The structure of a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) consists of a board of directors but more often than not, the board of directors usually are not a hundred percent involved in the operations if the organization. Thus, they still play an important role and successful leadership in these matters will definitely aid NGOs in becoming more self-sustaining and eventually successful.
To begin with, successful NGO management will need to come from leadership with advocacy and passion. The mission and vision of your organization will fall through more effectively if the leaders are hands-on and involved rather than watching from the sidelines. Having an active board of directors will inspire donors to get involved as well, beyond just their monetary donations. This can mean requesting their presence in areas like volunteering. Apart from volunteering, a few of your donors are probably owners of huge businesses which means they are excellent in the field of negotiation. This means you can bring them to some of your donors to get involved in this area as well.
Apart from that, it is necessary that your organization has excellent communication skills. There is a possibility that not all your donors are actually aware of your goals and initiatives. Worse, some employees work their jobs but are unaware of the organization’s mission and vision. In most cases, 60 percent of employees are going into their offices and doing their everyday routines not knowing the purpose of doing so (Visioneer, 2017). Successful NGO leadership will come from leaders who train their employees to make sure everyone has a thorough understanding of the products, goals, and initiatives your NGO has. Alongside that, donors are also to be more encouraged to participate and donate further if they have a deeper understanding of the operations of your NGO.
The more involved your donors are, the more aware they will be of your progress as an organization. With this, they will also gain awareness in the help their monetary support has provided. This will also encourage them to spread the word and perhaps make further donations now that they have confirmed the reach that they have been providing. Additionally, people donate for the purpose of helping others. Given this, it wouldn’t be difficult to assume that they would like to go further than just donate money. With that, not only are you able to make use of more manpower, you are also able to keep your donors happy. This will possibly increase donor retention as well. In a study conducted by Bloomberg, 18 percent of donors stop giving because of poor service and communication. Meanwhile, 36 percent felt as if there were other organizations more deserving of their support.
Another important thing to remember is to thank your donors for their donation and service. An alarming 13 percent of donor have stopped donating due to the lack of recognition, according to the same study by Bloomberg. As members who keep your NGO in business, donors should receive appreciation from your organization. This begins with thanking them through email but it shouldn’t end there. It is advisable for your NGO to develop a donor appreciation program where donors get the recognition they deserve. This can come from a variety of methods such as social media posts for certain corporations. In doing this, one should remember that not all donors want to be publicized. In those cases, it is best to have certain posts approved by your donors first. Apart from social media, they can also be thanked through other methods such as announcements in your events or ceremonies.
At the end of the day, NGOs should know that all members, whether it be donors, volunteers, employees, or beneficiaries, are all equally important and should all be given value. Anyone of them to be set aside can cause disunity in your organization.
