Vision Statement

A vision statement should summarize what the “world” will look like when you succeed at your mission statement. It is a cornerstone of your organization's Compass.

Our Approach

We’ve come up with what we believe is the simplest and most effective approach to mission and vision statements for small organizations. We believe that:

  • Mission and vision statements should be one simple sentence each. One-sentence statements will:
    • Be easier to remember. 
    • Help you and your team focus on the absolute essentials. 
    • Serve as clear filters for making organizational decisions. 
  • The mission and vision statements should work together as a cause and effect. You want to be able to say that “if we succeed at our mission then our vision is more likely to happen.”
  • The vision statement should be somewhat timeless. You don’t want to have to change them every year or two.
  • The vision statement should succinctly state what the world will look like when you succeed at your mission.  
  • Working together the mission and vision should provide clarity and inspiration. 

If you don’t have a vision statement (or you need to revise it), you can use the vision data from both your Organizational Bio and Mission Met Checkup assessments to help you think through this exercise. 

Want Examples?

Words that are bold succinctly describe what the organization does. Words in italics describe the subject / persons that are the organization’s focus.

ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)
Mission: To provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States.
Vision: That the United States is a humane community in which all animals are treated with respect and kindness.

Feeding America
Mission: To feed America’s hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks.
Vision: A hunger-free America.

Human Rights Campaign
Mission: Working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality.
Vision: Equality for everyone.

Make-a-Wish
Mission: We grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions
Vision: That people everywhere will share the power of a wish.