Guiding Principles

Nonprofit Solutions’ beliefs and core values have been defined and refined over the course of its 25+ year history and influenced by its evolution through the national Support Centers of America network, as well as the two strategic mergers which have produced Nonprofit Solutions as we know it today.

1. Promote client independence. Our entire motivation and interest is to help others be more successful, by transferring appropriate governance and management skills and insights. This process will enable our clients and colleagues to establish, pursue and achieve their own objectives. Our goals are to assist and support their efforts toward self-sufficiency and accountability by providing clients with effective, affordable and convenient management and governance training, technical assistance, information and referral, and other support services. We work collaboratively and respectfully with our clients to find solutions that are appropriate to their circumstances. We work for sustainable solutions by assisting client organizations in identifying their issues, accessing the appropriate tools to solve their management and leadership problems, internalizing and institutionalizing sustainable solutions, and learning how to solve similar problems in the future.

2. Promote diversity and inclusiveness. In our own organization, among our clients and colleagues and in our community, we advocate the value of cultural diversity and work to expand cultural proficiency. We pay attention to the dynamics of difference, believing that multiple viewpoints and shared solutions are essential to effective actions. We serve all forms of nonprofits — large, small, established, emerging, traditional and innovative.

3. Ensure our own competence. Our board, staff and affiliated consultants and trainers want to be among the very best at what we do. We must know, utilize and contribute to leading-edge thinking in our fields of work. We look for ways to create a learning environment that encourages innovation and sharing of knowledge and techniques. We are committed to the ongoing development and competence of our staff, board and affiliated professionals with whom we partner in work on behalf of our clients. We want to practice what we preach by modeling best practices and effective behaviors in management and governance activities within our own organization. We are committed to being a learning organization–to learning from our clients, continuously incorporating best practices and new theories, and anticipating internal and external changes that will affect the capacity of our clients to fulfill their mission.

4. Collaborate with others. We want to initiate strong strategic alliances and partnerships with peer organizations, funders, and natural allies within the nonprofit sector and community at large. Throughout the sector, Nonprofit Solutions works in a collegial, and accessible manner with colleagues, funders, clients, and other stakeholders to avoid duplication and to identify and support the best strategies for leveraging available community resources for greatest impact and benefit to the community.