Visit Website

Stay in Touch

  Share a Referral

  Contact Us

Subscribers:

  Forward

  Subscribe

  Unsubscribe

May 2006 eNews

Dear Friends:

“Development” is one of the most commonly used terms in the entire non-profit lexicon. Yet its meaning can vary considerably and thus be unclear. Some use it to pertain specifically to fund-raising activities while others construe it more broadly to refer to a range of institutional advancement activities. A few think in terms of the organization over all, such as in staff development, program development, and so forth. Since launching od180, this confusion around the meaning of the term has arisen often in conversation. So this month, I would like to share my own understanding of this very important concept. 

Anatomy of a Non-profit

To do that, I begin with a look at non-profits over all.  Whether the organization is a church or an advocacy group or a social service agency or a professional association, the on-going life of any non-profit organization always has three major parts. 

First, there is the program itself. There may be multiple programs, in fact, but in any case, the program area is what the organization does and why it exists. It is the manifestation of the entity’s mission.  

Secondly, the very nature of every organization requires that there be an administrative function as well. The administrative area typically includes all those management concerns such as governance, finance, accounting, facilities, and personnel that are the focus of management day-to-day. Administration provides the structure for the mission to take place in the program area.

Last but hardly least is the development function. What I mean by “development” in this context is that whole range of activities which coalesce to support and advance the organization. It is the non-profit analogue to public relations, marketing, and sales in commercial enterprises.  It involves fund-raising to be sure but also much more. Public relations, communications, volunteer recruitment and retention, and ( -- yes) marketing are all part and parcel of “fully developed” development functions.

Institutional Advancement and Organizational Development

For any non-profit to grow and thrive, its development function really needs to be  attending to all these activities – and concurrently – because they are all inter-related. Pro-active public and community relations, for instance, lead to greater name recognition which assists the cultivation of new donors considerably. In the same vein, savvy communications are essential to effective marketing of fee-for-service programs. Timely, accurate, and attractive communications through newsletters and websites serve to keep donors and volunteers feeling informed and connected.

Yet the system over all needs also needs to be working well.  That is where “od” enters the picture. Organizational development is the perspective which looks at the organization as a whole system and asks questions about structures and ways of working such as, “Is the finance department serving the program or is it working the other way around?” Or, “Is the management structure supporting growth or inhibiting it?” This perspective also looks at how teams and individuals are fitting in and contributing to the whole. It asks, “Is the Board of Directors functioning as a team?” and “Are the program staff and the development staff working together or at cross-purposes?” And it asks over-arching questions such as “Is there a vision?” and “Is there a strategic plan in place that will lead to realizing that vision?”

Where od180 Can Help

To state it simply, od180 can help in both arenas. We can do assessments of the development function of an agency and then provide expertise in setting up new advancement departments or assisting existing ones in key areas. We can advise both on particular campaigns and development in general. We can also provide assistance in assessing administrative, programmatic, or overall organizational effectiveness. 

These two tasks are rather different and require different approaches. Yet often, attention to one leads to another because just like us, the organizations to which we belong and give ourselves are systems. Events in one area will always inevitably have an impact on other areas. Just for example, if fund-raising is going magnificently but accounting does not keep up, public relations problems may eventually result. 

So call if you have an issue with respect to development that you would like to discuss. We can help. We will first just need to figure out which development we are discussing!

Peace,

David Norgard

od180

Suggested Reading

If you want to learn more about the particular discipline of organizational development, I recommend Productive Workplaces – Organizing and Managing for Dignity, Meaning, and Community by Marvin Weisbord. Weisbord begins with a history of the field that is enlightening and helpful to anyone with managerial responsibility today. Then, following some explanation of his own organizational theories, he concludes with recommendations that will resonate strongly with many in the non-profit world.