The Wilder Nonprofit Field Guide to Crafting Effective Mission
& Vision Statements
By Emil Angelica; 71 pages; published by Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, 1-800-274-6024
Most nonprofits aim to have meaningful mission and vision statements. Yet
in many cases they fail to understand the differences between the two statements,
and the crucial role they play in directing the work of an organization.
The Wilder Nonprofit Field Guide to Crafting Effective Mission & Vision Statements
offers a simple and practical solution to addressing this common problem.
As author Emil Angelica notes, without clearly defined and agreed-upon statements
an organization may soon find itself adrift in a sea of financial trouble,
unable to make a positive impact on the community and without any guide to
get back on course. Whether a group is just starting out or has chapters across
the country, Angelica suggests they take the time to create effective mission
and vision statements or revise existing ones. In clear and uncomplicated
terms, his brief guide outlines the necessary steps involved in writing statements
that will bring focus and direction to an organization.
Before diving into the actual creation of mission and vision statements, the
author first explains how the statements work together and how they can be
used in a variety of ways within the organization, and outside its doors.
He then provides a seven-step process for developing mission statements, covering
everything from selecting the writing team to adopting the mission statement.
A similar six-step process covers the creation of vision statements, including
four possible methods of generating alternative visions.
Aside from the easy-to-follow steps and concise explanations, The Wilder
Nonprofit Field Guide to Crafting Effective Mission & Vision Statements
also includes concrete examples, a list of additional resources, and most
importantly, fourteen reproducible worksheets that correspond with each step
of the creation process. Both nonprofit leaders and decision-making teams
will find this guide to be a simple and useful tool in tackling the important
task of writing mission and vision statements.
Buy the book:
Canada: buy through Amazon.ca: CDN$26.15
International: buy through Amazon.com: US$17.00
