When we look up an organization and want to find out what they do, we typically look for their mission statement. This is a small (2-3 sentence) statement that every organization has that explains not only what their organization does, but why they do what they do.
So, you want to start an organization. You have identified your target audience, your community, your goals, the work you want to do. The thing is you haven’t yet put this into a concise statement to share with others and you’re stuck on where to begin. When you break it down into steps it can be quite simple and even fun to write. There are three components to any mission statement: purpose, values and goals.
First let’s think about your why, meaning, what is it moving the work along? Where did the inspiration to undergo such a project come from? Thinking about the purpose behind your organization will go a long way in writing a meaningful statement.
Some ways to help you find your why
- Think about the communities you want to serve or are currently serving
- Was there a source of inspiration for the work that you do?
- Is there an underlying societal issue that you are working to combat?
- What are some of the values that your organization wants to uphold?
These leading questions will help a lot when writing a meaningful mission statement. Turn that why into the base of your mission statement.
It is a good idea to brainstorm keywords your organization stands for when thinking about your value system. An organization that puts together reading literacy programs may use words such as stronger, communities, passion, empowerment. When weaving your values into your mission statement, think about what your objective does in a greater sense. Mission statements are not the place to put in every detail about what you do. Keep it simple and pull people in with the main goal.