This is the final installment of our 3 part series on what I learned from @Candid webinar, “Nonprofit Sustainability: Build Strategies That Actually Work.” You can read part 1 here and part 2 here. Today I’m sharing what the speakers had to say about surviving in uncertain times — from delegation to self-care to community credibility…

Leadership is foundational to sustainability. One speaker shared, “My number one job outside of work is to instill hope in a community that has been hopeless.”

That line stayed with me.

Panelists highlighted that leaders of sustainable organizations:

  • Learn to delegate and trust their teams. Leaders need to understand that they cannot do this work alone. They must have enough trust in their teams to delegate when necessary so they can make the highest and best use of their time and energy.
  • Understand the importance of mentoring and continuous learning. Panelists  championed the idea of growing leaders from within. Mentor your staff and provide them with the opportunity to learn new skills that allow them to advance through the ranks of the organization.
  • Practice self-care and recognize the toll of heart-centered work. Most nonprofit leaders bring a certain level of passion to their work. Long days. Late nights. Sometimes, deep worry and concern for those they serve. In order to be effective, remain healthy, and thrive in this work, speakers emphasized that you must make self-care a priority. This is smart, not selfish.
  • Cultivate community credibility. Sustainability requires community trust. Unfortunately, we’ve all seen it – an organization makes a public misstep that overshadows the good work they’ve done in the community. If/when this happens, speakers encourage leaders to:
  • Let the community know you hear them → 
  • Accept the critique → 
  • Speak slowly but timely → 
  • Accept accountability → 
  • Rectify accordingly → 
  • Have your communications plan in place (talking points, media training, crisis communication strategy)

** Note: Hire a PR consultant who can work with you and your team if necessary ** 

Finally, each speaker shared some practical tips for organizations to take in order to be sustainable:

✅  Review income and expenses every 30–45 days to stay on top of finances,

✅  Set SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timebound) in    

             60–90 day increments to track the impact of programs,

✅  Track in-kind support to demonstrate community buy-in, and (maybe most 

     importantly)…

✅ Stay focused. As one panelist stated, “Not every fight is your fight.” And in today’s political and funding climate, that matters.

Final Reflection

If you are leading a small-to-mid-sized nonprofit right now, remember:

You are not just raising money. You are building an ecosystem.

Nonprofit sustainability is:

🎯  Structure

🎯  Strategy

🎯  Story

🎯  Revenue design

🎯  Culture

And it is entirely achievable.

If this series resonated, I’d love to know which pillar – Leadership, Culture, Community Trust, Diversified Revenue – feels strongest in your organization right now and which needs the most work? 

Email me here: kia@heartforthecommunityconsulting.com

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