Evaluate your organization on each of these "survive-to-thrive" characteristics, the higher your score — the better. Use this self-administered test to identify the area or areas where your organization needs to work next.1
1. Sources of funds
| Few | Many | ||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
2. Amount of funds
| Insufficient (< $250,000 per yr.) | Sufficient | ||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
3. Approach to nonprofit as a professional endeavor
| Amateur, hobby | Professional | ||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
4. Management
| Paternal | Independent and professional | ||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
5. Mission focus
| Too narrow or too broad | "Just right" | ||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
6. Programs of impeccable quality that serve others
| "Hey, we're doing our best" | "We're the undisputed best" | ||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
7. Captivating a wider audience
| Small # of core believers | Growing friends | ||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
1 A retreat can be designed to help your board explore this question and to strengthen your organization. Please call for information.
Thanks to Peggy Olson from the Templeton Foundation for her suggestions on this tool.