Over the many years that we have worked as a software provider to the nonprofit sector we have witnessed reoccurring issues that impact the charity and its ability to be sustainable, meet its goals and satisfy its mission. Some of these same issues contribute to staff turnover.
In many ways, a charity’s success is determined by the dollars they acquire to meet organizational goals. These dollars are dependent on work done by the board and staff and the processes and methodologies they use.
Board members
Your board can either help or a hinder the work you’re doing. We all know individuals whose purpose in agreeing to participate on a charitable board is more about prestige rather than the objectives of the organization. It’s nice to say that you belong on a board and it works well on a resume, but board members not committed to the work can curtail the sustainability of an organization. Members who are chronically absent, unprepared for meetings when they do attend, who then try to micromanage the charity may be creating issues with far-reaching impacts.
Here are examples of situations we’ve encountered.
The charity is hosting a big fundraising event. It could be a gala or a luncheon. The board president attends alone. The board treasurer brings one guest. The volunteer committee chair, on the other hand, invites three tables of individuals to celebrate the event. Where was the board’s support?
The rule of thumb for any big event is that each board member gets a table to fill. A productive board showcases its support. A Board must understand that they cannot support a charity by pushing from the rear. Leading the way is preferable.
A board president insists on micromanaging fundraising activity. No galas, no luncheons, no fundraising appeals because the charity is living off endowment funds. But, what if the endowment funds shrink over time or the charity has new, more costly requirements?
There are only so many charitable dollars in a catchment area to share. Depending on the goodwill of donors to remember the charity is neither productive nor valuable. In this scenario, the board has squandered the charity’s support by removing it from the community’s focus.
Management in absentia
A charity’s senior officer may have the title of CEO or Executive Director. It is incumbent on these individuals to take an active interest in the requirements needed for the success of the charity employing them. Hiring staff is important, but knowing what skills and knowledge is required to perform the job is essential.
When the most senior person in an organization delegates a job important to a charity's sustainability without guidelines, processes or accountability you can expect productivity issues, goals not met, and chaos.
For example, if senior management lacks knowledge about of the fund development area many important issues may be left derelict including data backup and general organization of all electronic tools. Assuming that all is working well is trouble in the making.
Staffing and accountability
The Dunning-Kruger effect is one where someone is hired for a job that they think is easy but they have neither the skills nor the knowledge to be successful. As a software provider, we see this all too frequently.
Can you imagine a staff member being asked to set up a capital campaign in the charity’s data management software only to respond that they are too busy for proper training? When it becomes apparent that they have failed, who or what takes the blame?
Many good people working in fund development do not have the full range of knowledge or skills needed to address the scope of their job. This is where well-defined job descriptions and policies and procedures are needed to orientate new staff. Continuous improvement is positive but only when staff understand how a job is effectively performed.
So often new hires come in wanting to make changes. When senior management are out of the loop this can have a major impact on data and the charity’s history. Development staff first need to know and use whatever donor software the charity provides. If not, they will have no idea whether it is being used to the benefit or the detriment of the charity. This is where performance reviews protect the integrity of the charity’s most important asset—what it knows about its donors.
The disorganized workplace
A place for everything and everything in its place.
These ‘places’ are defined by the charity for the benefit of the organization and its staff. The goal is to create and maintain a high-performance workplace to enable a high-performance team.
A well-organized workplace enables staff be productive in their jobs. It also supports the charity through staff changes as consistency and continuity are maintained.
A lack of organization results in a nonperforming environment, characterized by lengthy file searches, lost information, stressed-out staff and lowered financial goals.
Over the years, most charities have evolved from being volunteer-run to having paid staff. Yet, there is still have a long way to go if they are expected to thrive. The advent of cloud storage has only exacerbated the problem of managing the digital workplace.
Conclusion
Critical thinking and problem-solving are not obsolete. Looking for an easy way to achieve goals just may not be that easy. There are solutions to all of these issues but it takes time, effort and commitment. Reduce your risk in your digital environment today.
Sharron Batsch BSc is the developer of @EASE Fund Development Software and the author of "From Chaos to Control - Build a High Performance Team Using Knowledge Management" Contact her, sharron@batschgroup.com.
