How to Write a Good Nonprofit Mission Statement
There is one item that every nonprofit needs to succeed but organizations sometimes overlook, and that is a mission statement. Without a mission statement, no one will know what your nonprofit stands for and what it is trying to accomplish. Having a good mission statement will help you find grants, donations, volunteers, and other support by showing that your nonprofit has a clear vision. While a mission statement might seem as though it’s merely one paragraph out of a grant proposal, it is so much more.
Not only is it crucial to have a mission statement, but it is important that this mission statement be as well-defined as possible. So, what should you include in a mission statement to make it as good as it can be? Well, first, a mission statement needs to accurately describe the purpose, goal(s), and desired impact a nonprofit wants to have in the community. The mission statement should also communicate the essence of why a nonprofit even exists.
If you are looking for some examples of what a mission statement should look like, GrantWatch shows a number of mission statements for the funding sources that have grants listed on our site. You can see these mission statements, as well as other financial information about these funding sources, by using GrantWatch’s 990 Finder and Foundation Search.
To help you more, we’ve put together a few tips below. Hopefully, this will allow you to make the best mission statement for your organization.
Components of a Mission Statement
It is important that your mission statement answer 4 main questions: what does your organization do, how does it do it, who does it do it for, and how will this have a positive impact? In addition to answering these questions, you want to make sure your mission statement is clear, specific, realistic, inspiring, and most of all— noteworthy. You want your statement to stand out from all of the others out there to ensure your nonprofit is remembered.
While writing your mission statement, these four steps will help guide you in the right direction.
- Understand your purpose – What does the nonprofit want to accomplish? Will it be a product or a service? What segment of the community is it looking to serve?
- Show mechanics – Here you have the description of the steps and/or actions necessary to achieve the stated ‘Purpose.’ What are the most important aspects?
- Take input – In nonprofits, stakeholders provide the primary input. This includes staff, Board members, and others who volunteer their time and energy. These stakeholders should be able to give input because they have a vested ‘stake’ in helping the nonprofit achieve its goals. However, do not limit input to only the stakeholders. Get community input from others not directly involved. Outside perspectives will be crucial in putting your vision and goals into words.
- See results – With a clear purpose, a coherent set of mechanics to accomplish your objectives, and sufficient input from stakeholders and others, you should be well on your way to writing a mission statement that will be the best lead-in possible to a winning grant proposal!
What’s the Next Step Once the Mission Statement Has Been Written?
After you have written and polished your mission statement, it is now time to start preparing your grant proposals. Remember that GrantWatch has many amazing features as part of its subscription. When it comes to applying for grants, these features will improve efficiency and increase your chances for success. Also, check out the GrantWriterTeam Blog. There, you will find tips to help you determine what type of grant to consider, as well as in-depth explanations of the components necessary to help succeed in writing grants.
Go here for a better understanding of what other preparations are needed to create a winning grant proposal.
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