DON'T FALL INTO THIS EXTREMELY TEMPTING NONPROFIT TRAP IN 2023 . . .

2023 is around the corner, which means here comes a new round of resolutions. You probably have a few which focus on personal goals such as being healthy, reading more, spending more time with family, and more. May we challenge you to consider changing a few things when it comes to leading your nonprofit? One idea is how you view other nonprofits in your community.

As nonprofits, it can be tempting to: 1) Always trying to be the #1 organization in town (which is good BUT is that why you exist?)

2) Spend time comparing yourself to other organizations and explaining why you are better. Even to the point of telling others, "That homeless shelter is good but we always hear complaints from our clients about them. Let me tell you why we are better , , , , "

3) Fight for every media minute and keeping track of who gets more attention than who.

4) Take all the credit when you do take part in a collaborative project.

5) Say these items above to your team members, funders, and people in your community. This creates division, needless competition between organization staff, and honestly . . . it sometimes makes a leader look bad when they say such things.

Instead of doing these things . . . Imagine if statements were said such as:

1) How about your nonprofit takes those schools and we take these schools, so that every student can get support?

2) Your organization actually seems to do that program better than we do. What if we just let you take it over?

3) Issue XYZ is a serious one that we can not tackle alone. You are good at A . . . we are good at B . . . how about we go at this together where we both focus on what we are good at. That way we can all serve more clients, in better ways.

4) We are looking to create a billboard ad (or event, newspaper ad, radio ad, fundraiser, etc.). What if we saved costs and did one together?

5) What if we applied for this grant together?

This is our advice to nonprofits for 2023. Spend more time being partners in partnerships and less time being competition with competitors.

One of the tough things about this mentality is that many leaders are naturally competitive people. So for some, this is going to be a tough transition (guilty as charged right here). For others, you might just laugh at this post altogether. What we can't promise is that this route will bring in more funding and programs for you. What we CAN promise, is the awesome feeling when you are attacking serious issues as a community.

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To learn more about strategic and fundraising plans, feasibility studies, planned giving studies, need assessment studies, and capital campaigns, visit us at www.midweststudiesgroups.com.