Non-profit business management

Most non-profit organizations have small staffs and small budgets to work with. Many non-profit organizations rely on private or public donations or grant money to support the cost of running the business. With small staffs and small budgets you are likely to have management and leadership problems. Most business managers look at a non-profit organization as a stepping stone to boost their managerial skills on their resume. Most business managers are over-worked and retain little career development, therefore causing turnover ratios to be quite high. Of course, this can be a large set back for a non-profit company who has had a manager with certain expertise and leadership skills. Let's look at a few ways you can be a better business manager in a non-profit organization.

Proper training procedures are the number one things a non-profit organization must have laid out for business managers. If someone is thrown into the company without any assistance or direction, chances are they won't last long, or they may go in a different path. The non-profit world is an entirely different world of business. Looking for funding is typically the primary concern for most business managers. Many non-profit organizations preach "devotion" to their cause and expect their employees to feel the same way.

A business manager should step into their role as a leader to the staff. Have a plan for the future set in place and make sure everyone at the organization is on board with your ideas. A good business manager learns to take on several different roles: human resources, marketing, community outreach, financial planning, and day-to-day business operations. As you can tell, a business manager in a non-profit world encounters many responsibilities and can quickly become burdened and over-worked.

As a business manager you should know each employees role in the organization and stress their importance to helping each other. If your marketing associate is slacking, your art department is probably being slowed down. Discuss with each employee how their job impacts another person's job and the overall productivity of the organization. As a business manager, you must engage in several different areas of the organization to keep it running.

Many non-profit organizations rely on the business manager to be a fundraiser. If you are non careful, fundraising will be your full-time job. Set up measures to devote enough time to fundraising and other aspects of the organization. Your bookkeeper can be a great asset in helping you with fundraising as they work with the financials of the company on a daily basis. Never be afraid to delegate small portions of your job out to your staff.

Developing good programs is another large part of a business manager's job. Without a good program, you will find it hard to gain financial assistance. Utilize every person at your company for help with programs. Most non-profit organizations have a board of directors who can help relieve the pressure of fundraising efforts, be sure to involve them in the organization as well. A board member who is committed to the organization and their role will work hard to promote the organization and bring in the necessary resources to help support the organization.

Take time to relax with your staff. Since most non-profit companies cannot afford to pay for expensive dinners, try throwing some pot-luck lunches with your staff. Unity is the best thing you can teach your staff. Take time to sit down with each employee and point out their strengths. Gaining your employees trust is a big role for a business manager in a non-profit organization. You are the buffer between the staff and the executive director or executive board. Most importantly, don't over-work yourself. Take a break if you are overwhelmed and look at what you can delegate to your staff to help relieve the pre