Each year that a nonprofit continues to operate brings with it experiences that change the organization from the inside out. Every challenge, every small triumph and every community interaction helps motivate internal and external stakeholders to keep working toward the mission of the nonprofit.
As experts, the members of Forbes Nonprofit Council are familiar with the challenges nonprofits face on a daily basis and the growing number of challenges that have popped up in the last few years. Below, 13 of them draw on their experiences over the past year to share lessons they have learned that are helping their organizations create better member experiences.
Forbes Business Council members share lessons learned over the past years helping them make better experiences for stakeholders.
Photos courtesy of the individual members.1. Be Agile
People are different, and things are different now. We need to be flexible and open to doing things in new ways. This last year has really pushed organizations into a change management mentality. Leadership needs to drive the organization to recognize this change and rethink how things have always been done to develop a strategy on moving forward with this in mind. - Jaime Boldt, Globe Theatre
2. Know Your Audience
It can be easy for nonprofit leaders to try and be and do everything for everyone. We need to remain focused on the mission. The success of the experience depends on the impact it has on our primary audience. If we spend our time worrying about the tertiary audience, we will fall short. Know the audience, know their needs and never lose sight of them. The results will follow. - Patrick Riccards, Driving Force Institute
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3. Prioritize Empathy
During the last two years, I've learned about the importance of empathy. Any plans we develop are worthless if we are not able to connect with our teams and communities. Remote working makes it difficult to understand what other people are going through because we tend to focus on the task at hand and not on understanding the context of the people who need to walk with us to achieve our goals. - Pablo Listingart, ComIT
4. Focus On Employee Needs
As a CEO during this pandemic, the No. 1 question I have asked is "How are our employees faring right now?" By asking this question all the time and in many ways—inviting employee input and responses through methods like surveys—we let the results guide our work in advancing employee engagement, identifying resources that nurture well-being and creating opportunities for resiliency, training and connectivity. - Jesse Bethke Gomez, Metropolitan Center for Independent Living
5. Seek Out Diversity Of Thought
Over the last two years, I have learned how important diversity of thought is in all we do, and that it should be buttressed by co-design to promote equity. There are far too many situations in which organizations have lost sight of the beneficiaries they seek to serve. An easy test here is to ask how many are involved in your governance and in the decision making within your organization. - Shane Ryan, Avast Foundation
6. Engage In Meaningful, Varied Ways
Repetition is the name of the game. Our members are busy, both professionally and personally. I've found there is a direct correlation between member engagement and the frequency of contacts. After realizing no one wants to be badgered, I’ve learned these contacts must be varied, meaningful and effective in reaching the target. What members miss the first time around will likely resonate with them on your second try. - Victoria Burkhart, The More Than Giving Company
7. Maintain Great Customer Service No Matter What
I learned that you can smile with your eyes. It's so important to give great customer service in all situations. Despite mask and social distancing requirements, our customers and staff could tell that we were happy to see them and to serve them. There are so many ways to express gratitude, and we've learned how to show our supporters how much we value them. - Kimberly Lewis, Goodwill Industries of East Texas, Inc.
8. Listen To Lived Experiences
The word "pivot" became synonymous with the past two years during the Covid-19 pandemic. Over this past year, one thing we noticed with our members was that they were feeling burned out. Being open to hearing their lived experiences helped us to quickly build programs to target and help improve member well-being as well as support their mental health as they cared for others. - Devin Jopp, Association for Professionals in Infection Control & Epidemiology
9. Implement Feedback Systems
We have always been mission-focused, but this last year has reminded us how important it is to have the systems for feedback from key stakeholders. Through focus groups, surveys and personal relationships, our team has stayed connected and informed about what our communities need in real time. These systems for pulse checks allow us to stay better informed and recalibrate our strategies as needed. - Robert Santana, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Orange Coast
10. Segment Your Audience
Segmentation of your audience is key. Avoid stereotyping by instead thinking of different approaches to segmentation. It may not be the traditional age or geographical location but maybe their digital acumen, their place in their professional journey or whatever may be a distinguishing factor in your profession or organization. Meet them where they are to know what they need. - Magdalena Nowicka Mook, ICF (International Coaching Federation)
11. Demonstrate Member Care
Demonstrate you care for your members by learning who they are and listening to their concerns. Enjoy that members have varying opinions and appreciate their position. Say thank you a lot. Share a kind word, a thank-you note, a follow-up phone call or a personal email with everyone you can just to say how much you appreciate all that they do. They will reciprocate! - Leesa Souto, Marine Resource Council of East Florida, Inc
12. Adjust Established Practices
Redefine how you do business. Before the pandemic, operating models relied heavily on in-person engagement, antiquated operating systems and cultural norms. Learning to be “virtual-first” can lead to a unique balance of growth and an outstanding overall work-life balance for the workforce. - Jono Anzalone, The Climate Initiative
13. Keep An Open Mind
I have learned the importance of having an open mind. I expected my team to dress in business attire and I valued a culture of everyone having space in the office. Over the past two years, I have come to realize these were not important, nor were they necessary for business or employee success. In fact, implementing a more relaxed dress code and introducing remote work has had a positive impact. - Duana Patton, Ohio District 5 Area Agency on Aging Inc.
