So, you volunteered for the board of directors of your neighborhood’s community association or HOA. Congratulations! It can be daunting to determine priorities and next steps for the association.
Reviewing your community association’s mission statement is often a great place to start prioritizing.
If they don’t have one yet, consider creating one. While it may seem like a daunting task, it's important to take the time to get it right. After all, the mission statement will express the goals and purpose of your community.
In this post, we'll provide tips on how to write the perfect mission statement for your community.
Defining the Purpose of Your Association
Before writing a mission statement, you must first define the purpose of your homeowners' association. What are the goals and objectives of your community? What are you hoping to achieve?
Once you have a solid understanding of your goals, you can begin to draft a mission statement that reflects those values.
Your mission statement should be clear, concise, and easy to understand. It should also be relevant to your specific community and tailored to meet the needs of your homeowners.
What Should Be Included in Your Mission Statement?
Your HOA's mission statement should include four basic elements: who you are, what you do, why you do it, and how you do it.
- Who you are: This should briefly describe your community and its residents.
- What you do: This is a snapshot of your HOA's purpose and activities.
- Why you do it: This should explain the motivation behind your HOA's work.
- How you do it: This should outline how your HOA goes about fulfilling its mission.
How to Get Input From Your Community
So, you've decided it's time to write a mission statement for your community. But where do you start? And more importantly, how do you get input from your community?
Here are a few tips:
- Start by drafting a draft mission statement. This should be a general overview of what you hope to accomplish as a community.
- Share this draft with the rest of your board and get their feedback.
- Hold a community meeting and invite all residents to provide their input.
- Consider all the feedback and revise your draft mission statement as needed.
- Approve the final mission statement by a vote of the board.
Keep It Short, Sweet, And Use Actionable Language
When writing your community’s mission statement, it's important to keep it short and sweet.
Try to stick to a few sentences that express what you want your community to achieve. And use actionable language that members can understand and get behind.
For example, try saying, "Our mission is to create a safe and welcoming community," versus "Our mission is to ensure all residents feel safe and welcome in our community." The first is a shorter, more concise statement that members can understand and get behind.
Make It Memorable
When writing your HOA's mission statement, it's important to make sure that it's memorable. After all, you want your community to be able to recite it easily and understand what it stands for!
There are a few ways to make your mission statement stand out. For example, you can use catchy phrases or memorable quotes.
You can also choose a unique format, like a poem or song. Whatever you do, make sure that the statement is easy to understand and represents your community's values.
Conclusion
A well-written mission statement can provide the framework for your community's future and help to guide important decisions.
These tips will help board members create a mission statement that will serve the community well for years to come.
Are you looking for ways to improve your HOA? One way is to develop a strong mission statement. RealManage can help you write the perfect mission statement for your community.
We have years of experience helping HOAs across the country improve their operations.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you write a great mission statement for your community.
Staff Writer
Geoffe Browne
