My recent blog “Planting Perennials rather than Annuals. The changing face of Non Profit Agencies.” Raised a number of questions and posed the radical need for change.

I was asked a number of questions as to “how do you change the model from planting the seeds of change from annuals to perennials?

Well here is my strategic operating model.

#1 Change the mental model from “Band Aid to Root Cause”.

#2 Develop a strategic community-partnering plan that moves the organization fromfundraiser to community leader.

#3 Change the operating and strategic model, which in turn results in a radical change in long-term sustainable community involvement and sponsorship relations and outcomes.

#4 Over a period of time move the “balance of funding to your agencies” from current to future state”.

#5 Focus relationship advancement to specific community needs.

#6 Radical breakthrough in new funding is achieved through advancing “ high level community leadership- relations focus “ aligned to specific community needs.

The key is to move your organization from a fundraiser to a future state where it isthe community leader.

Where the focus is working with agencies working together, to promote mergers of talent and resources through alignment of missions and focus dollars into outcomes rather than to services and processes.

Togetherness and an oneness create huge value.

In any event I subscribe to “resource gathering” rather than fund raising as communities have much more to offer than purely raising money. The togetherness of working with local organizations such as Rotary, Lions, Chamber of Commerce, the business community and more is key to truly forging a United Way.

I have found that there is much more of value in the community then dollars and that’s bringing together the talent of all of those who volunteer their time tirelessly for their community for a single purpose.

Thanks go to my friend Scott Dzurka, President and CEO of Michigan Association of United Ways with whom I had an invaluable conversation and whose input is included in my blog.