Organization Background
Victory Mission + Ministry provides outreach services, workforce training, and long-term restoration to those in need. Persons can receive a day's worth of food at the food pantry, participate in a Work-Ready Bootcamp, and receive short- or long-term shelter. When they come for basic needs, like shelter; Victory wants to develop relationships to encourage life change and long-term success. Victory believes everyone has a name, a story, and great purpose. The ministry wants those in the restoration program to live in a supportive community with high quality employment. Victory’s mission is: “We share God’s love through intentional relationships for the restoration of a brokenhearted world.”
Challenge
Change the culture by empowering the staff and teaching them to manage the finances better. Many of the staff had no idea how the organization was funded. The organization also faced pressure in paying off its long-term debt so it could move forward with its strategic goals to make a greater impact in the community.
Solution
Inspired by other non-profit success stories in Springfield, MO, such as the work done by Cindy Stein in the government offices of Greene County, MO, as well as what GGOB coach Katie Davis had done at Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks, Jason Hynson, the executive director of Victory Mission + Ministry, with the guidance of one his board members, Rhonda Chapman, turned to The Great Game of Business® (GGOB) to help stabilize the organization’s finances.
Results
The team at Victory Mission + Ministry has never been stronger. “We will win or lose together,” says Hynson. “Staff are encouraged to share ideas and give feedback to growth. Victory Mission strives for unity of heart and mind!” That sense of unity has helped Victory balance its books, while building up nine months of operating reserves. “GGOB is continuing to build the team and allow managers, directors, and leadership to prepare with forecasting and vision,” says Hynson.
“GGOB helps us work as a whole team and see what we all do for the Organization. We also get to see and understand the financial part of the organization.”
~ Bobby Mitchell, Chaplain Apprentice, and graduate of Victory’s program
Pain Points and Opportunities
One of the key initiatives Victory Mission is trying to serve its community is by finding ways to help unsheltered people down on their luck get back into the workforce—especially at a time when finding people who want to work continues to be a struggle for so many employers, especially in the Springfield area. “Helping people who have that ‘Gotta Wanna’ has been a huge focus for us over the past year,” says Hynson. “We have been trying to help fill that talent gap in our community. But it’s also a struggle to help people who struggle with substance abuse or who have suffered trauma to show up for work on a regular basis.” That said, Hynson says Victory Mission has graduated 55 people from its Work-Ready Bootcamp program. One graduate, a man named Aaron, even landed a fulltime job at a grocery store that enabled him to move out of the shelter and into his own apartment. “He just needed a boost of confidence,” says Hynson.
“The environment at Victory Mission is authentic, open, honest, engaging, and inviting to all employees at all levels. Everyone is incredibly supportive of one another, and everyone feels valued by the company and leadership. I have never worked at an organization that has performed so well in these ways.”
~ Kendra Zaldivar, Investors Manager
MiniGame™ Highlight
Victory Mission + Ministry recognizes that its primary method of fundraising is by “tell their story.” “When the public knows about what Victory is doing and the lives that are changed,” says Hynson, “we find passionate supporters get involved. It’s so powerful to hear stories about when dads can get back to playing positive roles in their kids’ lives.” To help drive that Critical Number, the team played a MiniGame whose goal was to motivate the entire staff, not just the marketing team, to share the stories of the people they are serving. Weekly prizes included free lunches and coffee and, when the overall goal of telling 72 stories was met, everyone enjoyed a catered luncheon to celebrate. The top team also earned a half-day of paid time off.
What’s Next
Hyson says he’d like the team to refocus on its forecasting and accountability to those numbers. “We have such a unique challenge as a non-profit to serve both the people in our community, but also our investors who make it possible for us to serve more people,” says Hynson. “The better we can get at forecasting our needs, and use High-involvement Planning™ to help decide on where we want to go, the easier it will be for us to focus and reach those goals.”
“GGOB has helped us to focus on what is important and eliminate systems and procedures which hold us back from achieving our mission and vision. We have eliminated all organizational sacred cows.”
~ David Myers, Associate Executive Director
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