Partner for Better is committed to helping social good organizations, including corporate foundations, nonprofits, and corporate social responsibility departments achieve their goals and make a greater impact in their communities. In this case study, we will explore how we helped a corporate foundation become more effective and efficient using a SOAR analysis.
Background
The corporate foundation we recently partnered with had a lot going for it. They had a passionate board, consistent income, and a strong community image. However, they faced several challenges, including communication challenges and inefficient processes. The foundation’s leadership team approached Partner for Better for assistance in improving their operations and achieving their goals.
SOAR Analysis
Partner for Better utilizes a strengths based approach with every organization. To do this, we conduct a research based approach called SOAR. A SOAR analysis identifies an organization’s strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results. This is a lot like a SWOT analysis, but it focuses on what’s going well, and resources we can leverage, instead of focusing on weaknesses.
Strengths
The corporate foundation had several strengths that could be leveraged to improve its operations and achieve its goals. One of its strengths was its dedicated leadership team, which was passionate about the foundation’s mission and committed to making a difference in the community. Additionally, the foundation had a strong network of donors who shared their vision and were willing to support their initiatives.
Opportunities
Partner for Better identified several opportunities for the foundation to improve its operations and increase its impact. One opportunity was to optimize its communication efforts by leveraging technology and social media platforms to reach a broader audience. Another opportunity was to collaborate with departments within corporation to leverage resources, expertise, and achieve common goals.
Aspirations
The foundation had several aspirations that aligned with its mission and vision. These aspirations included having a strong internal communication strategy and increasing awareness of the foundation’s initiatives and impact to the broader community. They also aspired to create stronger efficiencies and outcome measurements so they could maximize their outcomes.
Results
Partner for Better worked closely with the foundation’s leadership team to identify key performance indicators and develop metrics to measure the foundation’s progress towards its goals. These metrics included the number of individuals served, the level of engagement with donors and volunteers, and tracking towards onboarding new systems to create efficiencies.
Results Achieved
Partner for Better developed a comprehensive strategy to help the foundation achieve its goals and improve its operations. This strategy included several key initiatives:
- Optimizing nonprofit engagement efforts: Partner for Better helped the foundation implement an application process that enabled them to track donation requests and manage stronger relationships. The foundation also partnered with the marketing department to build a new community engagement plan.
- Process improvement: Partner for Better identified several areas where the foundation’s processes could be streamlined to increase efficiency. For example, the foundation implemented stronger internal communication plans utilizing existing technologies for corporate employees to reduce paperwork and save time.
As a result of these efforts, the foundation achieved significant results, including:
- Expanded reach: The foundation’s intranet presence and corporate outreach efforts enabled them to reach a broader audience, increasing engagement with internal donors and volunteers.
- Improved efficiency: The foundation’s processes were streamlined, reducing paperwork and saving time. This allowed the foundation to focus on its core mission in the community.
Partner for Better is committed to helping nonprofits achieve their goals and make a greater impact in their communities, and this case study is a testament to our commitment to supporting nonprofit organizations and helping them achieve their objectives. By leveraging the SOAR analysis framework and developing a customized strategy, we were able to identify the foundation’s strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results and develop a plan to optimize their operations and resources. How can we help your organization SOAR? Reach out, let’s talk about how we can help you achieve your missions and make a lasting impact.