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Building An Effective, Sustainable, Impactful Organization
By John Heymann

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"To make the greatest impact on society requires first and foremost a great organization, not a single great program."
— Jim Collins, Good to Great and the Social Sectors

While there is no one formula for building a high-performance social sector organization, there are attributes and processes that all effective organizations have in common. The following is a checklist of some of those basic components.

Clear and Compelling Vision
Brief, well-defined vision and/or mission statement
Statement of core values
Community assessment and feedback processes
Focused approach that is not redundant with other organizations' programs
Defined measures of success

Strong Leadership
Passionate, engaged board members
Clearly defined and consistently practiced roles and responsibilities
Strategic approach to board recruitment and succession
Board and staff are articulate advocates for the organization
Professional approach to staff and staff development
Clear expectations and accountability for board and staff
Written policies and procedures

Fund Development
Strategic fundraising plan
Demonstrated support and participation by the board
Balanced portfolio of funding sources
Constituent Relationship Management program in place

Marketing
Strategic marketing plan
Proactive communications to constituents and the community
Network of key influencers
Clear, jargon-free messaging
Strong, content-rich website
Great stories to demonstrate mission success

Financial Management
Computerized and up-to-date recordkeeping
Monthly financial statements
Well thought-out budget understood by leadership
Independent year-end audit or review
All required forms and filings are made in a timely manner
The entire board is knowledgeable about the organization's finances
Reserve funds
Endowments