Nonprofit Resource Connection Newsletter
Fourth Quarter 2010

Three New Book Reviews
Myrna Meadows, NRS, International Falls

The Nonprofit Development Companion
Anyone who thinks "development" is "fundraising" in formal attire, should read "The Nonprofit Development Companion" by Brydon M. DeWitt. Be assured that he believes in the complete package – everything that goes into an integrated plan – and there are no short cuts. Take strategic planning and build on it – build a case, a network, a record-keeping system and you will create a productive, sustainable nonprofit organization.

"Raising friends and funds" may not be a phrase he created but DeWitt expands on it. He declares "development is holistic" in the same way that the mission should seep into every task. Relationship building is the job of each staff and each board member; everyone should have the "case statement", the organization’s story, ready to tell in his or her own words.

Two components of successful development programs were particularly compelling: a means for utilizing volunteers in meaningful ways and a record keeping system that well-supports development.

Volunteers – DeWitt writes that most nonprofits have too few rather than too many opportunities for volunteers. He believes that success lies in broadening the ownership of your mission beyond the inside group. Volunteers must be informed and properly trained. All committees should have "job descriptions." Volunteers want to be asked to do truly important tasks "appropriate to their abilities, interests and levels of influence."

Record keeping – Organizations of every size need a record keeping system that facilitates all the work they do – whether with clients, donors, other organizations or among staff. Gathering pertinent information on prospects and donors is absolutely necessary. He specifically says lack of budget or time is no excuse.

This book, published under the auspices of Association of Fundraising Professionals, is full of tips, personal anecdotes, samples and rules of thumb (for instance, how many persons to interview in a town of your size when conducting external data collection).

Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations
If you can handle 450 pages of guidance, "Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations" (second edition) is a welcome addition to the nonprofit library. For small organizations, it may be more than you want to know but it is written clearly and is what it says- a practical guide and workbook. A CD-ROM is included that makes it easy to print worksheets and checklists.

Authors Michael Allison and Jude Kaye have both served at CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, a training and consulting firm.

You know you’ve got two planners in the room when the first phase is "planning to plan." Establishing the process you will use and who will be involved is the foundation for A Planning Work Plan. From there, it is standard fare (articulating mission, vision, values, assessing your situation) but with many case studies and sidebars.

Sample work plans for abbreviated, moderate and extensive planning processes are likely to be helpful to any nonprofit. There are also self-assessment guides for the board and a discussion of the value of interaction in focus groups. The "cautions to facilitators" may be especially welcome by those managing the process. I will use parts of this book and most likely the templates for the shorter versions of planning for my small nonprofits.

Do You Dashboard?
Related to the strategic plan is the dashboard, a tool for tracking progress. That in fact is the name of Lawrence M. Butler’s publication.

Based on the idea of an automobile dashboard, it reports the status of a variety of indicators in a quick but comprehensive way. And the indicators are those you have chosen. It uses a consistent format so that board and staff can easily spot changes and trends. I find the tool appealing because it imparts meaning, not just more data. These key performance indicators help directors do their job more efficiently and effectively. The dashboard can provide benchmarks and evaluation on a monthly or quarterly basis.

There are many formats and the CD-ROM included provides samples. Some are narrative, some are graphic but all are based on comparisons – with last year, goals, budgeted or planned numbers. Each board chooses what to measure based on outcomes defined in the strategic plan. There may be service measures, risk factor measures, or strategic initiatives – "anything that makes the difference between failure and success," writes Butler.

The Nonprofit Dashboard, A Tool for Tracking Progress was produced by BoardSource, a nonprofit itself. The organization provides training, tools and leadership development.