Stabilization
Limited funds, turnover and reliance on volunteers makes organizational development a special challenge for non-profit organizations. Some of the work we've done includes

• documenting work processes, staff and volunteer job responsibilities
• strategic plan development
• contact management database development (member, donor, media, volunteer)

The entire range of information about shaping behaviors, documenting processes and clarifying instutitional roles has application to non-profit issues and may be useful reading (see links at right). Individuals who are trying to mature their organization may be interested in software to define and assign task responsibilities and develop procedures. While organizations may not need the industrial-strength versions of these tools, the clear thought and work processes behind them can help organizations define a clear path to organizational development. What might be most valuable, is a conversation about the importance of effective facilitation of organizational development. Please feel free to contact us.

Identity, positioning and communications
Communications planning for non-profits can also be very challenging. Most communications is event driven, by upcoming performance or fund raising. Continual evolution also makes it hard to define identity. Strategic communications planning and positioning (along with strategic mission planning) can help clarify and communicate the organization's vision. It can also reduce the cost and the turmoil of event-to-event communications.

Individuals tasked with organization and program communications may find the marketing and communications sections of this Web site helpful.

Development
Successful development relies on clear strategic planning, clear positioning and clear work processes. Effective development and granting requires a multi-year time horizion that can be difficult to achieve without institutionalized processes for research, application and follow up. Some of the way's we've helped is through

• clarification of an organization's role in its community
• program communications with stakeholders
• developing screening criteria for granting organizations
• standardization of grant documents
• developing/acquiring contact tracking software

Please feel free to contact us to discuss your organizations' development needs.

> White papers

case studies
> Selected cases