Goals & Objectives for Nonprofits

by Elizabeth Layne

A strategic plan is a road map that outlines the organization's mission, goals and objectives, desired outcomes and metrics for measuring progress. Not much difference exists between nonprofits and for-profits in creating strategic plans. Nonprofit strategic plans are usually developed collaboratively by a stakeholder group that includes community leaders, client representatives, board members and the nonprofit's management. An outside consultant can also be involved.


A nonprofit's goals and objectives flow from its stated mission. The mission statement, created during the strategic planning process, describes the organization's overall purpose and is usually concise. The wording should be precise so its meaning is clear -- and potentially memorable -- to anyone. For example, the American Lung Association's mission is "to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease."


After the nonprofit has a mission statement, it creates objectives to help stakeholders know how the organization's mission will be accomplished. If, for instance, a nonprofit has the mission of promoting veganism, it might develop the goals of getting information on veganism out to the public, awarding funding for various activities that demonstrate how healthful veganim is and providing scholarships for students in dietitian programs. The goals of the American Lung Association are that it "will eliminate tobacco use and tobacco-related lung disease, will improve the air we breathe so it will not cause or worsen lung disease and will reduce the burden of lung disease on patients and their families."


An organization creates objectives based on its goals. According to the nonprofit, business-assistance organization SCORE, objectives are specific circumstances to be achieved within a stated time frame that meet a particular goal. Unlike goals, objectives must be measurable by some means, such as by dollars or percentages, so progress is determined. In the veganism example, for the goal of getting information on veganism out to the public, an objective might be to publish two books during the next year, one that covers veganism and public policy issues, and another that is a cookbook with a variety of recipes, that are both placed in 80 percent of American libraries.

Program Goals and Objectives

Nonprofits often also develop goals and objectives for specific programs they run. Grant applications also frequently ask grant seekers for the goals and objectives for the specific program for which they are requesting funding. According to Nonprofit Guides, information for funders asking for program goals and objectives should include at least one goal for each problem or need the program will address, a description of who will benefit from the program, activity that occurs within a specific time frame, how activity will occur and what measurable results there will be.

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