We are already well into February and there should be no excuses when it comes to your organisation’s target (or theme) for 2015. Having a proper target set at the very beginning and then trying to reach it before the end of the year can help you a lot in two major ways – it can help you revise your strategy from the previous year and do better, and it can be quite inspiring for everyone in the organisation.

KPIs

In the world of business, companies usually work with KPIs – Key Performance Indicators, which measure everything that can be measured when it comes to performance, progress, finances etc. In the case of NFPs, however, a very good starting point will be a target that all people associated with the organisation can work towards. If the dream is big, the target can be divided into sections and spread over the coming years, but you will still need to know what you want to achieve by the end of the year. Imagine it – your target – on the website of the company, on posters, flyers and merchandise and in the hearts of all the supporters. It already looks possible, doesn’t it?

Choose a target

The target can be basically everything. It may be related to the financial aspect of the organisation – for example, raise enough money for something big your organisation needs, or finish the year with a certain sum in the bank that will help you start 2016 with a bang. Or it can be related to brand awareness and social impact – for example, make it to the Top 500 most popular brands in Australia. It can also be related to your online image and presence on social media, where you can work towards doubling or tripling your followers.

However, these are only a few examples to help you see that your target can be basically anything, as long as it serves as a motivator for you and all the people around you. Every NFP, even those sharing activities and target audiences, has different aims and goals so you and your board need to schedule a special meeting to decide the best target for this year. Once you have it – then you need to make sure everyone knows about it. Because when you know that everyone knows about it, you will have to work twice as much to make sure you don’t disappoint them. If that’s not a motivator, what is?

Promote your target

If you don’t have a target for the year yet, go choose one right away! If you already have it, make sure you put enough effort in advertising it. Spread the word among all the donors, supporters, volunteers and employees and make sure all other members of the board do the same. Allocate a good spot on the website for it, blog it and share it with all your social media followers along the different platforms. Make sure you make some room for it on your e-mail signature, all the forthcoming advertising materials, banners and resources. And live by it – don’t let it be just empty words. Soon, you will start seeing the difference – people will know that they are working towards something achievable and solid. When you achieve it together at the end of the year, everyone will be happy. And ready to do it again next year…