Selecting Your Nonprofit Organization’s Cause

STAGE ONE

What area of focus should your nonprofit organization concentrate on? Selecting the cause your nonprofit will champion is perhaps the most important decision you will make as it will drive every aspect of your organization—from your mission to programming, to funding and collaborating.

How do you decide which cause to focus on as a founder?

I would suggest two things drive your decision.

One, experience, and Two, the need of the community you hope to serve.

Running a nonprofit is a lot of work: operations, fundraising, program development, collaborating with other community-based organizations, accounting, compliance, and more.

Top that with trying to learn about a topic you’re unfamiliar with, and it may prove to be a bit much. Besides, your community will expect your nonprofit to serve as a subject matter expert in whatever area it is advocating. That’s not to say you will be expected to know everything about the cause you select, but you should definitely be proficient in the major intricacies surrounding making an impact in that field.

Some people may become passionate about a cause and decide to take action. Very commendable, but I would suggest spending time serving as a board member of an organization to learn as much as possible about the cause—not starting a new nonprofit. Passion and commitment are essential for staying the course in advocacy and transformation but are not a substitute for knowledge and experience.

Understanding the need of the community you serve is the best method for deciding what cause to focus on. If the community you want to serve has needs that your area of expertise does not cover, then find a community that needs what you have to offer.

The cause is the larger, overarching area of focus, for example, health and wellness. That then drills down to a generalized category, say, infant mortality. And then finally, the specific area of focus: pediatric cancer.

Funders and funding agencies require that you identify the cause your organization will focus on within a coding system established by a government system designed to create consistency and standardization.

This is especially important when applying for government grants and contracts. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) established a coding system called The Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) and The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) (pronounced Nakes) used to define industries in accordance with the composition and structure of the economy.

But for the purpose of this conversation, below are some of the most common social causes to help you start to think about the cause you want your nonprofit to focus on.

Can you focus on more than one area?

My recommendation is that you focus on one cause, but perhaps naturally branch out within that area (e.g., Health and Wellness > Obesity > Diabetes > Childhood Diabetes).

The example shows a natural inclusion of related topics. Diabetes is a direct result of poor health and exercise that causes obesity. Obesity leads to diabetes. What might cause an enormous amount of work would be Health and Wellness > Obesity + Climate Change > Drought. Two totally different populations, which would likely be the same for the donor base, completely different from Health and Wellness!

Now, let’s review some of the most common areas of focus and select the cause your organization will champion.

Category Cause

Animals

·       Animal Rights, Welfare, and Services

·       Wildlife Conservation

·       Zoos and Aquariums

Arts, Culture, Humanities

·       Libraries, Historical Societies, and Landmark

Preservation

·       Museums

·       Performing Arts

·       Public Broadcasting and Media

Community Development

·       Community Foundations

·       Housing and Neighborhood Development

Education

·       Early Childhood Programs and Services

·       Youth Education Programs and Services

·       Adult Education Programs and Services

·       Special Education

·       Education Policy and Reform

·       Scholarship and Financial Support

Environment

·       Environmental Protection and Conservation

·       Botanical Gardens, Parks, and Nature Centers

Health

·       Diseases, Disorders, and Disciplines

·       Patient and Family Support

·       Treatment and Prevention Services

·       Medical Research

Human and Civil Rights

·       Advocacy and Education

Human Services

·       Children's and Family Services

·       Youth Development, Shelter, and Crisis Services

·       Food Banks, Food Pantries, and Food Distribution

·       Multipurpose Human Service Organizations

·       Homeless Services

·       Social Services

International

·      Development and Relief Services

·      International Peace, Security, and Affairs

·      Humanitarian Relief Supplies

Research and Public Policy

·       Non-Medical Science & Technology Research

·       Social and Public Policy Research

Religion

·       Religious Activities

·       Religious Media and Broadcasting

The next steps after determining the cause your organization will champion will be to drill down to the specifics: the specific type of programs and services. It would look like this:

          Health & Wellness > Cancer > Lung Cancer > Seniors

The goal is to be able to clearly describe the organization’s focus, down to the granular level. Being clear at every stage sets you up powerfully for the next steps.

Here is further reading that will help you at the beginning stages of your nonprofit: How to Define Your Nonprofit