Reaching Scale
Is your nonprofit one lost grant away from vulnerable?
It is not uncommon for a nonprofit to face challenges similar to those they serve. While their clients describe living paycheck to paycheck, many nonprofits function from grant to grant. One change in a foundation’s priorities, and the organization can quickly find itself in a financial crisis.
Take a look at the Sustainability Spectrum and determine where your organization is today. Ready to move up the scale? Consider embracing The Shift.
The Sustainability Spectrum is a tool that helps leaders assess their nonprofit’s sustainability and readiness for scale
Most nonprofits move between the vulnerable and resilient stages on the Spectrum. They may have the funds to meet today’s needs, but growth will require dollar-for-dollar additional support.
Invessting occurs when the organization has discovered a potential revenue-generating business model and is building it with time, attention, and capital.
If the model is strong enough, the organization or a significant program reaches Sustainable – 100% of expenses are covered by revenues. At this point, the organization only needs philanthropy to help it establish a new program, office, or move to a new geography.
When we have enough scalable Impact Organizations in our communities, we will truly begin to see our problems solved for the long-term.