Mission Control
How Nonprofits and Governments Can Focus, Achieve More, and Change the World
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- USD 44.99
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- USD 44.99
Descripción editorial
In the last ten years the number of nonprofits and social sector organizations has grown by almost 25 percent, while charitable giving declined 30 percent over the same period. As a result, many organizations are chasing grants, tweaking and adding to their core activities to match what they think funders are looking for. Almost half of nonprofits surveyed nationally in 2014 said they added additional programs in the last year. The result is colloquially known as "mission creep"-- organizations trying to be everything to everyone. Yet research suggests that the more goals individuals or organizations pursue, the less likely they are to achieve them, leaving these organizations often overwhelmed, underfunded, and unfulfilled. Mission Control: How Nonprofits and Governments Can Focus, Achieve More, and Change the World is designed to restore focus and gain "mission control" to identify the things they should and should not do to drive impact. Drawing from the author's experience of working with thousands of clients at nonprofits and government agencies around the world, both large and small, the book represents the stories of countless mission-driven organizations. Downey helps leaders, teams, executive directors, and boards with the critical task of clarifying an organization's sweet spot at the intersection of what it is good at, what its clients need, and the activities that get measurable and sustainable results.
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Why do some nonprofits change the world while others just muddle along? Focus, says leadership consultant Downey, who works with organizations of all sizes. Successful organizations have the tight focus to achieve singular goals, she writes, instead of trying to be all things to all people; they've discovered the overlap between their skill-sets and their clients' needs. However, mission creep too often dilutes the impact of nonprofits. Downey advises her audience of social-sector leaders against missions that are too broad and breaks down strategies by which readers can understand their own organizations, identify what works, and plan their paths. First, organizations need to figure out whether they're ready to make significant change. Then they can prepare teams, working within the existing hierarchy to ensure that decision-makers have the autonomy and resources to develop good ideas. Readers will find this book an invaluable guide to identifying their options and setting goals; Downey has created the ultimate get-a-move-on guide for nonprofits that are trying to do too much and accomplishing too little as a result.