How to build agility into your nonprofit

The only constant in life is change. 

While this certainly rings true across many aspects of life and the world around us, it’s also very accurate in the corporate world, where businesses must adapt and respond to fast-changing world events like a global pandemic, growing inflation and war in Europe.

But it’s not only for-profit businesses that must be ready for anything. It’s also vital for the nonprofit sector to be nimble, flexible and prepared—a sturdy presence in an unsteady economy and world. Nonprofits are required to be sustainable to succeed. And to support that sustainability, in any situation, they must be agile. 

What does agility in nonprofit organisations mean?

Agility in nonprofit organisations means the capacity to promptly evolve in response to changes in their industry, without losing control of their operations. This definition clearly identifies two elements necessary for a nonprofit organisation to be agile. 

These elements are responsiveness and stability.

Responsiveness ensures that the nonprofit organisation adapts quickly and successfully in the face of disruptive circumstances while stability guarantees that it is firmly rooted and steady enough to keep functioning correctly while transforming accordingly. 

The benefits that agile nonprofit organisations enjoy include:

• Enhanced satisfaction and engagement of the grantmakers, beneficiaries of the charitable activities, your workforce and the community at large
• Optimised productivity and service delivery
• Data visibility
• Swift detection and elimination of errors
• Greater innovation  

6 tips for creating agile nonprofit organisations

Here are practices on how you can make your nonprofit organisation more agile. 

1. Lay a solid organisational foundation

 A strong foundation is the root that holds your charitable brand together while it bends to any industry demands. It’s the nonprofit’s philosophical reason for existence and therefore should remain as your firm footing. 

Everyone working in your nonprofit should have a good understanding of the organisation’s purpose. There should be no uncertainties about what you’re doing or whom you hope to impact. A firm organisational foundation determines the nonprofit’s mission, core values and culture.

A profound understanding of “why we’re here” will ensure that your nonprofit is grounded well enough not to spin off its axis. It guarantees that any transformation will be geared towards fulfilling its original purpose regardless of how the industry fluctuates.     

2. Implement an effective leadership framework

Your nonprofit organisation won’t be agile enough to adapt to the ever-changing demands of today’s world if it isn’t steered by capable hands. Your charitable organisation should operate on a modern, trusted leadership scheme characterised by foresight, support, vulnerability, transparency and accountability. 

Autocratic systems of leadership are worn out and entirely unsuitable for the challenges posed by today’s world of business. To attain the nimbleness and dexterity that your nonprofit deserves, take a close look at the leadership structure to ensure it is effective.  

3. Promote collaboration

Teamwork makes the dream work, and here the dream is to cultivate agility in your nonprofit organisation.

Your organisation isn’t a one-man army; it’s likely comprised of diverse and capable professionals who all bring value to your mission. Collaboration is crucial for it to operate optimally. Such a connection guarantees that your workforce is engaged and dedicated to the success of your organisation. Involving everyone in the goal-setting process creates ownership over the shared targers and drives their spirit, compelling them to strive for improved results.

Additionally, tasks shouldn’t be assigned to only one person. Make room for other employees to weigh in on projects and contribute to the execution. The outcome will be an array of brilliant ideas and exceptional completion of assignments – a great way to eliminate monotony while keeping everyone in the loop.

For your nonprofit organisation to be agile, all hands must be on deck. Collaboration is the way.        

4. Encourage suggestions and communication

As they work to achieve set targets, nonprofits can lose sight of the nuances and changing realities of the philanthropic space. Just as athletes need to listen to their coaches to re-strategise effectively, so do charitable organisations need to pay attention to the calls of third parties for better adaptation. 

Listening to the suggestions of other stakeholders who might have a different view will  help your nonprofit organisation spot any gaps in your planning and strategy. This will make it possible to pivot as soon as possible and avoid any mishaps. To know better is to do better. 

Seek out the suggestions of your nonprofit’s current and potential grantmakers, members and even the community being served. Welcome both commendation and constructive objection.

Also, keep your organisation’s communication channels open. Unrestricted communication makes it easy to understand what’s going on and uncover solutions to deal with challenges. Additionally, communication invites divergent views and makes room for seemingly difficult conversations geared towards improvement. Communication supports collaboration, exposes inadequacies and nurtures growth.     

5. Nurture creativity and flexibility

Nothing impedes agility in your nonprofit organisation more than unnecessary rigidity and dullness. To weave through the ups and downs of a rapidly changing world of business, inspiration and innovation should be heralded.

Welcome novelty both in substance and procedure. Support imaginativeness among your workers and encourage them to come forth with their ideas. Evolving times call for evolving methods, so be bold to new ideas and rework your methods for the greater good.

This underlines the essence of mouldability and resilience in your nonprofit’s operations. Sometimes, the way things have always been done might not be suitable for the current circumstances. Your organisation’s processes should be malleable enough to accommodate the needs of the moment. 

If there’s a temporal need for more hands, proceed to outsource work. Taking advantage of such a solution, even if it’s new to your organisation, will make the organisation agile enough to make progress regardless of challenges.   

6. Prioritise data and the use of technology

For your nonprofit organisation to be lithe enough to cope with industry changes, it needs to embrace data and technology. 

Its decisions shouldn’t be founded on flawed assumptions. Data guarantees the accuracy and uniformity of information and better-informed decisions. Your nonprofit organisation should access data on the market, the general public, the organisation’s target communities, membership and donors. Upon collection of these various types of data, the nonprofit organisation can conduct better analysis and have a more refined idea of what steps to take.

Along with the need for data is the need for modern technology. Dependence on obsolete systems will make your nonprofit sluggish and inadequate to deal with the vagaries of its industry. Harnessing modern software streamlines the organisation’s processes, equips it to collect and deal with data competently and also enhances communication and collaboration.

Data gives insight into the situation as well as what should be done; technology helps get it done with minimal effort.        

Without adapting to the demands of business, your organisation will stagnate and its mission will suffer. These practices and tips for agility will imbue your nonprofit with the much-required vigour to cope with any challenges your nonprofit might face.