding the root causes of problems and streamlining processes. ​

Visit www.c4npr.org to learn more about LEAN Six Sigma solutions offered through The Center.

Questions?  Contact Heather Bradley at 419-241-9513 or heather@c4npr.org.

​If your organization believes any of the three myths below, you may be struggling financially but you don’t know why. 
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Myth One: Endowments are the best route to financial sustainability.
Endowments are typically seen as a safe solution for nonprofits looking to bolster financial sustainability. Funds in an endowment are permanently restricted and invested to produce an ongoing income stream for an organization — 

​It may be difficult—if not impossible—for the average community-based nonprofit to raise the funds necessary to generate the required income on an annual basis.  There is a better way. 

​These funds can be put in the same accounts and earn the same interest as endowment funds but these types of resources provide more flexibility, which is critical for leaders of ever-changing organizations. Rather than raised in a full scale capital campaign, operating reserves are either built up slowly over time—by generating modest operating surpluses each year—or, increasingly, the result of foundation grants targeted for the purpose of building a reserve.

Myth Two: Nonprofits can’t make a profit
We meet many nonprofit leaders who subscribe to the general sentiment that nonprofits should never make a “profit” on the services they provide.  Not only can nonprofits take in more money than they spend, they must do so to be sustainable over time.

The first step toward building a financial reserve is to create an organizational culture that accepts and strives to generate operating surpluses. 

Myth Three: Building reserves is not a priority for organizations with chronic cash challenges.
For organizations facing chronic cash flow shortages, building an operating reserve can feel not only daunting, but perhaps even unrealistic. 

It is possible for a cash-strapped organization to come to an understanding of what needs to be done to restore stability and commit to a rigorous financial fitness plan. 

​Operating reserves — liquid savings readily available for opportunities and emergencies alike — can be a game changer for nonprofit organizations. 

Join Gretchen for one or both of her upcoming workshops on March 6, Telling Your Organization's Financial Story (9:30am-4:30pm) and March 7. Operational Excellence (9:30am-12:30pm). Visit c4npr.org to learn more!

Q: Why did you choose to participate in The Center’s Certificate of Minority Executive Leadership?
A: "The CEO of the Area Office on Aging, Northwest Ohio strongly recommended  and supported me for the certificate.Two other colleagues have participated and at least one acquaintance outside of work also attended."
 
Q: How has completing the Certificate of Minority Executive Leadership impacted you professionally?
A: "Professionally, it has provided exposure in the community and increased awareness of community agencies who are working hard at restoring trust in the Toledo community. I’ve been encouraged to further my education and to accept new and different responsibilities in my work world.  The breakout lunch sessions with community leaders were instrumental in providing validation of goals and career direction.  Because of the Minority Executive Leadership Certificate program, I am more aware of and have had more involvement with minority business leaders in the community.  It underscores the importance of mentoring and sponsorship of emerging minority leaders in our community."
 
Q: What would you tell someone considering the Certificate of Minority Executive Leadership?
A: "Do it! Emphatically, yes? thumbs up!  I’ve been spreading the word about The Center and about this certificate program."
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To learn more about the Certificate of Minority Executive Leadership program visit http://www.c4npr.org/main/certificate-of-minority-executive-leadership/.​
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Regina Russell held the position of Waiver Services Coordinator Supervisor/HomeChoice at the Area Office on Aging while in the 2017 cohort. Since completing the Certificate of Minority Executive Leadership she has transitioned within the organization to the Performance Management Lead. 

Q: Why did you want to be a mentor with the Certificate of Minority Executive Leadership program?
A: "Sharing knowledge supports the pathway for advancement. For over 20 years, mentors have assisted with my personal growth in the various roles of my being such as a parent, professional, and daughter.  I understand the importance of exchanging knowledge and helping others on their pathway toward aspirations. Since the inception of the program, I wanted to share my experiences and help guide others through a self-awareness process of how to address challenges, achieve goals, and gain bold confidence to lead their best life. Fellowship and conversation in a trusting environment is valuable especially when discussing the influences on opportunities to impactfully lead others."
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Q: What did you gain by being a Certificate of Minority Executive Leadership mentor?
A: "As I hunger for knowledge, the shared stories of others help me understand different perspectives and experiences while embracing lessons learned from those stories. The exchange of knowledge helps to sharpen my mind, perspectives, and humility."
 
Q: What would you tell someone considering mentoring for the Certificate of Minority Executive Leadership program?
A: "Pay it forward and share your knowledge as knowledge has been shared with you."
 
Q: What would you tell someone considering the Certificate of Minority Executive Leadership?
A: "As the academic and skill development area of executive leadership is explored through the program, mentorship supports participants with applying gained information toward experiences.  Mentors invest in your success by sharing the realities of situations, constructive feedback to increase self-awareness, professional networks and resources, and knowledge gained from experiences with encouragement to stimulate personal and professional growth. Invest in yourself and others will invest in you, where collectively we can uplift people and communities."
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To learn more about the Certificate of Minority Executive Leadership program visit http://www.c4npr.org/main/certificate-of-minority-executive-leadership/.​
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Mary Price is the Director of Basic Needs at Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency (Wayne Metro). She has been mentoring with the Certificate of Minority Executive Leadership program since it's inception in 2012.

Jay Love of Bloomerang is the expert speaker at our workshop on May 16, 2017.  He will be help us understand how major gift fundraising and success with special events go hand-in-hand.