A View From The Turret On Sustainability
The New Normal in Sustainability.
I tend to read a lot. Being a CEO it’s hard not to notice some of the content which arrives at your Inbox.
There have been copious amounts recently about Charity Sustainability and what’s called the New Normal.
I like IVARS definition the best which is: A complex mix of surviving cuts and finding new sources of funding. If ever there was an understatement I think that’s it.
In 25 years of working in the Charity Sector I have never seen an environment quite so tough and challenging. A few years ago, a CEO with any form of game plan could hope to bring a Charity into Sustainability within 2-3 years. My own personal view now is that the time period has been extended to 4-8, such is the upheaval not only within Local Authority Finances but with our UK wide Economy.
And unfortunately, there is no one thing or no one person that can bring about Sustainability (unless you have a multimillion-pound donor in your back pocket).
But here are some threads to think about:
- Compile, Establish and Promote your Strategic Plan. If you haven’t got one then you need one.
- Position and Influence Map – Work out who your key Stakeholders and Partners are or could be.
- Demonstrate and Evidence Impact and Expertise. If you don’t know how to do this contact VIN and we can try and assist. It’s not easy but keep it simple and offer something.
- Diversify the Income Portfolio – Easier said than done but look to nontraditional partners and new influencers as part of your organisational Effective Risk Management.
- Identify Opportunities – Health Inequalities/ICS/Place/Poverty/CYP – There’s lots on offer but you might need to look at your original constitution and see if its still relevant for today’s world.
- Stretch the Brand and Project Reach – The More for More Approach. Can you be more, or do more, and how?
- Demonstrate Excellent Cost Control – Don’t be Part of the 38% (apparently it’s been identified that 38% of Charities do not have a granular understanding of their Finances).
- Reduce the Cost of Provision – A Positive approach to Good Housekeeping. Its not a negative, it’s a way of thinking effectively about how you run your business.
- Be true to your Mission, Vision, and Beneficiaries – The Culture War. Don’t Mission Drift and Chase Cash – it’s a recipe for disaster.
- Lead pragmatically to intuit the Landscape – Dare to Dream. Think about what good looks like and chase it.
Another definition of Sustainability is Perseverance, and we are all going to need bucketloads of this over the next 2 years. VIN is here to help smaller community-based organisations grapple with some of these issues. Remember, you are not alone. If it keeps you awake at night, it will be keeping someone else awake too…..