Giving Compass' Take:

• Mareeha Niaz, writing for Independent Sector, explores how nonprofit mission statements are purposeful and should ultimately guide organizations toward making an impact.

• The author mentions that since a nonprofit's goals are central to a mission rather than a product, having the mission stay relevant is crucial toward making a difference. How can nonprofits maintain relevance, transparency and effectiveness?

• Some researchers say that what the staff does matters more than mission statements. 

A nonprofit organization encapsulates its purpose and direction with one golden nugget, its mission statement. Your mission is the north star in guiding purpose, dictating goals, and ultimately impacting where your organization is allocating resources. Clear articulation and evaluation of this north star allows your organization to assess which activities remain mission critical.

Nonprofit organizations are unique in that we’re not in service to generate profit or gain for individuals or companies. We’re accountable to the public thus it’s vital our mission and goals remain relevant. Your board is responsible for reviewing the organization’s mission and goals frequently and should evaluate the progress of the organization against these components consistently.

Per usual, due to the vast differences between organizational size and purpose,  each organization needs to find the right frequency of evaluation. Not all organizations have goals that are readily measurable, in fact, many nonprofits undertake challenges without an exact solution.

These organizations should put into place other benchmarks for tracking related indicators allowing them to track if their work is or is not servicing their intended mission. There are other guiding principles that will support the review of your mission such as evaluation of governing documents, annual evaluations, and information you readily disclose.

Read the full article about nonprofit missions by Mareeha Niaz at Independent Sector