The mission statement of a nonprofit organization is an invaluable tool. It relays the purpose and values of the organization to stakeholders and serves as a reminder to the board and staff of what they are trying to accomplish. As such, it’s important for an organization’s mission statement and its purpose to align.

To help with developing mission statements and reviewing existing mission statements for accuracy and efficacy, BoardSource has developed the “Nine Characteristics of a Mission Statement.” They suggest referring to these characteristics when developing or revising mission statements.

To access this tool, click here to download. You can also view other resources from BoardSource here.