“Here’s looking at you, kid.”

“Perception is everything” is a phrase you hear often in the nonprofit sector.  This is not surprising and since nonprofits are often quickly assessed and judged it makes sense to ensure your image is as polished as possible.  Before making a donation or working with a nonprofit I do a little sleuthing, because who wants to donate money or work at a nonprofit whose operations come across as amateurish?  I am not asking that they operate like a for-profit, because they shouldn’t (that can be discussed some other time).  But can the nonprofit be trusted with my money and reputation?  Taking a minute to look at your operations through the lens of a potential supporter to assess how your organization is perceived can help you retain a stellar reputation.

There are a number of tools for assessing how a nonprofit is perceived, such as GuideStar and Charity Navigator.  Here are four additional things you can do to quickly assess how your organization is seen by others: 

1.      Check your nonprofit’s status with the Oregon Secretary State.  Has your annual report been filed?  An organization that files its report late, does not provide up-to-date information, or worse yet, has at one time or another been administratively dissolved because it failed to file its annual report is not perceived as operating at the highest professional levels.

2.      Look at your 990.  How are you addressing the questions regarding your organization’s policies?  References to policies are found throughout the 990.  Don’t lie!  If you do not have a whistleblower policy in place, don’t check "yes" on your 990.  And remember that not having a written policy may be worse than not having a policy at all.  But keep in mind that not having policies in place is often perceived as a red flag regarding the organization’s infrastructure and governance.

3.      Make sure everyone in your organization can quickly and clearly articulate your organization’s mission and goals.  Can staff, volunteers and board members inform someone they meet about your cause?  Is a solid elevator speech in place?  Ambiguity does not create champions for your mission.

4.      Review your contact lists/CRM databases for accuracy.  Nothing is worse than misspelling an existing or potential donor’s name.  Don’t guess!  Often a little research can resolve this issue, but if you are still unable to verify your information, contact the donor and ask.  While you are at it, you can confirm their other contact information at the same time.

Find anything amiss?  Take some time to rectify the situation.  The return on investment for the time it takes to get these things in order is a nonprofit that projects an image of a professional, well-run organization.  And such an organization is on the right path to earning the support it needs to keep doing its great work.