Creating Motivation Within Your Nonprofit

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It can be discouraging at times for nonprofit leaders trying to foster excitement among their employees. It may be a comfort to know that money, though important, is not a motivating factor for many members of a nonprofit’s staff. Many are involved because they are passionate about the cause. Though a sense of importance and degree of autonomy can go a long way toward motivating your team, is there a way to make the more dreary tasks involved in nonprofit fundraising more exciting?

Each member of your team has something unique to offer; however, if they are feeling listless their talents may not be utilized to their fullest potential. Your team is the heart and soul of your organization and for this reason alone it is essential to motivate them to work towards the cause at hand. Try implementing the following changes to the culture of your nonprofit for increased drive among your staff.

Create A Sense Of Purpose

In any organization, there is no better method to keep a team motivated than by showing them the results of their hard work. Rather than keeping organizational updates aimed only at the donors you’re trying to entice into e-giving, take the time to send out a quick memo to the members of your nonprofit’s staff letting them know about a particularly important milestone that they’ve reached. Seeing the fruits of their labor, especially for a cause they care deeply about, is a feeling not many will soon forget.

Help The News Of Your Mission Travel

It’s no secret that your volunteers and your staff are your nonprofit’s gateway to success. Help them to motivate one another by fostering a positive environment within the workplace. Sure, budgets are tight and stress can be high, but that doesn’t mean an uncomfortable attitude needs to permeate each and every project. Instead of focusing on the negative, teach nonprofit staff and volunteers to get excited about the task at hand and the different ways that their involvement makes an impact on the organization. When volunteers and staff are excited, they will be more likely to spread the word about the exciting work they are taking part in.

Create A Group That Cares About Success

Working with a group of individuals that cares about the success of your efforts will inevitably make any task easier. Rather than waiting until morale is low to try and pump them full of optimism, give yourself a leg up by choosing staff members and volunteers who have a genuine interest in seeing your organization succeed. Though there is no such thing as a bad volunteer, an energetic and dedicated team makes all the difference.

The overall attitude and environment of your nonprofit can have a profound effect on the work ethic and success of your team. Make a few small changes in the short term and your organization will thrive in the future.