did you know that only 144 nonprofits have grown to budgets exceeding $50 million in exchange since 1970? (See source below).

You’ll probably be surprised to learn this, but the reality is that all you have to do is think about the nonprofits in your neighborhood. Most of the 1.5 million nonprofit organizations in the United States operate with budgets of less than $1 million. There are a few factors as to why this happens, but one reason is that there are only a handful of leaders who have been able to grow their organizations to dominate the industry.

People who become CEOs of nonprofits and their core team members, such as chief development officers, should seek out mentors to help them break through the ceiling. Years ago, when I founded a nonprofit organization and grew it to a budget of more than $70 million in less than five years, I relied on the expert advice and counsel of others. Formal or informal mentors helped me do something that few have done before or since.

If you want to grow and have your nonprofit dominate, then one of the first things you should do is find a mentor who has done it before and ask them to become your sounding board. When looking for a nonprofit leader who can help take you to the next level, think about the following qualities:

• Experience: The first thing you want to make sure your mentor has is experience. If he or she has run an organization that has a budget of more than $1 million, you are looking in the right place. He would start by making a list of people who run nonprofits with budgets in excess of $5 million. And, as your nonprofit grows, you can find mentors who manage organizations with budgets greater than $10 million, $20 million, etc.
• Entrepreneur vs. Sustain:There are two types of leaders, and when you are looking for a mentor, you need to be clear about the type of person who will help you. If your nonprofit is a start-up, look for someone who explicitly has that kind of experience. However, if your organization has been around for a while and is in growth mode, find a mentor leader who knows how to grow an existing group. Entrepreneurs have different skills and mindsets than those building an existing organization.
• Transformational Leader: No matter who you look for, someone who is an entrepreneur or a sustainable developer, you want a transformational leader. In my experience, leaders who substantially grow their organizations are visionary and inspiring. They set a course and a direction. They empower their teams. And they are never satisfied with the way things are; in other words, they are seeking to transform the reality of how things currently exist.
• Discretion: When looking for a mentor, you have to find someone who will keep your confidences in the proverbial vault. The reality is that in order to talk to someone about growing and developing your business and leadership, you will probably have to divulge things that are confidential and private. The mentor you choose should be someone you trust and who has a reputation for keeping confidences.
• Thought leadership: Nonprofit leaders who have been able to develop organizations beyond industry averages are people who, by definition, are thought leaders. If someone has grown a charity to $10 million, $25 million, $50 million or more, he is doing something that very few people have done. And, because there are so few, the reality is that these individuals are likely to be opinion leaders. They are helping to create the defining narrative within the nonprofit sector.

Finally, when looking for a mentor, find someone who is generous with their time and who values ​​having this type of relationship with you. Mentors and those who have done what you are looking to do are a great resource for inspiration, ideas, and to learn about challenges and opportunities. As in everything, this learning takes time and perseverance. Your mentor will need to be open to being on the journey with you.

Font: Social Innovation Standard Reviewhttps://ssir.org/articles/entry/the_new_nonprofit_ipo