The mission statement communicates the nonprofit's purpose, what groups it serves, and how it plans to do so. For a new nonprofit, developing the mission statement is a critical first step in defining what the organization plans to do and what makes it different from other organizations in the same field.

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Expressing an organization's mission in clear and concise terms can be a difficult process, requiring input from individual board members, staff, volunteers, and other groups. Although this process requires time and effort, a well-crafted mission statement will provide direction and purpose for the organization, motivate staff and volunteers, appeal to donors and other supporters, and provide a means of evaluating organizational achievement.

To learn more about creating a mission statement for a new organization, see our Establishing a Nonprofit Organization tutorial.

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