Here's how you can effectively prioritize tasks in a non-profit setting.

Nonprofits often juggle a lot of different projects. I find it's crucial to not fall victim to "mission creep" where you begin saying "yes" to everything because it is a worthwhile mission. The key to priorizing tasks is to filter all the opportunities through the core factors of your mission. Do they align with the agency's vision; if they don't then you must stay focused on the key principles of your mission. Ask yourself regularly: "why are we doing this project?" and don't be afraid to re-evaluate and shift focus if needed.

Assessing the needs of NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) is crucial for ensuring they can effectively achieve their missions and delivery services. The needs of NGOs often vary depending on their size, focus areas, and operational context. Identify Organizational Goals and Objectives. Conduct Stakeholder analysis and Evaluate Human, material , financial Resources and Review the availability and condition of physical assets, technology, and other resources. Feedback based Monitoring and Evaluation. The assessment should result in a comprehensive understanding of the NGO’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, guiding strategic planning, capacity-building initiatives, and resource allocation to enhance the NGO's impact.

In my experience the strategic planning is crucial, mostly stablish your short-term, mid-term and long-term goals and making sure these are align with your mission and vision. Also, it is important to evaluate the risks involved and anticipate and create a plan to assess each one of them according to their level and impact of your goals.

The needs, of the organisation in terms of its objectives is the main consideration in determining priorities. Check for gaps, determine what it takes to fill those gaps and how important each of those gaps are. Next, assess resource requirement , impact on existing resources and functionality .

Mission alignment in NGOs refers to ensuring that all activities, programs, strategies, and resources are consistently directed toward achieving the organization’s core mission. It’s a critical aspect of organizational effectiveness because it ensures that every action taken by the NGO contributes to its primary goals and objectives. Mission alignment is vital for the sustainability and impact of an NGO. It ensures that the organization remains focused on its core purpose, making it more effective in achieving its goals and maintaining the trust and support of its stakeholders. Regular reflection, clear communication, and strong leadership are key to maintaining alignment over time.

As a young Nonprofit, we review our needs and our alignment with our programs and our actions every single day. It is important that we remind ourselves why we started this organization in the first place, and what socioeconomic issues we want our programs to address. Moving from awareness to action, we consistently review and assess each program to make sure that we can effectively reach our goals, servicing the community in the best possible way. We are fortunate to have a very diverse, and engaged Board of Directors, and an incredible Advisory Board to help with this alignment.

Your mission has to be on the forefront of every decision and a montra within the organization. If every team member feels invested in the mission then easy task no matter how mundane feels important.

Mission drift is a real threat when working in a non-profit. However, the temptation to do good, when it is outside of your scope, is strong and ultimately can be detrimental. Making sure that your team is aligned on mission and aware of other organizations in the community and the work they are doing will help your organization to make appropriate referrals and stay locked in and focused on the unique needs your non-profit seeks to meet. Even with the best efforts, mission drift will happen from time to time. When it does, it is important to name it, identify why it happened, and make a plan for how to address similar situations moving forward. Strong partnerships are essential in keeping your team playing to their strengths.

From my perspective, it's crucial to regularly revisit and revalidate this alignment. As our organization evolves, so do the challenges and opportunities we face. Keeping tasks aligned with our mission requires ongoing reflection and adjustment to ensure we're always moving in the right direction.

Manage things. Lead people. People need a leader, not a (micro) manager. Trust people to do what you hired them to do. Problem solve and collaborate together as a team. Encourage their career growth. Your success is directly tied to their success AND to your organization’s success.

Effective delegation also involves clear communication and providing the necessary support. It's not just about assigning tasks, but also about mentoring and equipping team members to grow in their roles. This approach not only boosts productivity but also fosters a sense of ownership and long-term commitment within the team.

Delegation if done correctly allows each individual to shine and utilizes them to be effective. People want a purpose and the goal of a leader to to align their skills and support them along the way.

Privatisation necessarily calls for alignment of tasks and resources. Team changes are inevitable. To ensure success it is important to delegate. In doing so, the capabilities of the team members to deliver on specifics is key. Also important to assess indirect impact on other players.

Delegation is part of a 3-step process. 1- Prepare – Know your team members, their interests, skills, etc. Match the right person with the right role. Provide them with the training and resources they need. 2- Delegate – Clearly define task requirements, deadlines, and any other pertinent information. 3- Follow up – Make sure that delegated tasks are complete. If you have a large team, consider implementing tasks or project management software.

When it comes to prioritizing tasks in a non-profit I found it helpful to not only consider how the task impacts you and how it ranks on your list, but to also consider how it impacts those that you lead or those that are leading you. For example, a volunteer may have submitted a request 4 weeks in advance of the expected submittal time frame. Although it may not seem important for me to respond immediatly because I still have time, it may be critical that the volunteer gets a response sooner because of all the moving parts in their life.

Time is a valuable resource and must be treated as such. Not everything is critical and knowing how to block out time for well-being is equally as important as getting the job done.

Time management involves anticipating potential bottlenecks and being proactive in addressing them. By building in buffer time and regularly reassessing timelines, we can adapt to unforeseen challenges without compromising the quality of our work. This foresight is essential for maintaining momentum and ensuring that critical tasks are completed on schedule.

I start every single day the way I end it, reviewing tasks. I look at my schedule, what I need to accomplish, my non-negotiables for the day, and what boundaries do I have set up. The reason I do this at the beginning and the end of the day, is so that I can effectively plan the upcoming days, weeks, and months. Things will change. Priorities will shift. Challenges will present themselves. Do you have the capacity to make sure you can address these, and pivot as needed? Your future my depend on it. I will say that I'm fortunate growing up in a culinary environment, that "Mise en Place", was not just about everything in its place, but a way of life that has permeated all of the work I've done in every job since learning this.

Non-profits tend to get caught up in operational matters, which at times leads to neglect of important organisational review. In the process, the larger good of the organisation, its objectives and the impact of its programs could get neglected. This is detrimental to the long-term objectives of the organisation. Periodic review and revision of priorities when necessary, is a healthy practice.

I cannot even imagine my organization's work without reviewing tasks. Incorporating diverse insights during these reviews not only helps in identifying blind spots but also ensures that our priorities remain relevant and aligned with both internal and external expectations. This collective approach enhances our ability to pivot effectively while staying true to our mission.

Be ready to Pivot once you assess if needed. Staying the course because "you've always done it like that" does not benifit anyone. Being able to truely look at the progress or lack there of is key.

The concepts of review, reflection, and adoption in an NGO context are critical processes that help ensure the organization remains effective, responsive, and aligned with its mission and that ensures the NGO remains dynamic, responsive, and mission-driven. By regularly reviewing their work, reflecting on their findings, and adopting necessary changes, NGOs can continuously improve their effectiveness and better serve their beneficiaries. This process fosters a culture of learning and adaptability, which is essential for long-term success in the nonprofit sector.

A review of KPIs is very important at this stage,sometimes the answers for failure to meet them can be found right around the table. Taking time to listen to employees’ feedback is invaluable. Run your NGO as a business and seek innovative collaboration before asking for “technical support .“When employees feel like their input matters, the magic begins!

I believe that reflection should also involve celebrating successes, no matter how small. Acknowledging what went well not only boosts morale but also reinforces positive practices. Additionally, being transparent about challenges and openly discussing them with the team encourages a culture of continuous learning and improvement, which is key to staying adaptable and resilient.

One thing I'd find important to add is cultural sensitivity. We have to be aware of and sensitive to the cultural contexts in which our organization operates. Tasks that may seem straightforward in one cultural context might require different approaches or prioritization in another.

Clear mission and visions to be framed. Strong leadership and governance to be put in place. Capacity building and training Review and periodic evaluation Feedback based corrections Sustainable development and innovation Efficient fundraising Proper evaluation and auditing Tecnology adoption and effective evaluation. Transparency , accountability Ethical practices for the better understanding of the NGO.