Nonprofits are an undeniable economic driver — the more than 4,000 Quad Cities nonprofits make our community a better place for young people to grow up, for tourists to visit, and for all of us to live.
They also face many of the same responsibilities and challenges as for-profit businesses.
Those challenges were the subject of a presentation at the Quad Cities Community Foundation in January. Nicole Cisne Durbin, CEO of Family Resources and a member of the Center for Nonprofit Excellence advisory committee, discussed the innovative ways her organization is sustaining their mission while supporting employees and meeting the ever-growing list of operational demands, often on a limited budget. It’s a challenge.
That’s why the Community Foundation launched the Center for Nonprofit Excellence last year. The center allows us to learn from and support the innovative nonprofits that are making our region an amazing place to live for everyone.
At Family Resources, Ms. Durbin is finding creative ways to make the organization more efficient, more attractive to new recruits, and better able to serve the community. One big change that aims to achieve all three of these goals is Family Resources’ 32-hour work week.
“The change wasn’t for everyone, and we’ve had questions from funders about productivity,” she shared. “But now, more than nine months in, our surveys are showing the highest employee satisfaction we’ve had in 16 years, and we’ve only become more effective in our work.”
Ms. Durbin described it as a future-oriented idea. Competition for candidates is stronger than ever, and offering great benefits and work-life balance can help tip the scale for nonprofits trying to attract the best applicants.
The same challenge of filling open positions and providing a stable and fulfilling career for employees impacts private sector and nonprofit organizations alike.
We supported Family Resources’ efforts through our Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants, which provide up to $20,000 for organizations to improve effectiveness and sustainability. Organizations use these funds to improve technology, provide professionalization resources for staff, and enhance their physical space. Family Resources used their grant to plan, strategize, and implement the programs that have resulted in higher retention and employee satisfaction rates.
Our region relies on nonprofits. That’s not going to change in the future. We are here to collaborate with the innovative organizations that are leading the sector, help them share their success, and offer the support they need to grow their mission. •
Sue Hafkemeyer is president and CEO of the Quad Cities Community Foundation. For more information, visit www.QCCommunityFoundation.org or call (563) 326-2840.
