Nonprofit Myths Crippling the Industry

The nonprofit sector is in a constant state of evolution. New technologies, industry standards, and shifting social and environmental issues are reshaping how organizations operate and how they can best serve their communities. As a result, nonprofit leaders are tasked with keeping up with the latest trends and innovations, or risk being left behind. But there’s another threat that’s less discussed: myths. In this blog, we’ll explore three of the most damaging nonprofit myths and show you how to bust them once and for all.

If you’re nonprofit leadership you likely have some issues in your organization.

In my experience with my nonprofit, I had all the issues.

My board didn’t do what they were supposed to do, hell I didn’t even know what they were supposed to do, but I was sure it wasn’t what they were doing.

I didn’t have reliable revenue and donors. I had no staff, we were volunteer-led. But worst of all, I was just super aware of all the problems and almost paralyzed not knowing what I should prioritize.

There were so many things to do that I was overwhelmed, resentful and stuck.

Have you ever been paralyzed with overwhelm?

It sucks…because you know there are 5000 things to do, you’re complaining they’re not getting done, but you’re also not doing them because out of 5000 things which is the right one to choose?

The decision to prioritize something feels like a really important one, so important we make no decision OR we allow external forces to dictate what we do.

A volunteer asks for something, our board sends an email, a partner asks for a favor and we do that because it’s easier to respond than decide….but ya know what?

As leaders of a public good organization, we don’t get the luxury of JUST responding.

We are not employees of a corporation waiting for our marching orders.

We are leaders of an organization that has asked supporters to invest in our mission. They TRUST us to make sound decisions, be strategic, and choose the activities with the highest return on investment for our mission.

So how do we go from working for a nonprofit to working for purpose, on purpose?

Well, it’s by bucking the industry myths and forging a new way of being in the nonprofit sector.

Your limiting beliefs are validated by nonprofit industry culture and I’m giving you permission to leave what doesn’t serve you behind and try a new way instead.

So in this week's episode, I break down some of the nonprofit myths that are holding you back and how you can change them.