The nonprofit maturity model & strategic planning

What is a maturity model?

A maturity model is a flexible development tool that allows organizations (or departments) to categorize core operational activities by stages. It helps quantify and track qualitative aspects of structures and processes–like your mission statement or board structure. As it is filled out and evaluated, the maturity model can serve as a pivotal tool for identifying progress and roadblocks in organizational growth. As a leader, consultant, staff member, or board member it is important to measure and develop how mature (or capable) an organization is throughout common phases of shifts, growth, and recess.

Below is an example of a maturity model for nonprofits, adapted with permission from Craft Strategy Studio advisor Ron Dimon.

How does the maturity model relate to strategic planning?

It’s difficult to expect that most organizations will have perfect mission clarity when they first start out or that new organizations will have perfected their communication techniques within the first 6 months. These are things that take time and that time must be factored into strategy creation and action planning.

The maturity model reminds us that success is relative. Tasks that may seem simple or commonplace to an established organization can be strategic and complex to an organization just starting up.

How can Craft Strategy Studio help?

Craft Strategy Studio's Strategy Sprints contain a section called “competencies,” where an organization uses objective standards of value creation to judge their own work.

Competencies are used to help an organization benchmark itself within a particular industry. They can also help set organizational expectations that can be turned into actions later in the process.

The maturity model also fits well within our Organization Strategy Lab. During this Lab we take a deep dive into the organization looking at structure, board composition, identified competencies, program suites, operating model, and staffing. The Organization Strategy Lab culminates in actionable steps an organization can take to achieve core outcomes more efficiently and more productively.

Importantly, we also offer an accountability service. As you can see in the Maturity Model above, accountability is paramount, not just to tracking progress but to progressing the maturity of an organization. Learn more about our services on our website.

A big thank you to Ron Dimon for turning us on to the strategy maturity model. A great conceptual tool for all planning activities and for all organizations. You can also learn more about Ron and our advisory council on our website. Want to read more about maturity models? Here is a great resource from Board Effect.