A quantitative research project conducted in partnership with Algonquin College
Our mission at Purpose Forward is to help social purpose organizations move their mission forward. By bridging the gaps between people, process, and technology, we can simplify nonprofit operations while improving the service experience for all stakeholders.
Right now, grassroots and social purpose organizations are facing a new chapter of challenges. Traditional systems and processes aren’t fit for the efficiency and scale required in today’s fast-paced and digital world. To help organizations on their path to adaptation and growth, we recognized the need to learn more about the challenges that are facing many of our nonprofit partners today, and where the windows of opportunity for growth can be found.
To determine the modern operational needs of grassroots and social purpose organizations, a quantitative research project was completed in partnership with Algonquin College and Community Researchers, a nonprofit organization connecting young researchers with experienced mentors to conduct important community projects.
In-depth interviews with several nonprofit executives and managers were conducted to gain insights into critical operational gaps that hinder growth & development of grassroots nonprofits.
Tap through the images here to read the whole presentation or read on for our summary and thoughts below.
A special thank you to the students at Algonquin College and Community Researchers for all of their hard work on this research project!
In summary, there are several areas where nonprofit organizations continue to face challenges, and space where the ability to grow and flourish is available given the correct support and structure. Here is a list of our takeaways from the research project:
- Staffing. Many nonprofit organizations have less than sufficient staffing as a result of high turnover and unmatched salary expectations. Finding staffing solutions to keep employees on the payroll is a top priority; with the correct organizational structure and processes in place, surplus costs can be controlled and the funding brought back to retain employees.
- Organizational infrastructure. Current organizational structure in many nonprofits requires some guidance to become more sustainable. More focus and planning is required to develop successful business infrastructure including solid business plans, strategy and risk mitigation.
- Business development and marketing. There is an increased demand for nonprofit social media presence that could benefit from more time and expertise in the field.
- Nonprofit collaboration. Nonprofit organizations have not traditionally collaborated on initiatives or projects in the past; the future success of grassroots and social purpose organizations will benefit with increased collaboration between them.
- Finance and accounting. The expertise and knowledge required for in the nonprofit industry varies greatly from that of traditional commercial finance and accounting. There is an underlying need for more strategic and industry-specific knowledge to manage finances, tax filing, and grant writing.
- Process automation. Nonprofit organizations today require consistent and reliable technology to run efficiently. Keeping track of volunteers, donors, and employees can be expertly done with the correct process automation in place. This will also allow for digitization in workflow, filing, and process mapping to create an easier and more efficient flow.
- Education. Education is a fundamental aspect of any nonprofit organization. Currently, many social purpose and grassroots organizations are in need of more in-depth training for fundraising, processes, digitization and more.
“No full expertise to create a business plan, to create, to do market research, to create marketing strategies based on fact-based decisions, based on data, actual data and not just the vision of what you want to do to save the world.”
– survey participant
“So even to find an accountant, for a not-for-profit is very different. You have to find somebody very different than somebody who works in the commercial sector.”
– survey participant
The needs of a modern organization don’t fit neatly into boxes. At Purpose Forward our goal is to help nonprofit organizations streamline their structures and processes based on the organizations individual needs, in order to overcome problematic issues and facilitate growth. Collaboration is the key to success and we ensure that our entire scope of responsibility is seamless for your team.
Is your organization facing any or many of these issues? Did you know that Purpose Forward
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