One of the first things you should do in starting a nonprofit organization is draft a mission statement that expresses the intentions and purpose of your nonprofit. A good mission statement should clarify an organization’s purpose, state what it hopes to accomplish and identify the population(s) served.  

How to draft a mission statement. One approach to crafting a mission statement is to use a small group where each person contributes ideas and collectively forms consensus about those ideas.  Sometimes the founder of the nonprofit may take on this task alone, and then seek help from the group to perfect and wordsmith the mission statement. This is a good exercise for the board to engage in. It is a good idea to do a little “market” research by conducting a survey with potential stakeholders or by circulating the draft mission statement to friends or colleagues for feedback. Seeking opinions from others unfamiliar with the organization will help you determine if the mission statement is easy to understand. Your mission statement may go through several versions before you settle on the final version.

Evaluating your mission statement. Your mission statement should:

  • identify an attainable goal.
  • reflect the values you want to project for the organization.
  • be broad enough to give you a little flexibility in terms of what you hope to accomplish and how you want to accomplish it, but should be narrow enough to keep you focused.
  • serve as a template for decision-making.  In other words, can you use the mission statement to help you make decisions about what you will and will not do?
  • inspire passion for those associated with the nonprofit.               

Why do you need a mission statement? Your mission statement informs the public about the work of your nonprofit and distinguishes it from other organizations with similar names or who may be doing similar work. In addition to driving the work of the organization, the mission statement is important because it let’s funders know how well your organization’s mission aligns with their funding goals.  

Need help with your mission statement? If you want help drafting your mission, vision or values statements, we can help. Please email us at info@getyour501c3.com for more information.

Are you still thinking about getting your 501(c)(3) tax exempt status? Confused about how to complete the application? Lack the time to complete it? I can help. Sign up for my intensive 3 hour workshop and let me show you how to save time and eliminate frustration. 

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  • Template for Articles of Incorporation
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  • Sample 4-year Budget
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