Crafting Effective Mission and Vision Statements for Catholic Nonprofits

Importance of Mission and Vision Statements

Mission and vision statements are essential guideposts for any organization, especially for small nonprofits or ministries. These foundational documents help your ministry execute, evaluate, grow, and adapt your organization’s purpose and direction.

When clearly defined, mission and vision statements can motivate staff members and guide projects. They create organizational clarity and a sense of purpose. Conversely, an organization without these statements may jump indiscriminately from activity to activity just to sustain its present state.

Understanding Mission and Vision Statements

Mission Statement

A mission statement explains why your ministry exists—its purpose and objectives. It is a statement of the present.

Vision Statement

A vision statement focuses on the ministry’s goals and inspires action. It is a statement of the future.

Many organizations hire or ask a trained professional to help guide them through identifying and creating their mission and vision statements. For small nonprofits or ministries, the process must be conducted with the input of essential staff members, board members, or key stakeholders and/or volunteers in the organization; let’s refer to this group as our “invested group.” Different points of views should be considered when crafting these statements, and often an outsider’s perspective better facilitates the process.

Crafting Your Mission Statement

Many organizations hire professionals to help create their mission and vision statements. For small nonprofits or ministries, this process should involve essential staff members, board members, key stakeholders, and volunteers—let’s call this group our “invested group.” Different viewpoints should be considered, and often an outsider’s perspective can facilitate the process better.

Asking Key Questions

Before defining your vision, you must understand your ministry’s mission by asking:

• Why do you exist? (Purpose)
• Who do you serve, and where? (Target Audience and Location)
• How do you serve? (Methods)

Reflect and gather answers to questions like:

• What was your first sense of the organization’s values and beliefs? (What)
• Who do these values and beliefs serve? (Who)
• Why does this organization exist? (Why)
• How are these beliefs and values extended? (How)

Use these insights to construct a statement:

• We are…
• We believe…
• Therefore, we do…

Examples of Mission Statements

• Kiva: To connect people through lending to alleviate poverty.
• Watts of Love: A global solar lighting nonprofit bringing people the power to raise themselves out of the darkness of poverty.
• Catholic Relief Services: Carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas.

Developing Your Vision Statement

Once you have a clear mission statement, you can begin crafting the vision statement. Remember: the mission is where your organization is now, while the vision is where you want to be in the future. The vision statement will inform the decisions you make to lead your nonprofit into the future, such as an investment in a capital campaign or a refocusing on your core mission.

It can be helpful to start by considering a long-term vision for your nonprofit, and then zooming back in to a shorter-term vision based on that.

Visioning Process

Ask your invested group to reflect on:

• If money were no object, what are three wishes for your ministry? (Structural, Theoretical, Programming, Spiritual, etc.)
• List three needs for the sustenance and growth of the organization.
• List three potential threats to your organization.
• List three strengths of your organization.

Determining Organizational Values

Through group discussions, a picture of your organization’s values and trajectory should emerge. Identify critical values and think about what it will take to make the vision a reality.

Crafting the Statement

A good writer should collect the group’s input and draft the statements. Share drafts with staff and volunteers for feedback. Continue refining until the statement is finalized and accepted.

Examples of Vision Statements

• Kiva: We envision a world where all people hold the power to create opportunity for themselves and others.
• Watts of Love: To break the cycle of dependency on costly and dangerous kerosene by empowering individuals with a pathway to economic self-sufficiency through access to solar technology.
• Catholic Relief Services: We inspire to connect, to create, and to champion lasting change for poor and vulnerable people around the globe.

Key Considerations for Mission and Vision Statements

• Clear: Avoid vague language and jargon.
• Concise: Keep it short and to the point.
• Memorable: Ensure staff and volunteers can recite it from memory.
• Inspirational: Motivate and energize your audience.

 Developing effective mission and vision statements for your nonprofit are two of the most important task your organization will ever undertake. These essential strategic documents will guide almost all other organizational tasks, programs, and funding and promote intentional ministry.

Are you ready to take a new look at your organization's vision?

If so, click below for a PDF download at the end of this article will walk you through a process you can use to begin formulating your organization’s long-term vision.

 Access the free PDF here >>

Tara Doyon is Director of Stewardship and Development for St. Paul Catholic Center at the University of Indiana. Tara excels at leading organizations in mission and vision exercises as well as building development programs from scratch.