Nonprofit Mission Statement Examples: Inspiring and Effective Ways to Define Your Vision

A nonprofit mission statement defines the purpose of your organization. It provides clarity and direction and works as a foundation for all of your nonprofits activities. This document is what is looked to when decisions are made on your organization’s focus and goals. Often your statement will be drafted by your founder, board of directors and even staff can be recruited. This allows everyone to be on the same page when making any type of decision on your charity's behalf and helps to better plan strategies and prioritize which actions you should take.

These statements highlight your organization's objectives in simple terms by explaining why the nonprofit exists and who it serves. They can be as short as a sentence or as long as a paragraph. Whatever is necessary to convey your message in an impactful way in order to build credibility and inspire anyone who comes into contact with your organization. A solid mission statement also inspires trust and support from donors and volunteers by clearly communicating the organization's goals and values.

Differences Between a Mission Statement and Vision Statement

A mission statement and a vision statement both work to give your organization clear objectives as far as what it is, what it does and how it does it. The major difference between the two is the time period they cover and how your charity looks now and in the future.

Mission Statement 

A mission statement defines the organization's current purpose. It describes what the organization does, whom it serves, and how it serves them. It focuses on the present and outlines the organization's core activities and goals. A mission statement is often practical and specific, providing clarity on the organization's actions and objectives.

Vision Statement

A vision statement is forward-looking. It describes the long-term impact or desired future outcome the organization hopes to achieve. A vision statement is more aspirational and focuses on the bigger picture. It outlines the ultimate goal and serves as a source of inspiration for the organization’s future direction.

In summary:

• A mission statement answers "What do we do?"
• A vision statement answers "What do we want to achieve in the future?"

Why Mission Statements Matter for Nonprofits

A clear and effective mission statement is extremely important for any type of nonprofit organization as it defines the organization's purpose and serves as a guide for all of its actions well into the future. A strong statement helps clarify your nonprofit's goals and ensures that everyone involved understands the direction your organization is taking at all times by providing strategic clarity. This clarity helps your leaders and staff to constantly be focused on your charity's core objectives and goals and reduces the risk of individuals pursuing goals that are not in line with your organization's mission. This way you know that all of your resources and actions are aligned with their intended purpose which is always to positively impact your cause.

Another important aspect of a well written statement is that it provides a benchmark against which your nonprofit can measure its progress and impact. When you know the direct mission on hand clearly, you can more effectively see what is working and what areas need improving. This creates transparency and accountability within your organization, and a sense of trust when it comes to your supporters. It builds credibility and demonstrates that your organization is focused on making a meaningful impact and understands the direction it needs to take to achieve it.

Furthermore, a mission statement helps to create a unified identity for your nonprofit. It is your organization’s story and communicates its purpose to the public in a clear and heartfelt way. A compelling mission statement can inspire supporters, rally volunteers, and attract new donors. It plays an important role in promoting your nonprofit's identity and attracting others who share its vision and when written correctly becomes a powerful tool for any nonprofit seeking to make a lasting impact.

Characteristics of Great Nonprofit Mission Statements

An effective nonprofit mission statement is clear, concise, and inspiring and needs to communicate your organization's purpose in a way that is easy for everyone to understand. There should be no doubt exactly what your organization’s cause is and how it is moving forward to achieve it goals. This includes your own staff and supporters so they’re always clear when it comes to making decisions.

Clarity is the first key characteristic. Your mission statement should immediately communicate what your organization does and why it does it. Be clear and don’t include any unnecessary jargon or complex language. It needs to be straightforward and direct so that anyone reading it can quickly grasp your organization's purpose without needing to think it through.

Brevity is another important trait. You want your statement to be short and to the point. Short and clear statements are easier to remember and should communicate the essence of your nonprofit’s work without unnecessary details not needed to understand fully. Don’t weaken your message by adding extra information or making it too long. You should be able to state your statement in a matter of seconds on an elevator and the person listening to you would instantly know everything they need in order to decide if they want to know more.

Inspiration is also an extremely important element. The ideal statement should connect with readers at an emotional level and somehow inspire them to become part of your cause. It should convey a sense of purpose and passion and motivate individuals to support your organization’s cause. This can be done through compelling writing or a focus on the impact you’re trying to make. Either way, ultimately a great mission statement sparks interest and promotes people to get involved. Use words that demonstrate your nonprofit’s commitment to taking action, such as "empower," "provide," "support," or "improve." This type of language helps show that your organization is focused on its goals and actively working to achieve them!

Lastly, a focus on impact is essential. Great mission statements describe what your charity wants to achieve and that you’re dedicated to making lasting changes. This all helps supporters understand the difference their contributions can make and why your nonprofit's work matters.

Top 20 Nonprofit Mission Statement Examples

Here are 20 exemplary nonprofit mission statements, each accompanied by a link to the organization's website and an analysis of what makes each statement effective. These examples are meant to inspire you to write a great mission statement for your own charity or foundation and can really help you when brainstorming your own.

charity: water
Mission Statement: "We're a nonprofit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people around the world."
Website: charity: water
What's awesome about it: This mission statement is concise and clear, immediately conveying the organization's purpose. It specifies the action ("bringing clean and safe drinking water") and the beneficiaries ("people around the world"), making it easy for supporters to understand and inspire them to get involved.

The Nature Conservancy
Mission Statement: "To conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends."
Website: The Nature Conservancy
What's awesome about it: This statement focuses on the organization's commitment to environmental conservation and is immediately apparent. By emphasizing "lands and waters on which all life depends," it brings forth the universal importance of their work which helps them appeal to a broad audience concerned with ecological sustainability.

Khan Academy
Mission Statement: "Our mission is to provide a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere."
Website: Khan Academy
What's awesome about it: Khan Academy's mission is ambitious yet straightforward. By offering "free, world-class education," it addresses accessibility and the quality of their services in order to democratize education on a global scale. The inclusivity of "anyone, anywhere" broadens its appeal and impact to anyone the organization touches.

Human Rights Watch
Mission Statement: "Human Rights Watch defends the rights of people worldwide."
Website: Human Rights Watch
What's awesome about it: This is a very succinct and powerful statement. The use of "defends" conveys active engagement with those it serves while "people worldwide" indicates a global reach and works to emphasize the organization's dedication to universal human rights.

Oxfam
Mission Statement: "To create lasting solutions to poverty, hunger, and social injustice."
Website: Oxfam
What's awesome about it: Oxfam's statement addresses the critical global issues of poverty, hunger, and social injustice. The phrase "lasting solutions" suggests a focus on sustainable impact which appeals to supporters interested in long term change as well as immediate impact.

Doctors Without Borders
Mission Statement: "To provide lifesaving medical care to those most in need."
Website: Doctors Without Borders
What's awesome about it: This statement is clear and direct and emphasizes the terms "lifesaving medical care" and "those most in need." This helps to highlight the organization's humanitarian focus and commitment to vulnerable populations no matter their circumstances.

Teach For America
Mission Statement: "To enlist, develop, and mobilize as many as possible of our nation's most promising future leaders to grow and strengthen the movement for educational equity and excellence."
Website: Teach For America
What's awesome about it: This mission, although longer than the previous ones, emphasizes action with power words like "enlist, develop, and mobilize" while also placing focus on "educational equity and excellence." This type of mission statement appeals to individuals driven to lead and effect systemic change in education in America.

Feeding America
Mission Statement: "To feed America's hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks and engage our country in the fight to end hunger."
Website: Feeding America
What's awesome about it: Feeding America's statement combines immediate action ("feed America's hungry") with a broader call to action ("engage our country in the fight to end hunger") that places both direct service and advocacy front and center.

Habitat for Humanity
Mission Statement: "Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope."
Website: Habitat for Humanity
What's awesome about it: This statement integrates faith based religious motivation with tangible outcomes such as "build homes, communities, and hope." This emphasizes collaboration and the holistic impact of their work on communities as a whole.

World Wildlife Fund
Mission Statement: "To conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth."
Website: World Wildlife Fund
What's awesome about it: The statement underscores a commitment to "conserve nature" while addressing "pressing threats" in order to instill a sense of urgency. It appeals to those individuals passionate about biodiversity and environmental preservation.

American Red Cross
Mission Statement: "To prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors."
Website: American Red Cross
What's awesome about it: This statement focuses on how donors and volunteers can "prevent and alleviate human suffering" through their both proactive and reactive efforts. It acknowledges the essential roles that volunteers and donors play in their mission.

Save the Children
Mission Statement: "To inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives."
Website: Save the Children
What's awesome about it: The statement combines innovation ("inspire breakthroughs") with tangible outcomes ("immediate and lasting change") while focusing on improving children's lives around the globe. It aims to demonstrate both immediate and long term impact in the same statement.

Amnesty International
Mission Statement: "To undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of human rights."
Website: Amnesty International
What's awesome about it: This statement combines a clear focus on both research and action while also offering a balanced approach to tackling human rights abuses. The inclusion of “grave abuses” emphasizes the urgency and seriousness of their work which directly appeals to those passionate about the injustice often placed on human beings around the world.

Heifer International
Mission Statement: "To end hunger and poverty in a sustainable way by supporting and investing alongside local farmers and their communities."
Website: Heifer International
What's awesome about it: Heifer International’s statement stands out for its focus on sustainability and community investment and is reminiscent of the ‘teach a man to fish’ proverb. It emphasizes empowering local farmers in a sustainable way, suggesting both short and long term solutions to the problem.

Make-A-Wish Foundation
Mission Statement: "Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses."
Website: Make-A-Wish Foundation
What's awesome about it: This statement focuses on collaboration and the transformative power of granting wishes to those children with a critical illness. The phrase “life-changing wishes” gives an uplifting feeling of hope and positivity that directly communicates with supporters on an emotional level.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Mission Statement: "To advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment."
Website: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
What's awesome about it: This mission highlights both immediate action (treatment) and long-term impact (research) for a very specific age of people (pediatric). The use of “catastrophic diseases” underscores the critical nature of their work and inspires a sense of urgency in their mission while the idea of helping to save a child brings an emotional bond with their supporters.

Planned Parenthood
Mission Statement: "To ensure all people have access to the care and resources they need to make informed decisions about their bodies, their lives, and their futures."
Website: Planned Parenthood
What's awesome about it: The statement emphasizes inclusivity and empowerment as far as getting access to health care and the addition of informed decision making. This statement resonates with individuals who value personal autonomy and freedom of information.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America
Mission Statement: "To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens."
Website: Boys & Girls Clubs of America
What's awesome about it: Focusing on youth, this statement is inspiring and inclusive of all young people to be able to “reach their full potential.” It also emphasizes character building traits like being “productive, caring, responsible,” which connects with broader societal values and demonstrate long term positive effectiveness.

The Trevor Project
Mission Statement: "To end suicide among LGBTQ young people."
Website: The Trevor Project
What's awesome about it: This statement is brief yet impactful and gets straight to the point. This short statement directly addresses a specific and urgent issue, suicide, for a very specific group of people. Its clarity and focus on LGBTQ youth resonates deeply with individuals who care about mental health and equality regardless of labels some place upon them.

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
Mission Statement: "To build better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness."
Website: NAMI
What's awesome about it: NAMI's mission is clear and concise and focuses on the widespread issue mental illness in America. The statement resonates with those personally affected or concerned about the mental health crisis currently going on and emphasizes the need for community and support. The use of "build better lives" conveys hope which speaks to both those affected and potential supporters.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our list and have gotten a better idea of what a good mission statement should read like. We also hope this list helps you to feel inspired to write your own powerful statement that connects with people emotionally and clearly demonstrates your nonprofit’s goals and ideals. In the next section we’ll go over a few writing tips to make sure you write the best mission statement for your cause as possible.

Tips for Writing Your Nonprofit’s Mission Statement

Creating a strong mission statement is one of the very first things you should do when starting your nonprofit. It should clearly communicate your purpose and sets the tone for your organization’s goals so there’s never a question on which direction your charity should take. Here are some simple steps to help you craft a mission statement that works.

Start by brainstorming your nonprofit’s core values and objectives and jotting them all down. We find using pen and paper is helpful at this stage, but you can use whatever is easiest. Think about all the problems you aim to solve and the impact you want to have and order them in order of importance. This is the foundation of your mission statement. Keep the language simple and direct. Avoid jargon or complex phrases. Your mission should be easy to understand for anyone reading it regardless of their background or education level.

Choose your best, ‘why does my nonprofit exist’ and ‘what do we do’ answers and write them on a separate piece of paper. Now try putting everything together Using active or descriptive verbs that show how your nonprofit will make a difference. Also try creating a sense of movement and urgency that can inspire others to get involved. It make take a few tries, but push yourself.

Once you’ve written your draft, refine your language. Make sure it reflects your nonprofit’s goals and values. Keep the statement concise. It should be no longer than a couple of sentences, and ideally, it will fit on one line. This makes it memorable and impactful.

You may end up with three or four versions that basically say the same thing but have slight differences. This is a good thing. Share your mission statement with all your leadership, staff and supporters if you feel comfortable. The more input you can get, the better your statement should be. With everyone chiming in it’ll be easier to be sure your statement is aligned with your nonprofit's overall vision. Plus sharing also helps decide if it resonates with a broader audience.

Finally, make sure your mission statement is flexible enough to evolve with your nonprofit’s growth. As your organization expands or changes direction you may need to revisit the statement to reflect new goals or challenges or to include new services or directions.

Wrapping Up

Hopefully by now you understand the importance of a well written mission statement that has power and emotional connection built in. Often times it is the very first thing someone hears or reads about your organization, so it needs to communicate clearly and resonate beyond just the words.

The better you can create it, the more inspired others will be to back your cause. As demonstrated by the powerful examples provided, the most effective mission statements are those that speak directly to the heart of your cause, inspire action, and articulate your organization's vision for positive change.