Developing Organizational Success Send To Printer | Close Window

By Jeremy White, RestoreHope Consulting

Non-profit organizations across the country are often seeking to expand and grow to the proverbial “next level.” However, the majority of smaller faith-based organizations and ministries are often seeking just to survive financially, keeping invaluable programs alive and essential staff compensated. Other organizations are seeking to achieve that level where they are able to hire any staff at all.

For both of these types of organizations, it is important to avoid what I call the Lone Ranger Syndrome. Organizations with multiple staff members or only with one staff person run the risk of operating under the leadership of effective, yet unsupported directors. These leaders often feel overwhelmed by the daily stresses and strains of their jobs and responsibilities of leading their organizations. They frequently feel isolated as if they must tackle all of society’s ills by themselves.

Healthy organizations are those that offer administrative support to their leaders either through staff, board members and/or volunteers. Those groups that exhibit the most success are those that enjoy a diversity in their staff positions that includes the areas of administration, financial affairs, and program development.

Leaders whom find they are operating all three areas quickly can suffer burn out, crippling the ability of the organization to develop. Additionally, its simply a fact that no one is skilled at everything and quite naturally the “do-it-all leader, risks the chance that one or more organizational areas will suffer from a lack of expertise.

In order to avoid these challenges, organizations must first make plans to provide for proper staff support. If financial constraints are a consideration, ministries should give consideration to obtaining effective volunteers to fulfill many of the administrative functions commonly administered by staff. This might also include programmatic roles. However, organizations must be careful to obtain committed and skilled volunteers to ensure the organization’s success.

Proper resource development is also instrumental to ensure sustainability for non-profit organizations, recognizing that smaller organizations, small foundations and individual donors are good sources of financial support. Fundraisers and other campaigns can be effective ways to leverage support for staff and programs. More
fully developed faith-based organizations can pursue larger foundations and small government grants in addition to other financial opportunities. It is important that organizations do not rely on an overwhelming amount funding from one source for too long of a period as these funds may eventually dwindle.

In the end, effective planning of proper support for an organization’s leaders and the diversification of reliable funding streams have become essential factors for successful and sustainable organizations. Develop a plan and strategy to achieve these goals. Such accomplishments do not happen overnight and therefore patience and persistence are a must for any leader.

However, reaching a level where the group’s leader feels supported, and the organization is well supported signifies that an organization has achieved a significant level of management success and is priceless. For questions or more information about effective leadership, please contact us.

Jeremy White is the Founder and President of RestoreHope Consulting, which was established to address the on-going organizational needs of community helpers and healers and in so doing to restore some of the hope that been lost in communities around the country.