The Philantrepreneur Journal Vol2 Spring2016 | Page 9

6. Ability to Adapt to Changing Conditions: Flexibility is maintained to change strategies, services, systems
etc. over time without losing sight of the end results
sought.
7. Strong Internal Systems: The organization has
strong internal functions (governance, finance, human
resources, evaluation, etc.).
8. Sustainability Plan: A written plan has been developed and agreed to by the organization and is used to
guide actions to promote long-term sustainability. This
plan addresses all eight elements
There are two primary objectives to be achieved through the
Capacity Building Training.
1. Increased Staff Capacity: Increase strength of staff to
achieve a common agenda for solving specific nonprofit
problems, understand how to implement a proven proElements of Organization Sustainability which include:
1. Vision: Clarity exists about fundamental issues such as
the culture of evaluation, and how that relates to what is
being sustained, for how long, and at what level of activity; all partners in the initiative embrace the vision.
2. Results Orientation: The entire focus is on the health
and well-being of the community and environment being served and not specific programs, organizations, or
systems.
3. Strategic Financing Orientation: A long-term perspective is taken to financing activities, cultivating multiple diverse sources of revenue to maintain financing at
sufficient levels.
4. Broad Based Community Support: Community
members show solid support through volunteerism, donations, advocacy and other forms of involvement.
5. Key Champions: The organization has effective leadership plus visible champions in the form of business,
political, media and/or other community leaders.

cess and how to meet their needs through:
• Engaging participants to build connections to one
another and the shared work.
• Providing time and space for participants to learn
together, relax, reflect and prepare for creating the
future direction of the organization.
• Facilitate implementation of a strategic business
plan in order to establish a sustainable framework
for collective impact.
2. Establish a Culture of Evaluation and Evidence Building:
a learning community in which evaluation is a shared
value and integrated into the activities and initiatives;
where evidence-based strategies are implemented or
built so that the community realizes the greatest value
from the efforts. Benefits include a shift in attitudes related to collective impact, strategic business planning,
implementation, organizational development, leadership development, and overall capacity building.

TOO OFTEN THE NOTION OF ‘WE’RE A NONPROFIT SO WE
DO THINGS DIFFERENT’ IS USED AS THE FOUNDATION FOR
NOT USING SOUND PRACTICES. SOME OF THESE CAPACITIES ARE GAINED THROUGH EXPERIE NCE, WHILE OTHERS
ARE LEARNED THROUGH EDUCATIONAL AVENUES.
The Philantrepreneur Journal

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