How to Write a Nonprofit Governing Board Statement
Describe the organization’s purpose., Describe the population the organization will serve., Describe the activities in which the organization will participate., Outline the organization's values., Describe what the organization wishes to accomplish.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Describe the organization’s purpose.
The purpose of the organization should be described in one or two sentences, absent of any jargon or language the average reader would not understand.
The purpose of the organization is usually the reason it was established.
For example, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America was established to provide children with positive role models and the local animal shelter was established to provide for homeless animals. -
Step 2: Describe the population the organization will serve.
For example, a local animal shelter located in Madison County may serve homeless animals in Madison County, and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America serves disadvantaged children throughout the United States.
Follow these guidelines when writing the description of the population:
Be brief but thorough.
While the description should be less than a few words, it should be long enough to fully describe the population.
For example, describing the population served by Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America as 'children' may not be a complete enough description, 'disadvantaged children throughout the United States' however, tells us which children specifically the organization serves.
Consider including it in the same sentence as your organization’s purpose.
For example, "Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America was established to provide disadvantaged children throughout the United States with positive role models."
For example, if your organization helps poor people, tell the reader how it does this.
An organization may help poor people by providing them with free or inexpensive medical care, awarding college scholarships to them, or providing job training.
When describing the activities:
Keep it simple.
You do not need to list every specific task that will be completed by the organization’s employees and volunteers, just the general actions it will take.
For example, instead of describing how an animal shelter’s employees feed, water, walk, bathe, play with, and pet the animals in the shelter, you may wish to simply state that the shelter 'provides love and care' for the animals.
Make it brief.
Your description should be between a few words and two sentences in length.
If your organization participates in many activities, you may need to combine them into categories that are more general.
For example, if your organization helps poor people by providing them with free or inexpensive medical care, college scholarships, job training, housing, new or used clothing, school supplies, inexpensive or free groceries, household supplies, and other items, you may just want to say, "Provides various services and free or inexpensive items to the poor." Combine short or single activity lists with the purpose and population descriptions.
For example, "Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America was established to provide disadvantaged children throughout the United States with positive role models through a one-on-one brother/sister relationship with an adult."
Describe the values that led the founder of the organization to form it and the values partners, board, employees, and volunteers will exhibit while working towards the organization’s goals.
Common values mentioned in non-profit mission statements include integrity, peace, understanding, and respect for nature and the environment.
Your organization’s values should be outlined in no more than one or two sentences. , This is the organization's 'vision' of what success looks like.
For example, an animal shelter serving the Madison County area may have a vision of a Madison County, which is free of homeless pets, and where all cats and dogs in the County live in warm loving homes.
Describe your vision in no more than one or two sentences. -
Step 3: Describe the activities in which the organization will participate.
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Step 4: Outline the organization's values.
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Step 5: Describe what the organization wishes to accomplish.
Detailed Guide
The purpose of the organization should be described in one or two sentences, absent of any jargon or language the average reader would not understand.
The purpose of the organization is usually the reason it was established.
For example, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America was established to provide children with positive role models and the local animal shelter was established to provide for homeless animals.
For example, a local animal shelter located in Madison County may serve homeless animals in Madison County, and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America serves disadvantaged children throughout the United States.
Follow these guidelines when writing the description of the population:
Be brief but thorough.
While the description should be less than a few words, it should be long enough to fully describe the population.
For example, describing the population served by Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America as 'children' may not be a complete enough description, 'disadvantaged children throughout the United States' however, tells us which children specifically the organization serves.
Consider including it in the same sentence as your organization’s purpose.
For example, "Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America was established to provide disadvantaged children throughout the United States with positive role models."
For example, if your organization helps poor people, tell the reader how it does this.
An organization may help poor people by providing them with free or inexpensive medical care, awarding college scholarships to them, or providing job training.
When describing the activities:
Keep it simple.
You do not need to list every specific task that will be completed by the organization’s employees and volunteers, just the general actions it will take.
For example, instead of describing how an animal shelter’s employees feed, water, walk, bathe, play with, and pet the animals in the shelter, you may wish to simply state that the shelter 'provides love and care' for the animals.
Make it brief.
Your description should be between a few words and two sentences in length.
If your organization participates in many activities, you may need to combine them into categories that are more general.
For example, if your organization helps poor people by providing them with free or inexpensive medical care, college scholarships, job training, housing, new or used clothing, school supplies, inexpensive or free groceries, household supplies, and other items, you may just want to say, "Provides various services and free or inexpensive items to the poor." Combine short or single activity lists with the purpose and population descriptions.
For example, "Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America was established to provide disadvantaged children throughout the United States with positive role models through a one-on-one brother/sister relationship with an adult."
Describe the values that led the founder of the organization to form it and the values partners, board, employees, and volunteers will exhibit while working towards the organization’s goals.
Common values mentioned in non-profit mission statements include integrity, peace, understanding, and respect for nature and the environment.
Your organization’s values should be outlined in no more than one or two sentences. , This is the organization's 'vision' of what success looks like.
For example, an animal shelter serving the Madison County area may have a vision of a Madison County, which is free of homeless pets, and where all cats and dogs in the County live in warm loving homes.
Describe your vision in no more than one or two sentences.
About the Author
Larry Cruz
Committed to making hobbies accessible and understandable for everyone.
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