August 17th, 2023, marked National Nonprofit Day and the 2nd Annual Nonprofit Mission Focused Mixer. September 14th, 2023, we met in person at the newly opened Stony Point Business Center. During both mixers, we took a step back from the daily routine of nonprofit management and got refocused on the mission of each organization.
What I've found is that nonprofits easily get stuck in a problem-solving cycle. Responding to emails, planning the next fundraiser, and answering the needs of daily operations quickly take priority over planning out a goal for the next 5 years. That's why I encourage a set quarterly, if not monthly, time set aside to visit the organization’s strategic plan. This could be as simple as a 10-minute discussion of the strategic plan during the first week of each month. Or a review of the month’s activities as they relate to the strategic plan during the last meeting of each month.
Many organizations also find it hard to engage volunteers and attract effective board members. Revisiting the vision, mission and strategy of the organization helps keep everyone focused on achieving the mission. If people are passionate about the mission and understand how they play a role in its success, then they will be more engaged.
It is staying mission focused that these mixers are all about. Sharing experiences, best-practices, and pitfalls to avoid.
Below are some photos from the 2023 In-Person Mission Focused Mixer. If you don’t want to miss future events (virtual or otherwise) subscribe to receive updates at the bottom of this page.
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