In the wake of recent policy changes and funding cuts by the Federal government, one of the biggest questions Not-for-Profits (NFPs) may ask themselves is “How will we survive?” Pro Bono Australia has released survey results recently, indicating a sector-wide move towards alternative funding sources. Queensland in particular had the most pessimistic outlook about the sector’s current performance and was in the bottom 3 states when it came to future expectations. So where does the money come from?
Whilst a large proportion of responses relate to the need for government action and support, we’d like to take a minute to look at the parts we can do for ourselves. According to the survey results, [organisations are…] “Settling into the ‘new world’ where government funding is seen as less of a given and new opportunities such as self-generated income and more partnerships are better understood and more widely explored.”
Some of the feedback in the survey resonated with our experience when talking to customers in the sector. Reading the comment “A willingness by CEO, management and the board to take risks, innovate and explore new ways of operating.” made us reflect on MetroScreen, a Calxa customer currently redefining their future after losing government funding. As part of their adaptation, the finance department is preparing costings on various scenarios to assist the board to rewrite the strategies for the journey ahead.
Many participants expect volunteers and staff contributions to continue as the main driving force behind successful NFPs so it makes sense to consider strategies surrounding how to effectively source staff, manage them, and how to retain their services.
The other main factor supported was the need for well organised, effective regulatory frameworks (in this case, the ACNC) however effective organisation-specific procedures are useful for the same reason; so that businesses can focus on their mission rather than the logistics of managing administrative and financial matters.
You can check out the full survey here.