Non-profit Organizations

Nonprofit
Organizations

The EOS Process™

for Nonprofits

In the nonprofit world, it’s a constant dilemma: How do you make a huge impact with a not-so-huge budget?

The answer: Work smarter, not harder.

It’s possible. And you can do it all without burning the candle at both ends and ending up in the fetal position under your desk. (We know you’re devoted to your cause. But you matter, too, and so does your staff.)

How do you work smarter, not harder? Get some Traction. EOS is a proven system that has helped thousands of companies do more with less.

Mile One helps organizations – both for-profit and nonprofit – become healthier, more aligned, and more focused. Like you, Mile One is passionate about making the world a better place, and about using smart business strategies to get there. You’ve got the vision. We have the tools to help you save the world. (Hey, saving the world is only naïve if you don’t have the tools to do it.)

Do more with less.

What if you and your staff could show up to work every day knowing exactly what needs to be done to:

Serve the most people and make the biggest impact
Maximize your limited resources
Set big goals, hold everyone accountable, and give the organization major momentum?

Six Pillars

of running a non-profit on EOS

Pillar 1
Business Indentity
Pillar 2
Business Structure
Pillar 3
Organization First

Pillar 4
Destiny
Pillar 5
Implementor, not Friend
Pillar 6
Calling

Pillar 1

You must believe that a non-profit IS a business

Yes, the laws governing non-profit organizations differ from those governing for-profit organizations.

However, you must still bring in at least as much money as you spend or give, you still need a system to accomplish that, and you still need people to run that system.

Pillar 2

You must be willing to operate on a traditional business accountability structure

An EOS company is ultimately led by a single leader, senior managers who support him or her, who are in turn supported by mid-managers, who direct the front-line staff.

Some organizations prefer to operate with “dotted lines” or organizational matrixes or majority rule, and those structures can certainly be effective at times, but they won’t work in an EOS company.

Pillar 3

You must actively prioritize the good of the organization as a whole above the interests of any individual, whether employee, client, donor, or board member.

You are passionate about your non-profit because you care about serving people or causes, and that is certainly admirable.

However, it is very possible to drive the success of a specific project, champion a small subset of your clients, or keep an important donor happy … and do great damage to the organization as a whole. Your passion is wonderful, but you must let the organization itself achieve that passion, not try to achieve it as an individual contributor.

Pillar 4

The Executive Director must be in control of the destiny of the organization.

Some non-profits operate with the board operating more like a group of advisors and overseers, and some non-profits operate with the board making all the important decisions, and the staff executing those decisions.

Either can work well in different situations, but if you want to run your organization on EOS then the ED, not the board, but ultimately drive the vision and execution.

Pillar 5

You must accept that your EOS Implementer’s primary function is to help you become great, not to make you happy.

You can definitely expect your EOS Implementer to cheerlead, encourage, support, and affirm you throughout your EOS journey.

However, you also must accept that they will at times confront you, hold you accountable, force awkward conversations, and push you out of your comfort zone in order to ensure that your organization becomes its best.

Pillar 6

Both you and your EOS Implementer must acknowledge and embrace the idea that “calling” may at some point supersede pure business logic.

Most of the time, your organization will make decisions using the exact same tools and logic as for-profit companies use.

However, because the primary purpose of your non-profit is to serve rather than generate profit, there may be times that we decide on a course of action that is not supported by your financial statements and business best-practices. Everyone – including your EOS Implementer – must accept and embrace that when it happens.

Ready to add some serious stability to your non-profit?

You’re busy, probably burned out, and perhaps even under your desk right now. Let’s start small: schedule a no-fuss, no-obligation 11-minute phone call with us to learn how EOS can transform your organization.

Let’s do this, together.

Schedule My Call