Q: What is the difference between a nonprofit organization’s mission and vision?
A: There is a technical answer to that question but it’s really somewhat beside the point. Usually a mission is defined as the purpose for which the organization is founded and for which it exists. The vision is a description of the change that the nonprofit seeks to make in the community or in society, but to focus too much time on the distinction between these two terms would be a mistake. The important thing is for the nonprofit to focus its resources on the impact it wants to have.
Jonathan Spack, Third Sector New England, Executive Director
Learn to distinguish between mission and vision and their relationship to each other at Mission, Vision and Planning, a workshop designed to help you move closer to your vision through strategic planning.
