On Thursday I am going to be working with the International Community Foundation. They are really focused on helping improve civil society throughout Mexico. When I approach these kinds of assignments I use my list of the 10 Most Critical Questions for a Non-Profit to Answer which are:
1. What problem are you willing to solve?
2. How will you know when it’s solved?
3. What would you do if you had 10 years to make your difference?
4. What is your promise; your commitment to each stakeholder?
5. What is your unique Factor; What do you do that is different?
6. What proof do you have that your unique factor works?
7. How much money and what resources do you need to succeed over the next 10 years?
8. What are you willing to do and not do to achieve your mission?
9. What’s your new vision story of success?
10.What’s the most important thing for you to accomplish in the next 90 days to ensure your success?
What I find is that non-profits that can answer these questions know what they’re doing. Non-profits who can’t are still hacking at the leaves while the roots of evil grow deeper.
