Mission & Vision Statements

Got involved in writing mission and vision statements for an internal group. Through the process I got to refresh my understanding of mission and vision. To be short, think of vision as "we envision a world where..." (the final success state; ideal) and mission as "to do what for whom" (what we do/achieve). Both need to be high level and bold; kind of vague but still unique and impressive. I think one should start with the current states/problems, and envision an ideal state and then think of a plan to reach there, and finally from there can drill down to KPIs/OKRs. So write Vision first and followed by Mission. It should all start with genuine observation and thinking.

Found this great resource:

https://topnonprofits.com/vision-mission/

https://topnonprofits.com/examples/nonprofit-mission-statements/

https://topnonprofits.com/examples/vision-statements/

In case they'll get lost on the web, copied below --

50 EXAMPLE MISSION STATEMENTS

An organization’s mission statement should clearly communicate what it is that they do. Many mission statements succumb to an overuse of words in general, but especially jargon.  Good mission statements should be clear, concise, and useful. Some might also add “inspiring” to the list of descriptors. We don’t altogether disagree, but we find that including this as an upfront criteria often ends up with a Frankenstein that is a part mission, part vision statement (desired end-state), and almost always too long.

General Findings

The best mission statements are clear, concise, and useful (informs. focuses. guides.)Avg length for the full 50 organizations listed here is only 15.3 words (excluding brand references)Avg length for the first 20 organizations below is only 9.5 words (excluding brand references).The shortest contains only two words (TED)The longest contained 235 words (UNHCR)

50 Mission Statements from Top Nonprofits

TED: Spreading Ideas. (2 words)

The Humane Society: Celebrating Animals, Confronting Cruelty. (4 words)

Smithsonian: The increase and diffusion of knowledge. (6 words)

Monterey Bay Aquarium: To inspire conservation of the oceans. (6)

Wounded Warrior Project: To honor and empower wounded warriors. (6)

Best Friends Animal Society: A better world through kindness to animals. (7)

Kiva: To connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. (8)

Livestrong: To inspire and empower people affected by cancer. (8)

Invisible Children: To bring a permanent end to LRA atrocities. (8)

Public Broadcasting System (PBS): To create content that educates, informs and inspires. (8)

USO lifts the spirits of America’s troops and their families. (9)

Human Rights Campaign Working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. (9)

National Wildlife Federation: Inspiring Americans to protect wildlife for our children’s future. (9)

Oxfam: To create lasting solutions to poverty, hunger, and social injustice. (10)

charity: water: Bringing clean, safe drinking water to people in developing countries. (10)

American Heart Association: To build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. (10)

Environmental Defense Fund: To preserve the natural systems on which all life depends. (10)

New York Public Library: To inspire lifelong learning, advance knowledge, and strengthen our communities. (10)

The Nature Conservancy: To conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. (11)

CARE: To serve individuals and families in the poorest communities in the world. (12)

National Parks Conservation Association: To protect and enhance America’s National Park System for present and future generations. (13)

JDRF: To find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. (14)

Heifer International: To work with communities to end hunger and poverty and care for the Earth. (14)

ASPCA: To provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. (15)

Defenders of Wildlife: The protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities. (15)

Amnesty International: To undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of these rights. (15)

Creative Commons develops, supports, and stewards legal and technical infrastructure that maximizes digital creativity, sharing, and innovation. (15)

March of Dimes: We help moms have full-term pregnancies and research the problems that threaten the health of babies. (16)

American Diabetes Association: To prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. (16)

Habitat for Humanity International: Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope. (16)

In Touch Ministries: To lead people worldwide into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and to strengthen the local church. (17)

Cleveland Clinic: To provide better care of the sick, investigation into their problems, and further education of those who serve. (18)

The U.S. Fund for UNICEF fights for the survival and development of the world’s most vulnerable children and protects their basic human rights. (18)

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. (18)

Teach for America: Growing the movement of leaders who work to ensure that kids growing up in poverty get an excellent education. (20)

Save the Children: To inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. (20)

San Diego Zoo is a conservation, education, and recreation organization dedicated to the reproduction, protection, and exhibition of animals, plants, and their habitats. (20)

Ducks Unlimited conserves, restores, and manages wetlands and associated habitats for North America’s waterfowl. These habitats also benefit other wildlife and people. (20)

Make-A-Wish: We grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. (21)

American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. (21)

National Multiple Sclerosis Society: We mobilize people and resources to drive research for a cure and to address the challenges of everyone affected by MS. (21)

Doctors without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) works in nearly 70 countries providing medical aid to those most in need regardless of their race, religion, or political affiliation. (21)

Feeding America: To feed America’s hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks and engage our country in the fight to end hunger. (22)

Susan G Komen for the Cure is fighting every minute of every day to finish what we started and achieve our vision of a world without breast cancer. (24)

Audubon: To conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity. (24)

Mayo Clinic: To inspire hope and contribute to health and well-being by providing the best care to every patient through integrated clinical practice, education and research. (24)

The Rotary Foundation: To enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty. (24)

AARP: To enhance quality of life for all as we age. We lead positive social change and deliver value to members through information, advocacy and service. (25)

Boy Scouts of America: To prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law. (25)

NPR: To work in partnership with member stations to create a more informed public – one challenged and invigorated by a deeper understanding and appreciation of events, ideas and cultures. (28)

Definition

Vision Statement: (Desired End-State) A one-sentence statement describing the clear and inspirational long-term desired change resulting from an organization or program’s work.

30 Example Vision Statements

Human Rights Campaign: Equality for everyone (3)

Feeding America: A hunger-free America (4 words)

Alzheimer’s Association: A world without Alzheimer’s (4)

Oxfam: A just world without poverty (5 words)

National Multiple Sclerosis Society: A World Free of MS (5)

The Nature Conservancy: To leave a sustainable world for future generations. (8)

Make-A-Wish: That people everywhere will share the power of a wish (10)

Habitat for Humanity: A world where everyone has a decent place to live. (10)

San Diego Zoo: To become a world leader at connecting people to wildlife and conservation. (12)

NPR, with its network of independent member stations, is America’s pre-eminent news institution (12)

Ducks Unlimited is wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. (13)

Oceana seeks to make our oceans as rich, healthy and abundant as they once were. (14)

In Touch Ministries: proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ to people in every country of the world. (14)

Cleveland Clinic: Striving to be the world’s leader in patient experience, clinical outcomes, research and education. (14)

Save the Children: A world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development, and participation. (15)

Teach for America: One day, all children in this nation will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education. (16)

Smithsonian: Shaping the future by preserving our heritage, discovering new knowledge, and sharing our resources with the world (17)

ASPCA: That the United States is a humane community in which all animals are treated with respect and kindness. (18)

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. (18)

World Vision: For every child, life in all its fullness; Our prayer for every heart, the will to make it so (19)

Clinton Foundation: To implement sustainable programs that improve access worldwide to investment, opportunity, and lifesaving services now and for future generations. (19)

Goodwill: Every person has the opportunity to achieve his/her fullest potential and participate in and contribute to all aspects of life. (21)

Boy Scouts of America: To prepare every eligible youth in America to become a responsible, participating citizen and leader who is guided by the Scout Oath and Law. (24)

WWF: We seek to save a planet, a world of life. Reconciling the needs of human beings and the needs of others that share the Earth… (25)

Kiva: We envision a world where all people – even in the most remote areas of the globe – hold the power to create opportunity for themselves and others. (26)

Amnesty International: A world in which every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights instruments. (26)

charity: water believes that we can end the water crisis in our lifetime by ensuring that every person on the planet has access to life’s most basic need — clean drinking water. (28)

Special Olympics: To transform communities by inspiring people throughout the world to open their minds, accept and include people with intellectual disabilities and thereby anyone who is perceived as different. (28)

Creative Commons: Nothing less than realizing the full potential of the Internet — universal access to research and education, full participation in culture — to drive a new era of development, growth, and productivity. (30)

VFW: Ensure that veterans are respected for their service, always receive their earned entitlements, and are recognized for the sacrifices they and their loved ones have made on behalf of this great country. (32)