This has become a very important topic for non-profits all over the country. As budgets shrink and donations decrease our non-profits are expected to do more with less. The disconcerting part is no one is telling them how.
In the new economy our non-profits are essential to bridging the gap between eliminated federal and state funded programs. As a result, non-profits are needed even more.
Creating a lean environment in your office will give you the ability to increase your services to the community all while adjusting to reduced resources. How does having a lean office do this? You reduce your costs by eliminating waste in your procedures and achieve better utilization of staff and resources. This is significant because 60 to 80% of all costs associated with providing a product or service is administrative. This has an affect on your available cash flow when these costs were reduced.
Therefore, having a lean office allows you fulfill your role as leadership by freeing up time to create strategic alliances and educate potential board and community sponsors why they should support your mission. For you to do your job well, your staff needs the ability to make good routine decisions independently and know when to ask for help. To support your mission you must have a clear line of communication across departments, thus making the right impression with recipients and potential resources. Lean Office principles enable your organization to do this well.
As a vital component of capacity building we offer our Data into Donors and Dollars Program which focuses on the not-for-profit’s unique needs and development goals. Schedule your session today.
Below is a diagram of how a lean office operates in a profit environment. This also applies to the non-profit in terms of available cash flow. By having a lean office you can positively impact the cash flow available for funding services.

There are many organizations that help non-profits with grants to fund different projects. Below are a few local non-profit who may have funds to increase productivity and as a result increase capacity. Each organization has their own set of criteria for grants. In some instances a project with Croll Productive Synergy may be eligible for grant money. This is an area that we are actively researching.