Heightened Development

"I'm not sure what it is, but since the pandemic, our whole team is busier than ever. There are more meetings. It is the new normal for us to hop to five different meetings every single day." A quote from a nonprofit leader I spoke with recently "Our team saw and experienced so much trauma during the pandemic and our way of serving individuals changed. The trauma still runs deep for our front-line workers, and they have to just keep going. " A quote from a second nonprofit leaders I spoke with recently. Here is yet another article on burnout among #nonprofit leaders, with this one citing staffing shortages as one cause. Despite the negative headline, there is some good news within the article. For example, more nonprofits surveyed by the Center for Effective Philanthropy have larger operating reserves. There was an increase in financial sustainability overall. Still, many leaders surveyed were considering cutting staff or not re-filling unfunded positions once they go vacant. How do we make sure our healers have time to heal? I'd love to hear your thoughts and tips on how you have found balance between preparing financially for the unexpected and ensuring your team is equipped to approach their work with less risk of burnout.

Advice I've given #nonprofit leaders dozens and dozens of times: increasing your financial sustainability is all about diversifying your revenue. This article from Stanford Social Innovation Review provides a counter argument, though it is more focused on things that help organizations grow larger than just achieving sustainability at their current size. They argue that when studying the financials of larger organizations, three things have helped them grow and remain solvent: *Concentration on or two major revenue sources *Seeking funding that is a natural match for your organization's work *Building dedicated capabilities and infrastructure to tap into the one or two revenue categories you're focusing on. I find this research fascinating, and while I may integrate it into my advice, I can't imagine most nonprofits not ensuring multiple revenue sources. The larger your reserve, the more you can handle slight fluctuations in one or two large revenue streams. If a significant funding sources allows you to build enough reserve over time, I suppose then the focus on diversity matters less. These may large foundations, but often they are government money or earned revenue strategies. All funding strategies shift eventually, so even those big funding sources can dry up This makes continual philanthropic engagement important for us all, even if the focus is more on making sure we keep telling our missional story so no one forgets why it matters.

An everything but the kitchen sink 🍳🔪🥄approach to strategic planning........that is my favorite point in this post and article. This approach to strategic planning can result in a punch list that is completely disconnected from any unified strategy. This is exactly why I love that heightened-development starts strategic planning with deep alignment around organizational identity, and then to developing a strategy screen or decision-making framework. If you'd like to know more about a strategy screen, see the first comment. I learn through each process, so I'd love to hear additional things that #nonprofit leaders have found helpful in successful planning processes.

Heightened Development is thrilled to partner with Children's Trust of South Carolina as they invest deeply in the leadership of home visitor programs in South Carolina. We are all partnering for greater impact together through a year-long leadership institute. Here, one group of leaders is developing a logic model for their organizations. T

This is one captured moment of the intent work by staff and board ROCKINGHAM COUNTY PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN at their final strategic planning retreat. It is always fun to see 26 different people reflect individually about their future direction as an organization, and yet find when they come back together to share their thoughts that their goals suggested goals are the same. When folks are willing to do the work and decisions are based on data, the needed direction becomes obvious. Great things are in store for this community! #strategicplanning #boardofdirectors #nonprofit

I worked for decades in organizations serving children and families, and many of them were early adopters of programs that served two or multi-generations- children plus their parents or caregivers. A two-generation approach is understood by many as a program that is designed to work with both generations at the same time. Recent research, however, is also looking for ways to coordinate a host of services that together provide better support to both generations. Two-generation work has always had strong evidence of success for individual families, but when providers consider ways to coordinate a host of services, they begin to change the systems that often create too many barriers for children and their parents to get the supports they need. They begin together to build new systems that work better for families. This is #humancentereddesign. #impact #nonprofit This article shares learning from OPRE across four two-generation initiatives. In the social enterprise sector we may be familiar with a few tactics they combined for great results: logic models, centering family and practitioner voice, and working collectively with multiple organizations. They built logic models that were intentionally designed with two generations in mind, incorporated practitioners into the design of the logic models, and engaged families to identify logic problems, allowing them to better design services that address the root needs of the families served. In the last year, Heightened Development has had the great privilege of working with four amazing organizations doing and/or supporting this high-impact, two-generation work: ROCKINGHAM COUNTY PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN Mary Black Foundation Children's Trust of South Carolina Hope Center for Children

It was a joy to join the amazing and dedicated team of ROCKINGHAM COUNTY PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN at their board and staff retreat yesterday! Their impact on families with children under five is truly creating healthier and smarter children countywide. The time together teed them up for a great future roadmap with one more strategy session still to come! #StrategicPlanning #impact #nonprofit

Last week Heightened Development was with Laisar Management Group for a strategic planning workshop with an amazing California-based organization that is increasing student success, particularly for black students, by building a comprehensive community of supports that are centered in African principles. Partnering with organizations making such deep impact is why Heightened Development exists. Last week laid the foundation for a high-impact strategic plan because the staff engaged so openly in difficult conversations with a contagious passion for their work. #strategicplanning #nonprofit #leadership

How often in a year are you faced with key decisions that could impact your focus as an organization? A strategy screen is a great, simple tool for #strategic decision-making. #nonprofit #leadership

Spartanburg nonprofit leaders, a few seats are left for this free training. There will be lots of immediate takeaways for Executive Directors AND board leaders. I am thrilled to train alongside Christi Brown, Suzy Cole, and Amanda Mathis on unique topics in our areas of expertise. #leadership https://vist.ly/w9qf