Each consulting engagement provides a forum for me to hone my associative thinking skills – an opportunity to make connections across ideas and customers – and to see patterns.  I did just that in 2008 when I designed a new, synergistic service delivery model for Rebuilding Together Metro Denver while consulting on their strategic business plan.  RTMD was part of Rose Community Foundation’s 3-year BOOST initiative.

Little did I know at the time that I was on the forefront of a movement – to name and claim the nonprofit business model.  After my ah ha with Rebuilding Together, I found myself continually going back to that initial idea and fleshing it out.  I read, chatted, learned, and absorbed what I could on this nonprofit business model notion.  Then, ta da (and two years in the skunk works), the Synergistic Business Model^™ framework was born.

Foresight – Perception of the significance and nature of events before they have occurred. Sometimes foresight is easier to see after it has occurred.

If you’re looking for consultants to bring foresights to you, give Team Corona a call.

The next era nonprofit is being (re)created right now.  It embraces community relevance and impact as it searches for the Holy Grail – sustainability.

Corona Insights is leading a workshop for Denver’s Social Venture Partners on the five fundamentals of sustainable, next era nonprofits. Join us on February 17 from 7:30-9:30 am to learn about these fundamentals, Corona’s cutting-edge approach to business model sustainability, and the insights and foresights we’ve gathered on the future of the sector .  The SVP workshop, open to 50 participants, will focus on:

• The fundamentals of nonprofit sustainability
• The importance of strategy and business model design for sustainable nonprofits
• The board’s role in sustainability

Contact Pat Landrum, Executive Director of SVP Denver, for more information and to RSVP.

The six most dreaded words in any group endeavor – “I didn’t sign up for that.”

Imagine being the CEO of an organization and hearing those comments from your Board of Directors as you face down the third year of deficit spending.

It’s one thing to assume others are accountable.   It’s another to hold them accountable.  Let’s be honest, human beings can be very good at wiggling out of accountability.

The word accountability – an obligation and willingness to accept responsibility – can come across as a bit hum drum.  Perhaps it’s the close relationship to the word accountant.  The notion of counting beans and checking numbers.  Sorry guys, not what I call fun.

In actuality, accountability is audacious.  It’s daring, and can even appear to be recklessly bold.  It would have been daring and bold if a board member had challenged his/her peers to be accountable.  It might have come across as a bit reckless.  After all, that would have meant discarding normal constraints (e.g., we don’t challenge authority, we don’t speak out, we don’t fund raise) in service to the organization.

Now that’s the audacity of accountability.

We’d be remiss if we let a poor practice ruin the meaning of a word.  So I dusted off the virtual dictionary and found myself inspired.

To be resolute is to be marked by firm determination. To be resolute is to be bold and steady.   What an awesome combination.  After all, boldness that is fleeting isn’t really very bold at all.

Make one promise to be bold, steady and determined this year – all year long.

This article also heralds Corona Insights’ partnership with CausePlanet.org, an online resource for nonprofit leaders. For years, CausePlanet.org has been showcasing the latest thinking in the nonprofit sector through their Page to Practice™ book summaries, as well as blogs and relevant articles. Through this ongoing relationship, Corona and CausePlanet.org will continue to synthesize the best thinking and publications out there for you.

Ah ha!  A nonprofit business model is a description of how an organization operates.  How simple is that?  Haven’t we been describing our models all along?  Nope.  Not really.

Publications, such as the Nonprofit Quarterly, and consultants like yours truly have brought the concept to the forefront.  Why?   Sustainable nonprofit organizations in today’s world are designed upon a fundamental premise – a business model that works.

A working nonprofit business model must be designed well – and with intention.  I believe philosophical clarity is the starting point.  This meaningful foundation keeps us from “chasing the money.” Instead, we are answering fundamental questions:

• What philosophy guides our programming?
• Does our funding model support annual operations and long-term growth?
• How can we consciously design our funding to fit our programs and engage the community with our mission?

As a framework for nonprofits, Corona Insights’ offers the Synergistic Business Model, which has three basic components – programs, financial resources and community engagement.  After all, what is the nonprofit sector if it isn’t serving community?  Sounds pretty logical to me.

To learn more about the Synergistic Business Model, click here.

Too many nonprofits – and the same is true for businesses and governments – have business models that simply don’t work any longer.  The media is filled with stories of unsustainable institutions, whether they are cities like Denver (reliant on sales tax), the legal profession (deliver services in the billable 15 minute increment), or nonprofits (dependent upon contracts or grants from sources in decline).

Ultimately, it’s not a matter of what we call it but how soon can it be addressed.  We can argue the term – I don’t like it; it sounds too corporate; how do we define it?  Or, we can get to the work at hand, namely designing nonprofit organizations that align with today’s realities, demands, and opportunities.  Let’s embrace the nonprofit business model with the best of intentions in service to communities and customers.

These are the opening words of The Women’s Foundation of Colorado‘s new strategic plan, and we couldn’t agree more! In June 2011, Corona Insights wrapped up a transformational strategic planning process with the Foundation.

With new leadership in place, WFCO came to Corona because they needed a game plan for the future. Their annual Denver Luncheon was the “must attend” event of the year and their research on the Cliff Effect was still garnering attention. However, they knew there was untapped potential and they needed help to chart that bold path forward.

With the aid of a  savvy Strategy Task Force, Corona helped WFCO get “unstuck.” It was time to reconsider out-dated language, transactional approaches, necessary capacity and core organizational strengths. It was time to truly be the voice for women and girls in Colorado! It was time to build philanthropy and inspire collective action!

WFCO is definitely living into their new strategic direction. Check out their beautiful brochure! We love the moving, sassy  messaging. In particular, we’re proud of the reference to Corona’s “Five Fundamentals for Nonprofit Sustainability” on page 2.

The Sustainability Study Committee was asked to serve as a think tank and consider all options to create a sustainable business model for the organization.  It is widely recognized that the national orchestral industry was and is going through major change, with many organizations facing decline and others attempting turnaround.  I maintained during the sustainability process that the Colorado Symphony could be the organization to create the new business model for its industry.

True organizational turnaround is tough.  The process is jarring and the result uncertain. It is a process that requires collective courage and shared belief in a better future. A wise person said, “Faith is going to the edge of all that you are and taking one more step.”  The symphony is at the edge; we’ll see where the next step takes them. We wish them good luck going forward, as we all want to see the organization thrive.

We have enjoyed working with the Colorado Symphony and continue to believe that the organization has great potential for sustainability in service to the community.

About the awards:  Hosted by the Colorado Chapter of the American Marketing Association (CO-AMA), the 23rd Annual Peak Awards “are the one opportunity for the entire Colorado marketing community (B2B, B2C, traditional to direct to digital marketing) to be recognized for exceptional marketing.”

The event was held at the ever-changing Museum of Contemporary Art.  Several members of the Corona team were present to accept this award.

An extra congratulations to some past Corona customers and familiar faces who received awards this year: Iliff School of Theology and The Space Foundation.

Click here to read about Corona’s Silver Peak award last year for our rebranding.