Assignment: Feeding America
In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:
- Evaluate management strategies and organizational structures of not-for-profit organizations for their effectiveness in managing boards, volunteers, and staff
- Analyze communication strategies used by not-for-profit organizations for how they advance shared values, attitudes, and goals with all stakeholders
- Analyze resource and budgetary considerations within not-for-profit organizations for determining potential challenges to financial operations
- Analyze ethical considerations within not-for-profit entities for their impact on public image
- Evaluate how operational strengths and weaknesses of not-for-profit organizations impact their long-term sustainability.
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
I. Introduction: Introduce your chosen organization, supplying background information relevant to communicating your strategic analysis. Consider information such as when, where, and how the organization was founded.
II. Analysis
a) Leadership:
i. Discuss the specific board structure present in your chosen organization, explaining the benefits of this structure.
ii. Discuss the current management strategies for recruiting, utilizing, and retaining human capital, including to what extent a succession plan is in place.
iii. Evaluate the current leadership strategies and organizational structure for strengths and weaknesses in managing boards, volunteers, and staff.
b) Communications:
i. Discuss the current communication strategies being used throughout the organization, internally and externally, for promoting the organization's shared values.
ii. Discuss the organization's public relations strategies and specific branding techniques.
iii. Evaluate the current communication strategies for opportunities for advancing the goals of the organization both internally and externally.
c) Finances:
i. Discuss the organization's current budgetary resources, structure, and responsibilities.
ii. Discuss the organization's current fundraising campaigns, grant possibilities, and planned giving opportunities and their impact on the overall budget.
iii. Determine potential challenges to the financial operation of the organization based on your analysis of its overall financial management.
d) Ethics:
i. Discuss the organization's handling of budget and fundraising transparency, specifically in regards to its adherence to established codes, principles, and ethics of the industry.
ii. Discuss ethical considerations the organization faces related to conflict of interest, privacy, and compensation.
iii. Evaluate how the ethical operation of this organization has impacted its public image.
III. Evaluation
a) Summarize the most significant strengths and weaknesses of the not-for-profit organization.
b) Evaluate the organization's long-term sustainability under the current operational strategies. Consider how the major strengths and weaknesses of this organization factor into its sustainability.
IV. Conclusion: Summarize your position on the organization's long-term sustainability, including suggestions for the organization to support future sustainability. Support each suggestion with your rationale.
Milestones
Milestone One: Organizational Profile In Module Three, you will develop a detailed profile of the not-for-profit organization on which you will perform your strategic analysis.
Milestone Two: Leadership and Communication In Module Five, you will analyze the leadership strategies and communication practices of the not-for-profit organization on which you will perform your strategic analysis.
Milestone Three: Financial Management and Ethics In Module Seven, you will analyze the financial management and ethical practices of the not-for-profit organization on which you will perform your strategic analysis.
Final Submission: Strategic Analysis of a Not-for-Profit Organization In Module Nine, you will submit your final project. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final product. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. Conclude your plan by applying the knowledge you have gained over the course of the project.