Top three administrative recommendations for nonprofit organizations and why you need them.

Your goal as a nonprofit organization is likely to help people or to solve a problem. You probably didn’t start your nonprofit with the goal of running an administrative business, yet here you are, finding yourself needing policies, procedures, keeping financial records, managing people and having to promote your business all at the same time. It might be more than you were expecting.

Below are three recommendations that will help you create a solid administrative base for your nonprofit organization so you can focus on the mission. The list is nowhere near comprehensive, but it is a start and it will help.

Administrative Requirements:

1. Set up processes and procedures by drafting an Operations Manual. This is especially important as you begin growing your team but is also useful if you are the only one working at the nonprofit. An operations manual does two things (1) it creates a repository of information needed to run your nonprofit organization and (2) it outlines the processes needed for your nonprofit to function. Some suggested components: General Office Management Details (vendors, staff position responsibilities, building information, safety & security items, and legal considerations), Financial Management Process, Board Engagement (details on board, meeting schedule and roles/responsibilities), IT Management, HR Considerations, and anything else you want to capture so that someone could walk in off the street and run your nonprofit. This is important not only for training and onboarding new hires but provides continuity to your nonprofit if something were to happen to you.

2. Have a system for keeping track of all the “things.” It is easy to get overwhelmed with the details of running a nonprofit organization. You have the work itself, then you have annual filing requirements, finances, employees and volunteers to manage, promoting the nonprofit organization, applying for grants and other funding, carrying the vision for where you want the nonprofit to go…and the list can go on and on. Having a system for how to keep track of everything that needs done and the respective timelines is crucial to feeling like you aren’t just chasing things you missed but that you have a concrete plan and direction for your nonprofit to grow. Some of the systems that I like, use and recommend include: Trello, Asana, Zoho and at minimum, a good old fashioned spreadsheet. Each of these systems have their own merits so find what works best for you…but the most important thing is to have a system.

3. Outsource what you don’t want to do or what you don’t like to do. Your job as the head of your nonprofit organization is to run your nonprofit as efficiently as possible so you can fulfill your mission. There is nothing wrong with outsourcing what you don’t like to do but needs to be done…that’s good management. It’s a sign your nonprofit is expanding its reach and you need additional support to help more people. Find someone that can support your nonprofit business needs, either through hiring an employee or hiring someone virtual that isn’t needed full time but has the skills you need to strengthen your work.

The items listed above may seem daunting, but they don’t need to be overwhelming. The operations manual can be a couple pages at first and can grow with you. As I mentioned, the system for organizing your operations can be a spreadsheet. And hiring a virtual assistant doesn’t have to be expensive, especially since the value they add to your nonprofit usually outweighs the cost of lost income or mission reach by you doing it yourself.

The crucial thing is to just get started. Start by making a list of what you do, what you need to do, what you want to do, what you don’t want to do and then organize it into an operations manual, or a system outline, or a project list for your next hire. If you want to talk through some ideas, I’m happy to help. Set up a free 15-minute consult to help you discover your next best step.

I truly wish you all the best…now get organized and go make a broader impact!