Resource Library

Mission Partners’ Resource Library

For Social Impact + Nonprofit Leaders

Moving a mission forward can be complicated and difficult work—and you don’t need to go it alone. That’s why we offer free educational resources designed to help you move your mission forward, whatever may be standing in your way.

Our Resource Library, paired with our insight articles, helps social impact and nonprofit leaders navigate the challenges and opportunities that arise when moving their mission forward. From resources on intentional leadership to change management to public messaging and more, our resource library is here to support you at each step.

New resources are added every few months. Sign up for our newsletter or follow us on LinkedIn to be notified of new resources.

Looking for more resources to fuel your work? Check out Mission Forward to discover weekly podcast episodes, thought-provoking articles on leadership, and books from our founder, Carrie Fox.

Deliver Clear Feedback Align Socials + Values Respond to Breaking News Communicate Through Volatility Soft Skills to Hard Truths

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How to Deliver Clear Feedback that Drives Mission Impact

Think back to a time when someone shared feedback with you that seemed to do absolutely no good, perhaps you might even have viewed it as damaging.

Now, recall a moment when the feedback you received helped you become a better student, professional, parent, or member of your community. The type of feedback where you can almost feel the enlightenment pouring out of it as the person is sharing it.

Wouldn’t it be nice if all feedback could feel that good? This resource is intended to help you make the most of your feedback delivery—maybe even leading to some game-changing moments of your own.

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Start with the Foundation

It’s essential to always start with a foundation. When delivering feedback, this includes the three Cs: be clear, be candid, and be consistent.

Be Curious

When you as questions and come from a place of curiosity, you’re showing the person receiving the feedback genuine interest and an openness to their perspective.

Make Connections

Always ensure your feedback is connected to tangible and specific examples. In doing so, your recommendations will be more helpful and have a greater impact.

How to Deliver Clear Feedback that Drives Mission Impact

To learn how to deliver clear, candid, and consistent feedback more effectively, download the guide.

We’ll also add you to our mailing list to receive our monthly communication insights and leadership guidance to navigate the year ahead.

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Is Your Organization’s Social Media Strategy Aligned with Your Values?

Social impact organizations and nonprofits are coming to a social media crossroads, needing to decide whether their current social media strategy is working for them (if they have one) and whether that strategy aligns with their organizational values.

Given the rapid nature of change across social media platforms, we believe it’s best practice for organizations to audit their social media platforms quarterly. An audit can ensure you’re on the platforms that make the most sense for your audiences and are most aligned with your values.

To conduct your own audit, start with the why, bring some wisdom, and choose the way. We call this the Mission Partners’ WWW Framework to align social media strategy with organizational values.

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Start with the Why

Ensure there is a clear reason to invest the time and energy in each platform you’re on, and ask yourself, “Why are we on this platform and is our audience there?”

Bring Some Wisdom

It’s essential to establish broader awareness of the social media landscape and perform due diligence on the parent companies behind each platform.

Choose the Way

Using your new strategic toolbox, you can now move forward as a trusted leader and choose the best way for your organization.

Is Your Organization’s Social Media Strategy Aligned with Your Values?

To explore this framework further and to help you align your social media strategy with your organization’s values, download the guide.

We’ll also add you to our mailing list to receive our monthly communication insights and leadership guidance to navigate the year ahead.

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How to Respond to Breaking News

Each day brings news that leaders must evaluate and, in doing so, determine, “Do I say something?” Sometimes, a public statement is warranted; other times, a personal note is more effective. Of course, there will also be times when saying nothing is appropriate.

Whatever the response, rationale matters. This guide offers a framework for leaders to communicate decisively and confidently when news is breaking.

Use Mission Partners’ Power of Three decision-making framework to help you evaluate the news and determine the best approach for your communications.

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Start with Mission

When news breaks, and you’re considering a response, ask yourself first: Does this news pose a threat or direct impact to my organization’s mission—our reason for being?

Assess the Risk

If the situation could have a direct impact on your day-to-day operations or services, be prepared to communicate about it.

Add Value

Ask yourself: will we be adding more value or noise to this situation? If you intend to communicate publicly, do so with the intent to add value.

How to Respond to Breaking News

For more guiding questions and specific steps to help you make better decisions during moments of breaking news, download the guide.

We’ll also add you to our mailing list to receive our monthly communication insights and leadership guidance to navigate the year ahead.

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Communicating Through Volatility

Volatility is inevitable. Whether it’s a sudden change in our relationships, a merger of organizations, or stress from the political landscape, uncertainty rooted in volatility can weigh on us.

Volatility is often met with increased social tensions and heightened emotions—but it also provides an opportunity to lead with vulnerability and invite others to do the same.

Purpose-driven leaders must be equipped with the skills to shepherd their organizations through the storm in a way that reinforces what their organization stands for.

This type of leadership can feel daunting, though, which is why Mission Partners developed our Communicating Through Volatility resource. To help guide purpose-driven leaders through these moments of transition.

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Keep an Open Mind

Starting from a place of curiosity, acknowledging different viewpoints, receiving feedback, and listening more than you speak foster the healthiest environment for productive conversations.

Invest in Your Organizational Culture

Leading proactively, with empathy, and by example will ensure you’re establishing a healthy organizational culture around effective communication.

Communicate Thoughtfully

How you communicate is as important as what you communicate. Prioritize clarity, honesty, and consistency while balancing speaking with pausing.

Communicating Through Volatility

Download the resource to learn more and challenge yourself to practice these skills with your team.

We’ll also add you to our mailing list to receive our monthly communication insights and leadership guidance to navigate the year ahead.

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From Soft Skills to Hard Truths

The Role of Executive Communication in Advancing Business Strategies and the Public Good

As workplaces rapidly evolve to meet societal and stakeholder needs—from more inclusive policies to more holistic benefit packages—executives understand that their core skillset must evolve as well. Skills once deemed soft, such as empathy, emotional intelligence, and openness to feedback, are now the differentiating skills between good executives and great leaders.

Soft skills are essential for today’s C-suite leaders, but the hard truth is that they do not come naturally to everyone and can backfire if applied incorrectly.

Mission Partners surveyed 831 purpose-driven leaders from across the United States to rate their own effectiveness as a communicator and change agent. Findings show that the same leaders who highly value communication as a business strategy under-invest in growing their skills. And most leaders grapple with their roles as executive communicators, particularly in trying times.

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Communications Strategy is Key

¾ of respondents view internal and external communications as very important tools to move their work forward.

Under-Investment in Personal Skills

Nearly half of the respondents only commit between 10–50 hours per year to develop their own communications skills. That’s less than 2.5% of the total work hours in a year.

Challenging Times

51% of purpose-driven leaders cite “leading through challenging moments” as one of their top communications challenges.

From Soft Skills to Hard Truths

Learn more about our findings, and how leaders can tap into the hard skills of communication to advance business strategies and the public good.

We’ll also add you to our mailing list to receive our monthly communication insights and leadership guidance to navigate the year ahead.

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For more support on moving your mission forward, reach out. We’ll always be here, as your mission partners.

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