MISSION CREEP.

It's a damn thing.

Mission creep happens when leaders lose focus and allow an organization to move away from its intended purpose.

The term mission creep originated with military operations where military leaders decided to shift operations to adapt to new information or changing circumstances. Corporations and nonprofits have recognized that mission creep is just as relevant to their organizations.



Mission creep can seem pretty harmless, but it can have steep consequences. Straying from the mission — even a little — may require additional funds or people, causing a strain on the budget. Moreover, donors and stakeholders may begin to lose faith in your board.

Employees and staff members will likely become confused and wonder whether the nonprofit is worth investing their time in. Furthermore, mission creep can harm your nonprofit’s reputation.

As your board creeps away from its mission, the board will need to re-strategize. Strategizing requires setting new goals and a plan for achieving them. New programs and activities require staff training and money to run them. Both require boards to revisit the budget and reallocate funds to support the latest programs and activities.



As the budget strains, it can negatively impact the programs and activities that are faithful to the mission.

At some point, donors, patrons or members will begin to question whether your board is straying too far from the mission. They could question how their donated funds are being used and, perhaps, suddenly stop supporting your nonprofit altogether.

When mission creep becomes palpable, employees and volunteers may lose faith in the nonprofit, and the management could face a sudden employee turnover problem.

Nonprofits are not designed to be all things to all people, and your board should not be motivated to try.

Stay on your Mission! Have your Mission Statement available at every Board meeting. It is a great reminder of what your nonprofit organization is all about! Every vote a Board takes should move that Mission forward. Every one.



Thanks for reading,

Sally

CHAMBER UPDATE - ARIZONA

The Board and Team at the Chamber I have been working with in Arizona are finally getting back to normal. Once the President of the Board was removed, the remainder of the Board have been more active and much more engaged.

The Board orientation I developed for them was exactly what they needed. I reminded them how magnificent they really are and I could see shoulders dropping and eyes wide open!

Keep up the amazing work, Team Arizona!

BATAVIA WOMAN'S CLUB

BATAVIA, ILLINOIS

A 501c3 Nonprofit

Our Mission

We are dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through our community service. We focus on education and literacy, the environment, family, and social issues with an emphasis on the welfare of women and children.

philanthropy in action 

Our club was formed in 1892 by twelve women who met regularly in their homes. Originally named the Woman’s Colombian Club, the name was changed to Batavia Woman’s Club (BWC) in 1895. In 2017 we heralded our 125th Anniversary!

Today, our membership expands over the Fox Valley and beyond. While we proudly keep our Batavia name from 1895, we have members from St. Charles, Geneva, North Aurora, Sugar Grove, West Chicago, Elgin, and Aurora. Everyone is invited and everyone is welcome.

Gatherings, Programs, Giving and Community Service

The Batavia Woman’s Club holds gatherings and groups throughout the year for a variety of goals and purposes. This is the primary way we conduct club business. Our success in aiding our community is directly related to our club members who give their time and energy. While we are not a “social” club, make no mistake, we have fun and make friends in the process of helping others!