Nonprofit Kit For Dummies. Stan Hutton

suggestions. After an initial discussion among the group, give each member index cards or sticky pads and have all of them write down three ideas they feel strongly about keeping as a part of the mission and vision statements.

      After you collect everyone’s written ideas, read them all aloud and — as a group — organize them so that similar ideas are grouped together. These notes should identify the key ideas that belong in your mission and vision statements. Also be sure to ask whether anyone thinks an important idea is missing. If not, you’re ready to assign someone to draft the mission and vision statements.

      Working together to finalize your statements

      A group process is essential to identifying the core ideas that belong in the mission and vision statements, but when it comes to putting words on paper, we recommend that you choose two or three of your board members that are the best writers and turn them loose.

      We aren’t fans of committee-written prose. We’ve sat in meetings where committees discussed word choices and the placement of commas without apparent end. The result of such efforts is usually murky writing that requires several readings to interpret the meaning. After a draft is on paper, feel free to bring it back to your group for their final thoughts and approval on content, grammar, and word choice.

When finalizing the wording of your statements, the best advice we can offer is to stay away from jargon and flowery rhetoric. Avoid the buzzwords that are popular in your field. In fact, this is good advice for any kind of writing — grant proposals, memos, letters, and other documents. You don’t want your audience scratching their heads and wondering, “What does that mean?”

Living by Your Mission and Staying Fixed on the Vision

      You’ve brainstormed, drafted, and refined a short mission statement and a longer vision statement that clearly identify your organization’s present and future focus. Congratulations! Now that you’ve put considerable thought and time into this exercise, what will you do with it?

      You’ll use your mission statement in practical ways, of course. For instance, you’ll likely

       Incorporate its description of the organization’s purpose in your articles of incorporation (see Chapter 5)

       Add it to brochures, your website, and other marketing materials (see Chapter 13)

       Use it to help complete IRS Form 990 — the tax statement you file in one form or another every year (see Chapter 6)

      You’ll also use your vision statement as a guiding written light to keep your eyes on the organization’s future. For instance, you’ll likely use it to

       Establish the ideal state that the leaders of your nonprofit organization want to achieve.

       Inspire and remind members where you’re going as an organization.

       Keep new and existing staff and volunteers focused on what’s ahead.

       Motivate yourself and others to work hard today to plant the seeds for tomorrow.

Your mission and vision statements also resemble the pin that holds the needle of a compass. You use them to chart your organization’s direction. Here are some examples:

       When you have to make a decision about creating new programs or setting priorities, your mission statement should guide you in whether they’re appropriate for your organization. Remember to ask aloud to your stakeholders: “Will this decision help us achieve our vision statement?”

       When your board and staff sit down to create a new three-year plan, they first need to revisit and commit to the mission statement (the present) and vision statement (the future). All other discussions about setting goals and refining programs should be tested for appropriateness against these statements.

       When you need to cut your budget and eliminate programs or activities, the mission statement should guide you to protect those programs that are core to your organization’s purpose and vision.