Stakeholders:

• Local Education Non-profit (redacted)

Background:

A culture assessment is essential for a local nonprofit serving families in education as it directly influences organizational effectiveness, employee satisfaction, talent attraction, alignment with mission and values, adaptability, community impact, and stakeholder trust.

Embracing the ethos that "culture is the only competitive advantage" emphasizes the pivotal role that a positive and purpose-driven culture plays in ensuring the nonprofit's long-term success and impact.

This culture assessment reviewed a non-profit organization’s Purpose, Mission, Behavior, Recognition, Rituals, and Cues. The name of the organization and parts of the final report have been redacted for confidentiality.

The Challenge:

Organizations scaling up may face issues such as mission drift, employee well-being concerns, adapting to growth, and maintaining cultural elements like recognition and rituals, which can necessitate a culture assessment. This assessment becomes a strategic tool for identifying areas that need attention and ensuring that the organizational culture remains a driving force for positive employee experiences and community impact, even as the nonprofit grows and matures.

My Impact:

I conducted a pro-bono culture assessment through a desktop audit of the organization’s website, news articles, online employee reviews, and a qualitative interview with one staff member. I synthesized my analysis into a comprehensive culture assessment, presented to a member of the organization’s culture committee for consideration and implementation.

Key Skills:

• Information gathering

• Data analysis

• Qualitive interview techniques

• Organizational understanding

• Data visualization

• Report writing

• Critical evaluation

• Ethical conduct