Mission and Vision Statements

Most of us can envision a dream vacation. That brilliant, alluring place that gets us through the
daily drudge and motivates us to save a little extra. Where would you go? Every exciting trip or
venture starts with a vision. The fun is in the planning, but we can’t plan without a destination.
Nonprofit organizations are like that. Every nonprofit begins with inspiration born from
observing a need. A hopeful What if? creates a vision of an ideal world where that need is met.
While businesses are typically product or service driven, nonprofits are purpose-driven. What if
we could work, and inspire others to work, for a worthy purpose?
With such a positive start, you’d think nonprofits wouldn’t struggle to raise the support,
resources, and funding needed to make positive change. Yet many well-intended ventures fail
because we tend to get our proverbial carts before our horses and succumb to acting before
solidifying our vision. People with similar passions are recruited, resources secured, and the
work begins. Often, those people, resources, and energy get stretched thin or derailed by
challenges and distractions, and the organization loses focus.
At 360 Advisors, we help you distill a clear, specific vision statement to serve as a shining
beacon on the horizon that guides all your decisions. Many people don’t understand the
difference between mission and vision statements or their unique purposes. They create overly
complicated statements that fail to guide the organization through challenges like a vision
should.
Once your vision is established, we help you craft an effective mission statement that articulates
exactly how your organization will get from where you are now to your destination. It is a
simplified, specific, and measurable route to take to accomplish your vision. Your mission will
guide the actions of your organization, so you don’t get off-track or derailed, even by positive,
but unrelated activities.
Leaders of nonprofits are passionate about their purpose. To garner support from your team you
need a unified mindset. Well-defined visions and missions are guiding principles that unify
successful organizations, bringing everyone onto the same page. Communicating a clear, specific
mission promotes team buy-in to the central purpose and reduces the potential for disharmony
within your staff or governing boards. An ambitious yet attainable vision will inspire your
people. A client-focused mission that reflects your organization’s values will be memorable,
encourage follow through, and shape your organization’s culture.
Are you ready to make that dream vision a reality? Let our experts at 360 Advisors help launch
you on your way.