Philanthropy

We think a compelling vision and strategy is at the core of sustainability for nonprofit and social-impact startups. They cannot transform outcomes or sustainably build without both.

Still, should a #startup really spend considerable time creating a compelling vision and strategy when it has to attract funding and resources form donors, partners, and supporters to survive in those early stages?

Today’s Fast Build Friday topic is the first of two fundamental #infrastructure considerations for nonprofit or social-impact startups. Nic shares why you need a compelling programmatic vision and strategy in order to build a strong infrastructure and a sustainable organization.

Do you think vision and strategy impact a startup’s infrastructure and sustainability? Let us know in the comments!

You can watch Episode 21 below.

We want to tell you a story…but we will tell you only half of it. Do you still want to hear it?

By not considering #infrastructure as part of your #storytelling, you miss a critical opportunity to tell a compelling story about your organization, your work, and the communities you serve. You are telling half of the story.

Today’s Fast Build Friday topic is the role of infrastructure in storytelling. Nic discusses how not talking about infrastructure needs is diminishing the kind of outcome you want to see and the impact that is needed. She also highlights a way to tell a compelling story that considers infrastructure.

At Build Up, we believe that infrastructure is fundamental to telling a compelling story. Knowing your infrastructure needs is the first step. If you would like some guidance in assessing your infrastructure needs, we have included a link here to receive our complimentary Brave Infrastructure Design® Action Plan, which walks you through how to assess your organizational infrastructure needs.

How are you thinking about infrastructure in your storytelling? Let us know in the comments!

You can watch Episode 20 below.

When you think of #innovation, do you also think about accountability? Do you think you need #accountability in your infrastructure in order to innovate?

Today’s Fast Build Friday topic is a continuation of last week’s topic about the importance of infrastructure in innovation. Nic shares the second building block about infrastructure and innovation – true innovation requires accountability.

Having built organizational infrastructure for years now, Nic sees accountability as the element that heavily contributes to sustained innovation.

And sustained innovation transforms worlds and lives.

How are you thinking about innovation and accountability in your organization? What do you demand? Let us know in the comments!

You can watch Episode 19 below.

Nic had a conversation with a nonprofit CEO and they talked a lot about how #nonprofits and philanthropies often focus on #innovation as an outcome or a specific point in time.

Their conversation really made us reflect. In the nonprofit sector, we often hear the word, innovation, but we do not talk as much about how an organization “becomes innovative.” And we struggle with determining how to fund innovation or defining innovation in the first place.

Today’s Fast Build Friday topic is the importance of infrastructure in innovation. Nic wants us to dissect this topic; this episode explains the first of two building blocks about infrastructure and innovation she will share.

This first building block is meant to raise questions for you about how you think about and pursue innovation.

How do you create space for experimentation within your organization? And where do #failure and learning come into play within your #infrastructure? Let us know in the comments!

You can watch Episode 18 below.