Where can I find information on, and examples of, mission statements for nonprofit organizations?

For a new nonprofit organization, developing a mission statement is a critical first step in defining what the organization plans to do and in explaining how it differs from similar organizations. Clarifying an organization's mission can be a complex and difficult process, with individual board members, staff, and volunteers presenting and lobbying for their own views of what an organization is or should be about.

For information on mission statements, try the following:

• The Internet Nonprofit Center's Nonprofit FAQ "What Should Our Mission Statement Say?"

• The Alliance for Nonprofit Management's Web site has a Frequently Asked Questions feature entitled, "What's in a mission statement?"

• Tony Poderis' Fund-Raising Forum has a free guide entitled, "Don't Make Your Organization's Statement Of Purpose A 'Mission Impossible'."

There are a number of books and articles available on mission statements for nonprofit organizations. These include:

• Allison, Michael and Jude Kaye. Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations: A Practical Guide and Workbook. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2005.

• Angelica, Emil. The Wilder Nonprofit Field Guide to Crafting Effective Mission & Vision Statements. Saint Paul, MN: Amherst H. Wilder Foundation. 2001.

• Barthel, Diane. "The Role of 'Fictions' in the Redefinition of Mission." Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 26 (December 1997) p. 399-420.

• Brinckerhoff, Peter C. Mission Based Management: Leading your Not-for-Profit into the 21st century. 2nd ed. Oak Park, IL: Alpine Guild, 2001. (Contains sample mission statements.)

• Campbell, Bruce. "Do Your Donors Understand Your Mission?" Fund Raising Management 30 (August 1999) p. 47-48.

• Connors, Tracy Daniel. The Nonprofit Handbook: Management. 3rd ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2001. (Contains sample mission statements.)

• McLaughlin, Thomas A. "Dreams and Actions: Getting the Vision and Mission Straight." NonProfit Times 14 (February 2000) p. 20.

• McLaughlin, Thomas A. "Organizational Gravity: The Art of the Mission Statement." NonProfit Times 12 (August 1998) p. 18.

• "Mission Possible: Improving Your Organization's Mission Statement." New York Nonprofits 16 (September-October 1999) p. 4-5.

• Radtke, Janel M. "How to Write a Mission Statement." Grantsmanship Center Magazine 36 (Fall 1998) p. 30.

• "Using Your Mission to Create a Dynamic Board." Nonprofit World 15 (November-December 1997) p. 36-40.

• Vogt, Cecilia and Steven Starlund. "Beyond Branding: Defining Your Image." Grassroots Fundraising Journal 21 (January-February 2002) p. 7-10.

For other books on mission statements for nonprofit organizations, try searching our Catalog of Nonprofit Literature (CNL), the Center's bibliographic database. You could start searching on the subject "Nonprofit organizations--mission statements".

Many of the books and articles found through CNL can be located in Center Libraries and some Cooperating collections. It is best to call ahead to verify a specific library's holdings.

To learn more about nonprofit mission statements, attend our Before You Seek a Grant: A Checklist for New Nonprofits, a free one and a half-hour class.

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