Читать книгу Nonprofit Kit For Dummies - Stan Hutton, Beverly A. Browning - Страница 85

When thinking of your organization’s reason for existing, think of your desired end result. What would you like to see happen? What would the world (or your community) be like if your organization were to succeed?

To say that you have to have a mission to change lives seems almost too basic. Maybe you’re thinking, “Of course I have a reason for forming my nonprofit. Why do you think I bought this book? I want to start a nonprofit to [fill in the blank].” We bring up this point because clarifying the reason for your nonprofit’s existence is basic to creating your mission statement. Why should your nonprofit exist?

For example, you may know that you love cats and dogs and have always wanted to work with them, but that isn’t the same thing as identifying a nonprofit organization’s reason for existing. The mission statement for a fictitious humane society might be written this way:

Friends of Animals provides temporary shelter and medical care for homeless puppies, dogs, kittens, and cats until responsible, loving homes can be found.

This sentence doesn’t describe the shelter’s facilities or how it recruits and trains volunteers, but it does clearly state which animals it serves and that it doesn’t intend to foster them as long as they live but rather to place them in good homes. And if someone visited Friends of Animals with a ferret, a pony, or a tarantula, its staff would know to refer that person to another shelter.

Knowing and understanding your organization’s purpose is essential to making important organizational decisions. It’s also a fundamental tool to use when asking for money, recruiting additional board members, hiring and motivating staff, and publicizing your activities. Also, remember that your governing board’s input in developing the mission statement is not an option. Buy-in begins with inclusion!