Innovate, Collaborate or Die : How to Create an Alliance or Merger for a Stronger, More Effective Non-Profit

At that time we were asked doors to donors who will contribute to determine if they had the resources to grow and financially to the organization, and compete effectively in a time of stagnant traditional who can lend some of the expertise funding and rapidly increasing competition for you lack? [...] The results of this examination will be the basis for a strategic plan that charts a strong The key motivation for doing so is that the needs direction for the next three years for the organiza- of those who look to your organization for help tion, with clear, measurable goals against which and support, for education, recreation or entertain- a performance evaluation will be based. [...] It cially in the area of internal and external stakeholder is difficult (and often counter-productive) to have interviews, and offer support to the leaders of the everyone in an organization involved in a planning planning task group and of the organization. [...] The purpose of Agreement about the Role this meeting is to evaluate the consultant’s skill, If one agency in the proposed alliance hires a consul- experience, and personality and their fit with the tant to help them through the process, then the role organization’s issues, culture, and time frame. [...] It is also important to include overhead and other costs allocated information on the numbers of current, new and lapsed donors, levels of giving, numbers of staff and If not everyone in the planning group is familiar volunteers involved, the number of different activi- with the programs and services your organization ties, and the number of hours spent.