At Ascendant, we're very interested in how organizations in the not-for-profit space can work together to acheive mission results. And we're especially interested in how we can facilitate connections that would not ordinarily be made.

Once upon a time, on NPR, there was a radio program called "Connections." Connections was all about the seemingly random connections that link things together. Over time, the show lost its way a little bit, but the premise holds true: You can learn a lot from a random connection.

Right now, there's a lot of siloed behavior in the NFP space. Catholic organizations only want to learn from other Catholic organizations, wildlife protection groups don't feel they have a lot of connections with healthcare advocacy.

Without minimizing the unique challenges each of the NFP sectors face, there's actually a lot to be learned from each other. That's where we at Ascendant beleive the Balanced Scorecard can play a role.

By reducing the complexity of a strategy down to a strategy map and set of objectives, measures, and initiatives, it's possible to look beyond the complexity and see the similiarities between organizations: around fundraising, donor engagement, and the like.

Have you used the BSC in your NFP? Has it helped explain what you do to people outside your sector? Has it helped collaboration? Let us know!

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