Surprise! Agile’s Effect on Nonprofit Organizations

12.14.18 | Kendrea Williams |

If you are currently a Scrum Master, you’ve probably heard this a thousand times:

“Scrum is an Agile framework that is used to build complex products and/or software…incrementally.”

But let’s say you’re not a Scrum Master. Nor do you have any experience with Agile methodologies and the frameworks within them. Did you know that it’s possible to take an Agile framework, such as Scrum or Kanban, and apply it to the management of projects outside tech to other industries?

Yes – it’s true.

Imagine using Agile outside the world of tech. Perhaps managing a nonprofit’s fundraising campaign or its marketing strategy? Or, maybe applying it to something as simple as planning a family vacation?

If it is efficiency you desire, then it’s time to adopt an Agile framework. It may help you get to your end goal faster, and with fewer errors and hiccups.

Scrum Starts with the End in Mind

No matter what the goal, starting with the end in mind allows a project to be effectively divided into separate small and manageable tasks.

When applying Agile principles, Scrum emphasizes dividing large pieces of work into manageable tasks amongst the team. This allows the team to complete and deliver their assigned tasks while being able to remain flexible in the event the needs of the organization change, or the goal of the overall project to become obsolete.

Scrum also allows you to identify inefficiencies early in a project while increasing transparency. This process reduces the potential of unnecessary financial and human capital waste later on in a project.

Real Impact: Implementing Agile Frameworks

Agile environments allow self-organized teams to collaborate and share ideas. The goal of this method is to produce solutions and successfully manage the ever-changing needs of a project, as a team.

Below are a few nonprofit organizations who have seen tremendous success by dropping traditional project structures and organizational management and implementing Agile frameworks such as Scrum.

• New BoCo – a nonprofit organization focused on making their community more resilient to the changing economy by supporting entrepreneurship, innovation and tech education. The organization uses Agile frameworks to manage their projects.
• Data Arts – a national nonprofit service organization that promotes data-informed decision making in the arts and cultural sector. They accomplish this primarily by providing access to high-quality financial and programmatic data collected through its flagship service, the Cultural Data Profile (CDP). The organization uses Agile frameworks to provide program-based data to its constituents efficiently.
• Vermont Arts Council – a nonprofit organization that is committed to building a culture in Vermont where art, culture, and creativity are at the heart of our communities. The organization uses Agile principles to manage various methods of communication, across the organization.

How Can We Help You?

When it comes to nonprofits, organizational leaders can use Scrum to understand their “organizational why,” as it provides a process for organizations to deconstruct their goals and activities using impact mapping and other techniques.

These techniques can help an organization determine which specific actions or tasks hold the highest value, and which functions should be acted upon sooner rather than later.

I’m a huge fan of the mission at beLithe: helping individuals be catalysts for organizational transformations using Agile frameworks for empowering impactful, dynamic results.

If you’re in the nonprofit world and struggling to meet your organization’s lofty ambitions, Team #Slinkythink can help. Shoot an email to marketing@belithe.com and mention this post to sign up for a complimentary assessment.

But wait, there’s more: check out VAULT, the 2019 programming open enrollment calendar featuring Agile frameworks training, soft skills development, and much more.

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