The document discusses how to keep an organization's mission at the forefront of decision making. It provides examples of how focusing on the mission statement can guide governance, finance, program development, staff direction, strategic planning, fundraising, branding, and other areas. Keeping the mission in mind should be an organizational culture that empowers staff and simplifies processes like grant writing and communications with supporters.

1. KEEPING YOUR MISSION IN
MIND
FEBRUARY 26, 2013
Jody Dilday, Executive Director
Single Parent Scholarship Fund of NWA

2. Mission Statements
 The mission statement should guide the
actions of the organization, spell out its overall
goal, provide a path, and guide decision-
making. It provides "the framework or context
within which strategies are formulated.”
 Your Mission Statement is the yardstick which
you measure everything against.

3. Policy
 Governance (Strategy & Leadership)
 In addition to your typical finance and lawyer
types, do you have “mission expertise” on your
board?
 Is your core customer represented on your board?
 SPSF NWA begins each board meetings by
hearing from a current scholarship recipient.
 Finance
 Clearly identifies budget priorities.

4. Program Development
 When developing new programs, does it fit?
(Without being FORCED?!?)
 Avoid mission drift, even when there is money
involved!

5. Staff Direction/Coaching
 When you use your mission statement as your
“measuring stick” for everything, that practice
becomes a part of your organization’s culture.
 Staff will follow suit – empowering them to
make decisions, minimizing the need for
corrective coaching.
 When you must redirect – it becomes about
fulfilling the mission in the best way
possible,
not criticizing the individual.

6. Strategic Planning
 Overall Goal – Purpose for existence
 Path to get there –
 Goals
 Objectives
 Strategies

7. Fundraising
 Grantwriting
 Avoid mission drift
 Being mission focused simplifies the
process: everything from writing, to
measuring, and reporting
 Leads with the MISSION
 Acknowledgement letters
 SPSF NWA repeats elements from our
Mission Statement in BOLD in every
acknowledgement letter.

8. Branding
 Messaging
 Blogging
 Social Media Content
 SPSF NWA’s “Meet A Recipient” and
“Alumni Update” emails keep our mission
in front of our supporters
 Marketing
 Positioning Statement

9. Contact
 Jody Dilday, Executive Director
email: jody@spsfnwa.org
phone: 479-935-4888