How to write a mission statement

A mission statement concisely describes a charity’s fundamental and unique purpose. It defines, in no uncertain terms, who you are and who you serve.  

 

 

Why do you need a mission statement?

 

A mission statement is an essential piece of documentation for a charity. Not only does it clarify your purpose and provide a template for direction, but it holds decision-makers to account and acts as a motivator for staff, volunteers, and donors.

 

 

What does a mission statement need to include?

 

A mission statement should clearly and concisely explain what you do and who you represent. It should be brief, informative, and to the point. It should be free of buzzwords and jargon. It should be reviewed frequently, so it always reflects your goals and objectives accurately.

 

Writing a mission statement is a deceptively simple task. For instance, it’s easy to confuse mission statements with vision statements or taglines. And many on-profits run the risk of slipping into generalities or going overboard with confusing and formal language.

 

Take a look at our step-by-step guide to writing a charity mission statement.

 

 

Research

 

Conducting research is the first step when it comes to creating your mission statement. Look at examples from other charities. Compare them for length, accuracy, and clarity. Consider them for their external and internal impact. For example, are they providing focus and direction for the organisation, or are they little more than a public statement?

 

This helpful article from TopNonprofits looks at mission statement examples from fifty different charities, from Oxfam and Save the Children to New York Public Library and Metropolitan Museum of Art.

 

 

Recruit

 

Beth Clarke, Programme Manager at CAF, recommends that when it comes to writing your mission statement, you should include everyone involved in the organisation.

 

From staff, to stakeholders, trustees, and those benefitting from your service. She says, “People will have slightly different views of what they think it is [and] will have really good ways of expressing it that you may not have thought of.”

 

If your charity is large, you can avoid the prolonging the process by using focus groups or hiring an external consultant. Clarke says, “The most important thing is that your mission is felt, held and owned by the people who are delivering it.”

 

 

Build

 

The most challenging part of writing a mission statement is keeping the length down. Topnonprofits recommends aiming for five to fourteen words, or twenty words max. Such tight constraints can be daunting but using sentence building blocks can help. For example:

 

What: Define your goals and objectives. E.g., ‘to inspire, to empower, to help, to eradicate’

 

Who: Who are your targeted beneficiaries? E.g. babies and children, animals and the environment, people affected by poverty, victims of domestic violence, etc

 

How: What services do you provide? E.g. housing, health services, counselling, clean drinking water, etc

 

Why: Why do you provide these services? E.g. ‘equality, conservation, safeguarding, education and learning’

 

 

Streamline

 

Once you have your building blocks, share and discuss the statements with your team or focus group. Craft several versions of your mission statement and compare and contrast them.

 

Donorbox recommends choosing a minimum of two and a maximum of five mission statement building blocks to craft your mission statement. For example: “To serve (the what) individuals and families in the poorest communities in the world (the who)” – CARE

 

 

Test

 

Once you’ve narrowed it down, test your mission statement using the following questions: Is it easy to say and understand? Is it memorable? Are there any unnecessary words or punctuation? Is It too similar to another charity or non-profit?

 

Remember, your mission statement should be unique to your organisation and cause. If you need to differentiate yourself, consider defining yourself further by location or proximity.

 

Palace for life’s mission statement, for example, states: “We help young South Londoners grow through the power of sport, inspiring them to find a better path in life, for a better life.”

 

 

Publish

 

Once your statement has been tested and approved, don’t keep it hidden or behind an internal wall. Publish it on your website and print it on your marketing materials. Shout about it on social media and at your events. Get the word out about who you are and what you do.

 

Whether you’re writing a charity mission statement for the first time or reviewing an old one, it’s important to dedicate time and effort to craft a statement that is clear, memorable, guides, and inspires. Follow this guide and check out our other articles on writing for charities.