The Sustainability Mindset: Using the Matrix Map to Make Strategic Decisions - Softcover

Zimmerman, Steve; Bell, Jeanne

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1118767357 ISBN 13: 9781118767351

Publisher: Jossey-Bass, 2014

Synopsis

The Matrix Map—a powerful tool for nonprofit strategic decision-making

Nonprofit sustainability lies at the intersection of exceptional impact and financial viability. The Sustainability Mindset offers nonprofit professionals and board members a step-by-step guide to move your organization towards this intersection. As outlined in the bestselling book Nonprofit Sustainability, "The Matrix Map" is an accessible framework that combines financial and programmatic goals into an integrated strategy. In this next-step resource, the authors detail a rigorous process to develop a meaningful Matrix Map and engage leadership in setting an organization's strategy.

Nonprofits that thrive in today's environment are adaptable with a clear understanding of their impact and business model. This book offers nonprofit boards and staff a framework to do so. Drawing on their in-depth experience, the authors provide an easy-to-follow process complete with tools and templates to help organizations visualize their business model and engage in strategic inquiry. The book provides a variety of illustrative examples to show how the Matrix Map works for all types of organizations. Nonprofit executives and board member are sure to benefit from The Matrix Map analysis.

• Offers step-by-step guidance for creating a Matrix-Map, a visual representation of an organization's business model
• Helps organizations assess how each of their programs contributes toward their desired impact and their financial bottom-line.
• Filled with compelling examples of how The Matrix Map helps nonprofits with strategic decision-making
• Written by the coauthors of the groundbreaking book Nonprofit Sustainability

This comprehensive resource will give any nonprofit the framework they need to make decisions for sustainability and the templates and tools to implement it and help leaders address the challenges inherent in balancing mission impact with financial viability.

About this title

From the Back Cover

THE MATRIX MAP—A NONPROFIT'S POWERFUL TOOL FOR STRATEGIC DECISION-MAKING

"The Sustainability Mindset goes beyond theory to provide practical, rigorous tools to help leaders understand their organization's financial picture and the relationship between finances and impact, and to chart a path to financial sustainability and better program results. Every nonprofit CEO (especially those grappling with challenging finances) should read this before starting their next budgeting or strategic planning process."
—Rick Moyers, vice president, Programs and Communications, Meyer Foundation

"This is a must-read about the sustainability sweet spot toward which all nonprofits are on a pilgrimage. There are very few general management 'tools' that I have much faith in, but the matrix map is so simple that it is profound, and it will produce uniquely for each organization. Bell and Zimmerman provide a grounded, useful guide with lots of vivid examples."
—Ruth McCambridge, editor-in-chief, The Nonprofit Quarterly

"The Sustainability Mindset is extremely practical and useful. The templates and guides for calculating impact, creating revenue strategies, and determining profitability are necessities for organizations. Every nonprofit leader should own this book!"
—Heather Carpenter, PhD, assistant professor, School of Public, Nonprofit, and Health Administration, Grand Valley State University

"I've used the concepts and tools in this book in several organizations, as CEO and as a board member. The matrix map offers leaders a way to clearly understand the strategic imperatives before the organization. Most importantly, this approach does so with such clarity that many key directions become obvious and decisions are harder to avoid. In short, the organization moves forward."
—Dan Magnuson, CEO, Lad Lake

"The Sustainability Mindset offers that rare combination of strategic insight and practical guidance that leaders crave. I especially appreciate the authors' ability to address complex nonprofit challenges and still provide clear, applicable tools that organizations of any size or type will find useful. The templates and case studies are a welcome bonus."
—Kate Barr, executive director, Nonprofits Assistance Fund

"The Sustainability Mindset serves as a positive and thought-provoking catalyst for dynamic change in our organizational thinking and processes. Board and staff now have a determined focus toward deeper impact and increased sustainability!"
—Angela Moellering, CEO, Lutheran Social Services of Indiana

About the Author

Steven D. Zimmerman, CPA, MBA is the Principal of Spectrum Nonprofit Services where he provides training and consulting in the areas of finance and strategy for community-based organizations, foundations and government agencies throughout the country. Prior to starting Spectrum, Steve was a Projects Director with CompassPoint Nonprofit Services.  Steve’s extensive nonprofit experience includes serving as a Chief Financial Officer, Development Director and Associate Director at community-based nonprofits where he performed turnarounds resulting in increased financial sustainability and programmatic reach. He is a Certified Public Accountant and earned a BA from Claremont McKenna College and an MBA from Yale University.

Jeanne Bell, MNA is the CEO of CompassPoint Nonprofit Services---one of the country’s leading providers of leadership and organizational development services to nonprofit organizations. In addition to frequent speaking and consulting on nonprofit strategy and finance, Jeanne has conducted a series of research projects on nonprofit executive leadership, including Daring to Lead 2011: A National Study of Nonprofit Executive Leadership and Securing the Safety Net: A Profile of Community Clinic and Health Center Leadership in California. Jeanne currently serves on several boards, including the Alliance for Nonprofit Management, The Nonprofit Quarterly, and Intersection for the Arts.

Edition details

• Publisher: Jossey-Bass
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1118767357
• ISBN 13: 9781118767351
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 240