Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) play a crucial role in promoting social, economic, and environmental sustainability throughout the world, and of course in East Africa (an area of focus for Maktaba.org).

Through a collection of resources for social entrepreneurs and non-profits, we are publishing advice, ideas and stories about our journey to develop a non-profit that delivers free educational resources both digitally and in-person.

NGOs (like Maktaba.org) need a clear and concise plan, as well as a motivated and aligned team. One way to achieve this is by using SMART goals.

Below is an example a hypothetical East African NGO using SMART goals to empower their team.

SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. The following are the five elements of SMART goals and how they can help align your NGO team:

  1. Specific: A specific goal has a clear and precise definition. It answers the questions "What", "Why", and "How". For example, instead of saying "We want to improve education", a specific goal would be "We want to provide educational materials to 100 underprivileged schools in rural areas in the next 6 months."
  2. Measurable: A measurable goal has quantifiable outcomes that can be tracked and monitored. This helps ensure that the goal is realistic and attainable. For example, "We want to provide educational materials to 100 underprivileged schools in rural areas in the next 6 months," which can be measured by the number of schools reached and the number of materials distributed.
  3. Achievable: An achievable goal is one that is attainable with the resources and capabilities of the NGO. To set goals that are achievable, your organization will need to plan carefully, work together and pull together resources in a timely matter. For example, the goal of providing educational materials to 100 underprivileged schools in rural areas may only be "achievable" if the NGO believes they have the local partners in place, secure funding and a clear logistical plan to deliver or "achieve" their goal. Setting achievable goals requires introspection.
  4. Relevant: A relevant goal is one that aligns with the organization's mission, values, and objectives. It is important that the goal is relevant to the organization and its stakeholders. In the example we've been using, the goal of providing educational materials to 100 underprivileged schools in rural areas is relevant to the NGO's general mission of promoting education in rural areas.
  5. Time-Bound: A time-bound goal has a specific deadline. This helps ensure that the goal is completed within a reasonable time frame and helps focus the team's efforts. For example, "We want to provide educational materials to 100 underprivileged schools in rural areas in the next 6 months," has a clear deadline upon which the goal should be complete.

By setting SMART goals, our fictional East African NGO can align its team by providing a clear and concise gameplan that is relevant to its mission, values, and objectives. The team can work together to achieve the goals by monitoring progress, adjusting strategies, and celebrating successes.

In conclusion, SMART goals are a powerful tool for aligning any team whether we are talking about an NGO, a small business, a non-profit or a giant corporation. By setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals, your team will stay focused and motivated on their path toward success. There are some critiques of those who use SMART goals, but in general they are a widely relied upon technique used by many of the most successful organizations.

Are you actually an East African NGO? Consider checking out our free PDFs to research the history of Africa or browse free Swahili books or download PDFs in English.