Summary

Sustainability of nonprofit organizations frequently encounter the interface of ongoing challenges: volunteer capacity, program relevancy, and fiscal efficiency. This is a consistent theme encountered on a cyclical basis for YNPNsfba due to competition with financially compensated opportunities, life priorities, and the 1- and 2-year service term limits for volunteer positions. These challenges render the chapter vulnerable without the sufficient and necessary human capital for affordable program delivery based on donation of volunteer time. In order to minimize the impact of human capital and economic instability, the chapter has ongoing preemptive problem-solving centered on: 1) a designated position for volunteer recruitment, management to assure leadership development and a quality experience, and planning of appreciation events; 2) program template for topic presentation with maintenance of contact directory for speakers and venues; and 3) business plan development to predict financial sustainability. The YNPNsfba Advisory Board (AB) initially responded with conservative measures calling for postponement of geographic expansion and maintenance rather than growth of programmatic activities. The strategic planning discussions have been engaging, serious, and at times contentious with the focus on how YNPN best provides support of emerging nonprofit leaders and advocacy for the nonprofit sector in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The Background

The fiscal tension between assuring program relevancy for constituents and the operational efficiency required for program delivery is a predominant theme for nonprofit survival in this economic climate. Organizational self-reflection led to questioning operational and programmatic strategies in order to successfully address this tension in serving nonprofit professionals. Thus, the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of the San Francisco Bay Area (YNPNsfba) undertook a strategic planning (SP) process from February 2010 through April 2011. The critical analysis of the organization (what, why, and for whom) culminated in the mission statement: YNPNsfba connects emerging leaders in our community as a force for good. Through peer-led programs and resource sharing, we empower non-profit professionals and create opportunities to make meaningful connections. The blueprint documenting the history and the decision making behind the 2011-2013 YNPNsfba SP will guide the work of the organization for the next three years.

The Solution

The process and documentation of the 2011-2013 YNPNsfba SP served as solution for the organizational challenge. Organizational self-reflection led to questioning operational and programmatic strategies to ensure successful program delivery for nonprofit professionals. Despite challenges inherent with a volunteer-run organization, the full engagement of the AB in the SP process secured ownership in addressing organizational and programmatic challenges. The premise for those involved with the SP taskforce is the investment in self-determination, relevant strategy formulation, and executing the SP with budgetary allocation. It is predicted that a resulting increase in volunteer satisfaction from shared responsibility with more opportunity for meeting facilitation, consensus building, and SP drafting leadership skills development. The successful finalization of a relevant and realistic SP resulted from the engagement, role and responsibilities, and quality of the volunteer experience in the SP process.

Lessons Learned

The SP drafting process included lessons learned in personnel management, taskforce processes, and administrative best practices. The annual September AB service term limit exposes the taskforce to governance instability with the interruption of timeline, progress, and interpersonal dynamics. I would handle the situation differently with personnel management: Assuring a quality volunteer experience can address the ongoing competition from financial incentives and life priorities with specification of SP taskforce responsibilities in the AB job description, strategic recruitment of constituents represented by AB positions, and providing best-case scenarios that promote both individual learning and interpersonal dynamics. Early warning signals of taskforce member nonresponse and lack of SP progress require prompt attention to avoid volunteer burnout, dissatisfaction, and frustration. Early consensus on desired skill development supported by taskforce responsibilities, individual check-ins at frequent and consistent intervals, and documenting historical context and transparency in decision-making suggest success in fostering shared governance responsibility and accountability.