Strategic Planning

Strategic planning is necessary for internal purposes because it helps to systematically consider goals and the strategies necessary to achieve those goals, but it is even more useful for external purposes in that it enables organizations to communicate effectively with constituents, donors, and community partners. Our results-based approach to strategic planning begins with a process of educating the leadership team on the importance of impact-based planning. We use a data-driven approach, facilitate participation and buy-in by board and staff, and conclude with solid, actionable plans which align your impact goals with strategies that achieve results. 

Board Development

MISSION LEADS strengthens and elevates exceptional boards. We train and consult to educate them on roles and responsibilities, recruitment and retention, and fundraising and governance. We can work with your executives or board leaders to develop a board succession plan. This may include identification of governance or nominating committee roles, recommendations on process and support for recruitment, and orientation and development.

Fundraising

MISSION LEADS assists with a wide range of fund development projects. These include working with the executive director and board to develop and enhance capabilities, develop fundraising needs assessments, fundraising plans, feasibility studies, or helping with a particular fundraising capability area such as major gifts. Our consultants also often speak at board retreats on fundraising development, best practices, and the board's role. We build and implement fundraising campaigns with individuals and institutions (e.g., government, foundations, corporations), organize and produce fundraising events, and assist with capacity-building and infrastructure campaigns

Grant Writing

MISSION LEADS specializes in grant writing. A track record of fundraising success stands as testament to this passion and expertise. Most recently, we won nearly $1 million for New York Common Pantry from state and private sources. We steward relationships with, and apply for funding from private, corporate, and government institutions. We conduct prospect research, network with board and staff, draft and revise budgets, and respond to RFPs and fiscal sponsorship opportunities. 

Fiscal Management

Fiscal management can be a challenge for small to mid-size nonprofits looking to provide extraordinary services with limited resources. Organizations with complex budgets can be left wondering how to streamline the process. MISSION LEADS can help to create a framework, cash flow projections, and reporting outcomes. Our services can also improve record keeping systems and processes for monitoring restricted and operational income sources. We can also help manage grants and programs and work with your board to maximize success.

Corporate Social Responsibility

It is becoming increasingly  important for companies to be strategically positioned to retain and advance their position in the market, as well as cultivate the business in new ways.  The intersection of visionary business strategy, effective operational models, and implementation approaches that deliver results is essential. Corporate social responsibility represents the ways in which a company engages with its employees, constituents, and communities to address vital social needs and business objectives.  

MISSION LEADS works with clients to examine their social engagement strategies from philanthropy to cause marketing to volunteerism, determine how to better align their activities to meet their goals, and then chart the next steps to get there.  Our team seeks to achieve results that reinforce brand image, create measurable social impacts, build employee morale, and connect with consumers.

Marketing and Communications

MISSION LEADS can help you craft a comprehensive marketing plan. We have expertise in areas such as public relations and communications, branding, social media, direct marketing, and sales. 

Program Evaluation

MISSION LEADS uses social science methods, and the latest evidence-based and promising practices, to analyze areas of need and concern to document what is working and not. We tailor each project to the needs of the organization and recommend programmatic, organizational, and systemic change. We help organizations create data systems that will inform strategic decision-making and foster continuous quality improvement.

We work with qualitative methods (e.g., grounded theory, interviews, focus groups, participatory research methods), mixed (e.g., concept mapping), and quantitative methods (e.g., data analytics, multivariate statistics, regression modeling). We are also expert with Tableau for data visualization and GIS mapping purposes. Our team works in ArcGIS, SQL, Alteryx, R, and Tableau to manage, analyze, and make visual representations of data. We are also very familiar with SPSS, Matlab, Atlas.ti, and NVIVO.

Information Technology

Many or even most mid-sized nonprofits have a patchwork quilt of various applications, spreadsheets, and manual processes. And while these nonprofits often understand the resulting problems, they often don’t understand how to resolve them. We work with nonprofits to delineate their systems, catalogue their requirements, and prescribe ready, detailed solutions. In addition to technology assessments, MISSION LEADS offers assistance in the areas of hardware and software selection, data migration, website design, data storage and back-up.