Winter = Housekeeping Time
Whether January brings you post-holiday blues or a welcome break from celebrations, we can usually count on a little down time as a new year gets underway. Since we nonprofit professionals are always looking for ways to make the most of our precious resources, the winter “snow day” effect (whether or not you are in a wintry climate) offers a great opportunity to clean up and prepare for the coming spring.
Performing an internal audit, or assessment, may be the right place to begin. You wouldn’t expect your physician to prescribe treatment without taking time to diagnose the problem, would you? The same holds true for managing our nonprofits. Even if everything in your “exam” checks out, you’ll be more confident moving forward.
An organizational assessment should evaluate your operations and might include, but certainly not be limited to, the following:
Taking a technology inventory. Is your data current and clean? Are you getting the reports you need? Are interfaces working as they should? Is it time to consider some upgrades? We all know that technology provides the foundation for many activities, especially when it comes to managing data and organizing constituent records, so now may be a good time to give it a health check.
Testing your security protocols. Is everyone changing passwords regularly? Are you using two-factor authentication whenever possible? Have you incorporated password protection software for the platforms and files that everyone needs to access? Mitigating security risks begins with preventative measures and continues with adherence to policy and procedures. Now would be a good time to be sure all of your protections are in place.
Organizing your files. This sounds like a no-brainer and is something that should happen automatically on a regular basis. Yet we all know that when things get busy – which can be most of the time – basic housekeeping issues can fall to the wayside. Before you know it, you have folders upon folders of “to be filed” documents, and naming constitutions and tagging become messy and hard to distinguish. Fix it before you need to have your staff spend weeks catching up, which is never a great use of time.
Completing performance reviews. Yes, staff members should receive an annual review, and the winter months are often a good time for that process to occur. Start with a self-evaluation and work into a full review. Assess where your staffing model is working and identify where gaps may exist. This will give you some time to make adjustments whether that be in full-time compliments or some fractional staff to provide specific expertise where you need it most.
Diving into some long-term projects. These may have been on your list for years but taking time to actually get to something you’ve wanted to accomplish will no doubt provide a level of satisfaction. This may include finishing that pile of reading you’ve been collecting or attending a webinar/conference you’ve never had time for in the past.
Take a breather. Slow the pace. Allow yourself some time to work back into the rhythm of a busy nonprofit while you do some much-needed housekeeping and allow yourself time for personal development.
These projects are not the most exciting, but they are a great use of post-holiday energy (or lack thereof). They are also a great way to set you and your team up for smoother sailing when the year begins to heat up.
I hope the new year sees you building on success, capitalizing on new opportunities and creating positive change in your community. As always, More Than Giving’s team of fractional professionals and virtual assistants is here to help. Feel free to reach out for a complimentary consultation!
The More Than Giving Co. can help you help you with your organization’s internal assessment.
Schedule a call today to learn how we can help.