At Hopscotch Accounting we recently published our first ebook, titled Transform your not-for-profit – a 12-step guide to growth and success. The aim of the book was to share ideas that we have applied when working with NFP clients of all shapes and sizes.
The book is designed to address some key success markers that differentiate thriving NFPs and charities, and are pertinent to organisations in general. The Actions and Ideas provided throughout the publication will help NFPs to measure their responses and instigate new actions to help them succeed.
The twelve steps to growth and success include:
Aiming high
Know what you want to achieve and how to articulate your Mission and Values. Develop an effective strategic plan that contains targets.
Reflecting and analysing
Properly review cashflow, profit and loss and balance sheet figures. Chart your social milestones, successes and setbacks and think about how you will use those experiences.
Forecasting
Review and take into consideration external factors and internal factors that may impact your NFP.
Good governance
Pay attention to governance policies to ensure that you have a reputable and high functioning NFP.
Reporting
Improve on your reporting to the ATO. Help your team understand your organisation’s reports. Ensure reports are provided to board members in a clear and relevant format.
Building a strong team
Work at making your team accountable, encouraged and empowered to do their best for your organisation.
Leadership
Create a valued and enthusiastic leadership team and reward their excellence.
Planning for time out
Ensure that productivity is backed by a supportive approach to physical and mental health.
Blue sky thinking
Give those in your organisation the time to think about ‘what if’ scenarios, and how you would deal with them to your advantage.
Risk assessment and succession planning
Identify, document and address organisational risk. Proactively manage succession planning and leadership development as part of risk management.
Embracing technology and outsourcing
Stay open to technological change and embrace outsourced cloud accounting services to promote growth and success.
Trumpeting your achievements
Celebrate achievements and milestones and the difference you have made in the community, as this will energise your team and refocus your thoughts for the months ahead.
If you would like to dig deeper into some of the issues we have raised in this article, download a free copy of our ebook here.
