I recently visited with the Executive Director of a small nonprofit whose mission is mostly carried out by volunteers. And boy, was I impressed with all that they accomplish with such a lean staff.
But I also wondered how much more they could do if they had just a little more budget to afford a few more paid staff. As any ED of a small nonprofit knows all too well, they end up diverting a lot of time on the important things that need attention today, rather than focusing on the big picture things that could take the organization to the next level.
It leaves me conflicted honestly.
On the one hand, this nonprofit organization is doing so many things right. It’s engaging its community of supporters, delivering on its mission and having a big impact on a small group of people. But on the other hand, because of its dependence on volunteers, it can’t scale its services to generate an impact on a bigger group of people. And to do that, the organization will have to change.
But is bigger always better?