Writing a mission, vision, and value statement for your organization is hard. Read our article and resource Revising Mission Statements: What good? For Whom? Then come back and take a look at this collection of mission, vision, and value statements for inspiration. We’ve picked organizations that have interesting mission and vision statements (and included value statements when available). See our comments after each one.
Family Tree Clinic »
Mission
To cultivate a healthy community through comprehensive sexual health care and education.
Vision
To eliminate health disparities through innovative, personalized sexual health care and education for diverse needs.
Comments
A very concise mission. What good? is a healthy community. The for whom? is presumably that same community.
Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity »
Mission
Eliminate poverty housing from the Twin Cities and to make decent, affordable shelter for all people a matter of conscience.
Vision
A Twin Cities region where families can own homes in healthy neighborhoods with access to jobs, transportation, and quality schools.
Values
Faith in Action: We are called by God to serve families in need. We welcome people of all faith backgrounds to our mission.
Hope: We provide hope and opportunity for families who seek a safe, decent home.
Community: We bring people from all walks of life together in our work.
Equity and Inclusion: We promote racial equity and strive to increase diversity, inclusion, and cultural competency in all aspects of our organization.
Integrity: We honor our commitments and act with fairness, honesty, and respect every day.
Perseverance: We continually strive for excellence and innovation in all that we do.
Comments
This mission statement works well in tandem with the vision statement. Alone, the mission statement has a lot in there and never directly mentions the families that TCHFH serves. The first what good? seems to be no poverty housing with the for whom? being the Twin Cities. The second what good? is a a new conscience with a for whom? that is unclear. We have to read a lot into the mission statement. The vision statement is a lot more direct, we finally get to the direct beneficiaries, families, and the direct good, owning homes. Their values seem unique and purposeful.
Amherst Wilder Foundation »
Mission
The mission of the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation is to promote the social welfare of persons resident or located in the greater Saint Paul metropolitan area by all appropriate means.
Vision
The greater Saint Paul area will be a vibrant community where all individuals, families and neighborhoods can prosper, with opportunities to work, to be engaged in their communities, to live in decent housing, to attend good schools and to receive support during times of need.
Values
To accomplish our stated mission, Wilder is committed to being responsive, innovative and effective. We will meet that commitment by:
listening, communicating and engaging respectfully
honoring diverse perspectives and cultures
behaving ethically, compassionately and responsibly
taking action to create positive change.
Comments
Their mission is big but specific. Their what good? is social welfare. Their for whom? is people in Saint Paul metro area. The vision statement adds very nice imagery of what social welfare looks like. Their values complete the picture.
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation »
Mission
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives.
Comments
The difference between mission and vision can be one of scale. For example, a local nonprofit may have a vision of “all people living healthy productive lives” and a mission that details their slice of work. The Gates Foundation is one of the largest, if not the largest, foundation in the world. Their what good? is healthy productive lives. Their for whom? is all people in the world. And they could feasibly help all people in the world. With this scale of mission, a vision statement may be unnecessary.
Ford Foundation »
Mission
To reduce poverty and injustice, strengthen democratic values, promote international cooperation, and advance human achievement.
Vision
A world in which all individuals, communities, and peoples work toward the protection and full expression of their human rights; are active participants in the decisions that affect them; share equitably in the knowledge, wealth, and resources of society; and are free to achieve their full potential.
Comments
Another example of a large foundation with a large mission. The what good? takes up the whole mission statement. Unlike Gates Foundation, the for whom? is left unstated. The Ford Foundation does have a vision that adds a lot of imagery to their mission.
Minneapolis Institute of Arts »
Mission
The Minneapolis Institute of Art enriches the community by collecting, preserving, and making accessible outstanding works of art from the world’s diverse cultures.
Vision
Inspiring wonder through the power of art.
Comments
Mia has a short and sweet what good? and for whom? The good is enrichment and the beneficiaries are the community. They then detail the how. Someones an organization spends too much time on the how in their mission statement and the expense of describing the what good? and for whom? A little bit of how can be important, but too much takes away from the main message. You can always describe your work in a separate paragraph on your website or documents. The how in this mission seems to add nice detail that helps explain why the community might be enriched. The vision statement seems like a marketing tagline. That is one way to approach the vision statement. Sometimes in longstanding institutions, the mission statement stays very constant over time and the organization uses the other messaging to convey fresh ideas.
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board »
Mission
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board exists to provide places and recreation opportunities for all people to gather, celebrate, contemplate, and engage in activities that promote health, well-being, community, and the environment.
Vision
Urban forests, natural areas, and waters that endure and captivate. Recreation that inspires personal growth, healthy lifestyles, and a sense of community. Dynamic parks that shape city character and meet diverse community needs. A safe place to play, celebrate, contemplate, and recreate.
Values
Sustainability: Meet current park and recreation needs without sacrificing the ability of future generations to meet their own needs by balancing environmental, economic, and equity concerns.
Visionary Leadership: Respect the vision and leadership that built the park and recreation system and recognize the need for ongoing leadership in achieving excellence.
Safety: Work safely to support a thriving work environment and an outstanding park experience for visitors.
Responsiveness and Innovation: Anticipate and thoughtfully respond to the diverse needs of the city’s communities, continually seeking ways to better deliver park and recreation services.
Independence and Focus: Independence allows the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board to focus on providing and obtaining the resources necessary to accomplish its mission and form effective, responsible partnerships.
Comments
Another example of a longstanding public organization. This one has an extensive what good? and their for whom? is all people. Their vision statement is a series of statements. It conveys a lot.
Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota »
Mission
To unite and strengthen bicycle advocacy, provide education, and work for a more bicycle friendly Minnesota.
Vision
Minnesota is a place where bicycling is easy, safe, and fun for everyone.
Comments
Their what good? is bicycle friendliness. Their for whom? is Minnesota. They do this through advocacy and education. This is a very concise statement that is illuminated by the vision statement. This is one example where the vision statement could simply be the mission statement. For example, “The Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota works to make our state a place where bicycling is easy, safe, and fun.” The what good? and for whom? basically remain the same. As always, you have to consider the way you use these statements and the message you want to send. There’s no one right way to write a mission and vision statement.
Land of the Dancing Sky Area Agency on Aging »
Mission
Dancing Sky works with rural communities to help older adults stay in control of their choices.
Vision
Together, older adults and communities thrive.
Comments
Aurora worked with LDSAAA to rewrite their mission and vision statements using a theory of change process. Their what good? is staying in control of choices. Their for whom? is older adults in rural communities. Their vision statement adds a dimension to their mission – the idea that older adults and communities benefit each other.
