If we’ve ever met, chances are I’ve asked you my favorite question to ask nonprofit leaders. I refer to it as the 3-year question, and it goes something like this:
It’s three years from today (you and I are sitting down to a cup of tea or coffee), and you’re really happy with the progress you’ve made both personally and professionally. What’s had to have happened to make you feel so happy?
Inspired by the book, The Dan Sullivan Question, this question is my favorite. It invites nonprofit leaders to envision their future without the constraints of current challenges. For a few moments, they can focus solely on their aspirations. They can consider where they want to go rather than how to get there.
Over the years, I’ve asked this question of more than 300 nonprofit leaders. Most often, the initial response is, “That’s a great question.” From there, nonprofit leaders begin to outline, in remarkable detail, the future they imagine for themselves and their organizations. The 3-year question has also become an important element of our strategic planning process.
The Answers That Shape the Future
As we enter a new year, I want to reflect on the key themes I heard when asking this 3-year question to nonprofit leaders in 2024. The answers, though varied, often converged around shared priorities and challenges.
In three years from today, if we look back at the progress we made and nonprofit leaders are really happy, our organizations will have:
Strong recruitment and retention practices
Nonprofit leaders see a future where we’ve built and grown organizations that are attractive to potential employees. Nonprofits will provide strong compensation and benefits packages to retain our best people. We will build clear pathways for upward mobility. Our employees will have access to professional development opportunities that help folks grow at our organizations and in their careers.
The technology and operational infrastructure necessary to support staff and missions
Three years from today, nonprofit leaders see a world where we will have the technology systems, processes and people in place to support our missions and track and measure the outcomes of our programs and services.
Diverse, predictable funding streams
It wouldn’t be a strong 3-year picture without the critical funding necessary to continue providing programs and services, and in some cases, even expand. Over the next 3 years, nonprofit leaders will diversify their revenue and achieve more predictable funding streams going forward to ensure financial and overall sustainability.
Boards that representative of the community
Nonprofit leaders are committed to building boards comprised of diverse thought leaders and experts, many of whom share the lived experiences of our nonprofits’ constituents and are representative of the communities we serve.
Replicable models of success
Our programs and services will be recognized as leading, innovative and best-in class. We will share best practices and successes with one another, so the evidence-based models of one nonprofit can be replicated by others working to solve similar challenges across the country.
In three years from today, if nonprofit leaders are really happy with our progress, organizations will also:
Clearly be able to see and articulate impact
Nonprofit leaders envision the ability to track and measure outcomes, so they are able to clearly understand and share their impact with donors and funders, volunteers, and, most importantly, the people they serve.
No longer be the “best kept secrets” in their communities
Our work and impact will be known far and wide. Nonprofit leaders imagine a future where community members, supporters, policymakers, constituents, donors, funders and members of the media will recognize us as the thought leaders and experts that we are and understand the critical services we provide to our communities.
Innovate and grow
We will no longer do things just because that’s the way they have always been done. We will challenge ourselves to ideate and innovate, and we will allow our plans to set our budgets rather than our budgets to set the plans.
Center constituents
Constituents, the people our organization exists to serve, will be centered in everything we do. Nonprofit leaders want to listen and learn from them, along with our various other stakeholders. Their feedback will inform our strategies going forward, ensuring we’re meeting community needs, while also balancing the needs of all of our stakeholders.
What Does Your 3-Year Future Look Like?
Nonprofit leaders, when you ask yourself the 3-year question, what do you see? What steps will you take to achieve your goals and build a thriving, impactful organization?
As you reflect on your aspirations, remember that the vision you create today will guide your path forward. Let this year be the starting point for a brighter future—for you, your team, and the communities you serve.
