7 Key Characteristics of a Successful Nonprofit

7 Key Characteristics of a Successful Nonprofit DONORBOX.ORG

Building a

HIGH-PERFORMING Successful NonProfit

IS NEVER EASY

Sustaining one is even harder, especially in the new “normal� of a complex and ambiguous world

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS NEED TO REMAIN Stable Relevant Resilient in the face of up and down cycles Budget cuts Increasingly changing landscape

To truly succeed, a nonprofit needs to be financially stable, with a passionate volunteer base, and committed and strong leadership

7 Characteristics Exhibited by Successful Nonprofits

1

THEY ARE AGILE

Agile software development is based on iterative development, where requirements and solutions evolve through collaboration between self-organizing cross-functional teams

AGILE METHODOLOGIES Frequent inspection and adaptation of strategies Include a leadership philosophy that encourages teamwork Clearly defined short-term specific tasks

Delivering results in self-managed teams Immediate feedback is preferred instead of long meetings

2

THEY ARE FOCUSED ON THEIR MISSION, ALWAYS

A successful nonprofit always remains focused on the mission - Nonprofit organizations need to do on an almost daily basis

MISSION Clearly articulates its mission into a mission statement Constantly shares goals with employees Understand what is required to reach these shared goals

Create a mission-oriented culture Mission, values, and purpose are not just words

3

THEY ARE DONOR-CENTRIC

Understand that donors are more than their wallets – they are people

PEOPLE Focus on communicating with their donors Donors enable your nonprofit’s work Keep donors informed of the progress

Explain in measurable terms what donations have accomplished See their donors as individuals investing in their mission

4

THEY DEVELOP DIVERSE FUNDING SOURCES

Regardless of the fact that nonprofits focus on social change and not profit – if they are out of money they can’t exist

FUNDING SOURCES Always have the mission on their mind Never receive more than 30 percent of their funding from any one source Individual donations (online and offline)

Corporate sponsorships, membership fees, selling goods and services A smart nonprofit never relies on only one funding source

5

THEY ARE ABLE TO MOBILIZE AND INSPIRE OTHERS

Successful nonprofits are able to mobilize and inspire their staff, their volunteers, and their donors

INSPIRE Constantly create meaningful ways to engage Build and sustain strong communities Mobilize every sector of society — govt, business, nonprofits and public

Providing opportunities for others to engage with their cause Work with others and through others Best Fundraising Donation System https://donorbox.org/

6

THEY ARE DIGITALLY-SAVVY

Technology is transforming how nonprofit organizations work and how nonprofit professionals engage with donors and supporters across online platforms

DIGITAL LITERACY Offline fundraising still accounts for a significant amount Online fundraising is growing every year Constantly honing digital skills and acquiring knowledge of new tools

Digital touches everything in modern organizations A successful nonprofit is digitally-savvy

7

THEY CONTINUOUSLY LISTEN AND IMPROVE

They listen to their beneficiaries, they listen to their Board, they listen to their staff, to their volunteers, and to other organizations

IDENTIFY, SHARE, AND APPLY Collect and learn from data to develop new or better programs Create a culture of feedback in your nonprofit Fostering a culture of feedback is crucial to the success

Bring enthusiasm, a passion for growth Constantly seek out opportunities to learn and grow everywhere

The role of a nonprofit organization has always been to create social change and lead way to a better world

The characteristics above are only some of the indicators we’ve observed, and we hope you found the insights helpful

https://donorbox.org/nonprofitblog/characteristics-of-a-successfulnonprofit/ Choose Donorbox as your donation system and check out our Nonprofit blog for more nonprofit resources and tips