Sustainability is how long your organization will be around to make changes in the world. Your organization's attitude toward itself and toward constituents predicts sustainability.
These attitudes affect:
Organization culture
Constituent loyalty
Organization plans:
Strategic
Marketing
Succession
Fundraising
Communication
Actually making a difference
Attitude
How the organization views itself is at the heart of how it treats constituents. Your organization, of course, wants to help the community. So do other people, for various reasons. Your organization is a tool, a way for them to make a difference in the world.
Make sure your constituents feel you are a good tool, that you provide value. Deepen your organization's relationship with each constituent. Make them feel that you see them as a partner, not a checkbook. Care for your constituents, and they will stick with you.
Build Relationships
Constituent relationships have five stages. Strive to move every constituent through the stages. This creates loyal constituents, who will do their best to support your organization.
Introduce: Explain your organization. Invite constituents to learn more and take the next relationship step.
Inform: Educate constituents about what your organization is doing and what it needs.
Inspire: Tell constituents why they should care about what your organization is doing.
Involve: Regularly tell constituents how they can become involved. Ask for feedback and insights, either through surveys or one-on-one meetings.
Advocate: Enable constituents to build new relationships on behalf of your organization.
Provide Value to Constituents
When constituents give, they expect a return. At the least, they expect to:
Be thanked in an appropriate, timely fashion
Be recognized as an investor in the cause and a vital part of the mission, not as a commodity
See their investment make a meaningful difference
See that their investment is properly stewarded
Realize their own goals through the giving relationship with your organization
Make your constituents feel that they are getting their money's worth and that they are making a difference in their community.
Measure Success
Measure success by:
Constituent engagement
The way they perceive your organization
How satisfied they are with the organization
Ask yourself, "Are we meeting the needs of our current constituents?" Use constituent feedback to improve. If you take care of your constituents properly, the money will come.