Insights from Matt Scott, author and co-founder of Causemic, about his book “The High Growth Nonprofit: Proven Steps to Quickly Double Your Revenue and Drive Impact.” The conversation revolves around the importance of growth for nonprofit organizations and how it ties to success and driving impact. Matt emphasizes the need for resources, such as funding, people, brand awareness, and technology, to achieve an organization’s mission. He acknowledges that growth is not always necessary for every nonprofit and depends on the organization’s specific goals and needs.
The hosts discuss the association between growth and success in the nonprofit sector and the challenges organizations face in standing out among the 1.8 million registered nonprofits in the US. They highlight the role of growth in increasing brand awareness and impact, allowing organizations to reach more people and communities in need.
Matt emphasizes the importance of driving revenue without harming impact. He shares his experience at Team Rubicon, a disaster relief organization, where they measured impact not only in terms of the number of disasters responded to but also the impact on the community and the individuals they served. He suggests aligning growth with the organization’s mission and ensuring that revenue increases and staffing align with the desired impact.
The conversation also touches upon the influx of growth experienced by nonprofits due to government funding, such as the ARPA and CARES Act. Matt explains that organizations that invest in their growth infrastructure are more likely to sustain growth even after the initial influx of funding. He shares his own experience at Causemic, where a small capital investment helped them expand their team and double their revenue during the pandemic.
The hosts discuss the importance of continuous learning and professional development within nonprofit organizations. They highlight the need to identify individual learning styles and align them with the organization’s goals and skill requirements. Matt suggests implementing regular retrospectives and after-action reports to identify areas for improvement and learning opportunities.
Towards the end of the episode, Matt talks about his book, which is available for free to anyone working or volunteering at a nonprofit. He encourages organizations to use the book as a tool for team discussions and self-reflection, providing new perspectives on growth and strategies to achieve it.
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