NE Helps Shared Values & Operating System

What Are Shared Values?

Values are the core principles or beliefs that define who an organization is, how it operates, and what it stands for. They act as a cultural compass, guiding behavior, decision-making, and relationships both internally (with the team) and externally (with clients and partners).

While many organizations share similar values (e.g., trust, collaboration), how those values are defined and lived out makes them unique.

Values remain constant even as the organization evolves, providing stability and alignment in times of growth or change.

Simply put: values are the principles that guide our behavior and decision-making in an organization. They reflect what matters most—how we treat people, approach challenges, and define success.

Why Values Matter

Define Culture

Our values set the tone for how we work together, solve problems, and communicate, creating a shared understanding of what matters most to us.

Guide Decisions

When we face dilemmas or conflicting priorities, our values serve as a compass, ensuring that our choices align with our identity and long-term goals.

Build Trust

Internally, our values foster trust and loyalty among our team. Externally, they strengthen our relationships by demonstrating consistency and integrity.

Support Growth

Our values ensure that we grow sustainably and authentically, preserving what makes us unique as we evolve.

Differentiate Ourselves

People choose to engage with us not only because of our impact but also because of our principles. Our values showcase what makes us distinct.

Our Shared Values

People-Centered Systems

We design our work and processes to serve people—our team, our partners, and the communities they support. Respect, well-being, understanding, and accountability are at the heart of everything we create.

Why It Matters

When people feel valued, supported, and confident in their roles, they can contribute their best work. By addressing systemic needs and ensuring clarity, we empower our team and our partners to excel as part of a greater whole. This fosters collaboration, accountability, and better outcomes for everyone involved.

How It Guides Decisions

Internal

  • We ensure roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and regularly reviewed to reflect the needs of our team and organization.
  • We create systems that support well-being, including clear boundaries, transparent communication, and opportunities for feedback.
  • We foster an environment where team members feel safe to share concerns, ask questions, and learn through experimentation.

External

  • We build solutions that align with our partners’ unique goals, challenges, and organizational dynamics.
  • We design processes that promote clarity and accountability, making it easier for our partners to achieve impactful outcomes.
  • We serve as trusted collaborators by ensuring our partners understand how their role and our work together drive success.

How This Looks in Action

Internal

When a team member feels overwhelmed by unclear expectations for a new project, we hold a follow-up discussion to clarify the project’s scope and ensure they understand their role. We adjust processes for future projects to include detailed documentation and a Q&A session.

External

When one of our partners struggles to onboard volunteers due to a lack of clear training materials, we collaborate with them to create a streamlined onboarding process, including templates and training guides.

True Collaboration

True collaboration means we are genuinely working together toward a shared goal. It requires trust, comfort, and honesty, where everyone feels confident that others share their goals and values. When we collaborate this way, we can communicate openly and focus on solutions rather than barriers.

Why It Matters

When we trust one another’s intentions, collaboration becomes seamless. It strengthens our relationships, fosters alignment, and ensures everyone can contribute their best ideas without fear or hesitation.

How It Guides Decisions

Internal

  • We create a culture where team members can share concerns, ideas, and feedback without judgment.
  • We ensure everyone understands how their work contributes to shared goals and trust that others are aligned with those goals.
  • We use structured opportunities to address tensions or misalignments constructively.

External

  • We work with partners who collaborate as equals, valuing honesty, shared goals, and mutual respect.
  • We address conflicts or misalignments early to preserve the integrity of the relationship.

How This Looks in Action

Internal

When a team member feels their input on a project isn’t being considered, we pause to address the concern directly, encouraging an open discussion about the project’s shared goals. Feedback is incorporated where it strengthens the work, and follow-ups ensure team members feel heard.

External

When one of our partners provides conflicting feedback from multiple stakeholders, we request a meeting with their key stakeholders to establish clarity and alignment. We propose a single point of contact to streamline communication and ensure feedback reflects shared priorities.

Purposeful Work

We believe every action we take should be intentional and aligned with our mission to support nonprofits and their volunteers. Whether we’re improving processes, strengthening relationships, or delivering resources, our work is guided by the goal of enhancing volunteer engagement and community impact. For our partners, we ensure that our efforts directly support their ability to prepare and equip volunteers to serve effectively.

Why It Matters

Purposeful work ensures that we stay focused on what truly matters—helping nonprofits and their supporters build stronger, more effective volunteer programs. By aligning our efforts with clear goals, we maximize the value we bring to our partners and the communities they serve.

How It Guides Decisions

Internal

  • We prioritize work that directly supports our mission, whether that’s improving how we operate, building stronger relationships, or delivering tools and resources that enhance volunteer engagement.
  • We regularly reflect on our processes to ensure we’re staying focused on what creates the most impact for our partners and their volunteers.
  • We use clear metrics to track progress and ensure our efforts are driving meaningful results.

External

  • We take the time to understand our partners’ goals and align our work with their vision for effective volunteer programs.
  • We guide our partners to focus on strategies and practices that create real value for their volunteers and the communities they serve.
  • We respect scope and timelines while remaining flexible to adapt to our partners’ evolving needs.

How This Looks in Action

Internal

When we notice that a process for creating volunteer training materials is taking too long, we work together to streamline it, freeing up time to focus on developing new resources that better serve our partners.

External

When a nonprofit partner requests help with volunteer recruitment but hasn’t yet defined clear roles for volunteers, we collaborate with them to clarify their needs and create role descriptions that attract the right candidates and set them up for success.

Active Evolution

We believe in continuously advancing our mission to build effective volunteer programs and foster a culture of helping across New England. Active evolution means not only adapting to change but also driving it—refining how we support nonprofits, engage volunteers, and enhance community impact. By embracing new ideas and approaches, we ensure our mission remains relevant, impactful, and forward-thinking.

Why It Matters

The needs of nonprofits, volunteers, and communities are constantly evolving. By actively pushing our mission forward and adapting how we execute it, we stay ahead of challenges, seize new opportunities, and ensure our work continues to make a meaningful difference. Evolution isn’t just about responding to change—it’s about leading it.

How It Guides Decisions

Internal

  • We encourage innovation and welcome ideas that challenge the status quo, ensuring our work remains fresh and impactful.
  • We reflect on our mission and execution regularly, identifying opportunities to refine and improve how we serve our partners and their volunteers.
  • We build flexibility into our systems and processes, allowing us to adapt to new challenges and opportunities.

External

  • We collaborate with nonprofits to explore new ways of engaging volunteers and enhancing their programs, ensuring they stay effective in a changing world.
  • We help our partners embrace evolution by sharing insights, tools, and strategies that strengthen their impact.
  • We remain open to feedback and adjust our approach to better meet the needs of the organizations and communities we serve.

How This Looks in Action

Internal

During a strategic planning session, we identify that the way we deliver training to nonprofits could be more accessible. We pilot a new hybrid model that combines in-person workshops with online resources, making it easier for partners to access support.

External

When a partner expresses interest in engaging younger volunteers but isn’t sure how to connect with them, we work together to develop a strategy that incorporates social media outreach and flexible volunteer opportunities tailored to younger audiences.

Commitment and Accountability to Our Stakeholders

Our shared values guide how we engage with and support the people and organizations we serve and work alongside. We are committed to living out these values in our relationships with each stakeholder group and holding ourselves accountable to them through reflection, feedback, and action.

To Our Staff

We are committed to fostering a supportive, inclusive, and empowering workplace where every team member feels valued and equipped to succeed. Our commitment is guided by the principles of Holacracy, which emphasize distributed authority, clarity of roles, and adaptability in how we work together.

How We Fulfill Our Commitment

  • We embrace a distributed authority model, empowering team members to take ownership of their roles and make decisions within their areas of responsibility.
  • We provide clear role definitions and accountabilities, ensuring everyone understands how their work contributes to the organization’s mission.
  • We prioritize open communication, collaboration, and mutual respect across all levels of the organization.
  • We celebrate successes and learn from challenges as a team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

How We Hold Ourselves Accountable

  • We conduct regular governance meetings to review and refine roles, processes, and accountabilities, ensuring alignment with our values and goals.
  • We provide opportunities for staff to give and receive feedback, both formally and informally, to improve our culture and operations.
  • We reflect on our internal culture during team meetings and leadership reviews, making adjustments as needed.
  • We commit to transparency in decision-making and sharing progress on organizational goals.

To Our Nonprofit Partners

We are committed to being a trusted and collaborative partner, helping nonprofits build stronger volunteer programs and achieve their missions.

How We Fulfill Our Commitment

  • We listen to the unique needs of each partner and tailor our support to help them succeed.
  • We share tools, resources, and best practices to strengthen their volunteer engagement efforts.
  • We approach every partnership with humility, respect, and a spirit of collaboration.

How We Hold Ourselves Accountable

  • We seek regular feedback from our partners through surveys, interviews, and open dialogue.
  • We measure the impact of our programs and share results transparently with our partners.
  • We adapt our services based on partner input and evolving community needs.

To Our Volunteers

We are committed to creating meaningful, accessible, and rewarding opportunities for volunteers to make a difference in their communities.

How We Fulfill Our Commitment

  • We provide clear guidance, training, and support to help volunteers succeed in their roles.
  • We recognize and celebrate the contributions of volunteers, ensuring they feel valued and appreciated.
  • We strive to make volunteering inclusive and accessible to people of all backgrounds and abilities.

How We Hold Ourselves Accountable

  • We regularly gather feedback from volunteers to understand their experiences and improve our programs.
  • We track volunteer engagement and satisfaction to ensure we are meeting their needs.
  • We reflect on how our volunteer opportunities align with our mission and values, making adjustments as needed.

To Our Communities

We are committed to making a positive and lasting impact in the communities we serve by addressing local needs and fostering a culture of helping.

How We Fulfill Our Commitment

  • We work closely with community leaders and organizations to understand and address local challenges.
  • We prioritize programs and initiatives that create meaningful, measurable change.
  • We advocate for the importance of volunteerism and inspire others to get involved.

How We Hold Ourselves Accountable

  • We measure the outcomes of our work and share our impact with the communities we serve.
  • We engage in ongoing dialogue with community members to ensure our efforts remain relevant and effective.
  • We reflect on our role in the community and seek ways to deepen our impact.

Our Operating System

Our organization operates on a foundation of shared principles that guide how we work together, make decisions, and achieve our mission. We have adapted these principles to fit the unique dynamics of a nonprofit environment, ensuring they serve our board, executive leadership, staff, and volunteers alike.

Distributed Authority and Empowerment

We believe in empowering individuals at all levels of the organization to take ownership of their roles and make decisions within their areas of responsibility. By distributing authority, we foster a culture of trust, accountability, and innovation.

Decision-making happens closest to the work, with clear boundaries and expectations.

Roles and processes define where authority lies, reducing the need for constant oversight.

Leaders focus on enabling others by providing context, tools, and support.

Clarity of Roles and Responsibilities

Clear role definitions and accountabilities ensure that everyone understands their contributions to the organization’s mission. This clarity helps us work efficiently, avoid duplication of effort, and align our actions with our shared goals.

Roles are dynamic, adapting to the organization’s evolving needs.

Each role has clear accountabilities and decision-making authority.

Collaboration happens through shared goals and open communication.

Adaptability and Continuous Improvement

We embrace change as an opportunity to grow and improve. Through regular reflection and structured processes, we adapt our roles, systems, and strategies to meet the evolving needs of our organization and the communities we serve.

Structures and roles are regularly reviewed and adjusted as priorities shift.

Feedback loops help us learn and improve at every level.

Everyone is encouraged to contribute ideas and solutions for change.

Transparency and Shared Understanding

Transparency is at the heart of how we operate. We share information openly across the organization, from financial performance to strategic priorities, ensuring that everyone has the context they need to contribute meaningfully. This openness builds trust and fosters a sense of shared purpose.

Key updates, decisions, and progress are shared openly and accessibly.

Decision-making processes are clear and inclusive.

Communication channels ensure everyone’s voice is heard.

By integrating these principles into our daily work, we create an environment where collaboration thrives, decisions are made with clarity and confidence, and everyone is empowered to contribute to our mission.

Aspirational Goals

Be a Model of Empowered, Human-Centered Work

Create an organization where individuals feel deeply empowered, valued, and supported, setting a new standard for how people collaborate and thrive in the workplace.

Achieve Exceptional Impact in Our Mission

Deliver transformative results that exceed expectations, making a meaningful and measurable difference in the lives of those we serve.

Build a Resilient and Adaptive Organization

Create a system that thrives in uncertainty, continuously learning and improving to stay ahead of change.

Lead with Transparency and Trust

Set a benchmark for openness and integrity, building trust with our team, partners, and stakeholders.

Inspire and Influence Beyond Our Organization

Be a source of inspiration and learning for others, sharing our journey and helping to shape the future of work.

Cultivate a Thriving and Supportive Community

Create a workplace where everyone feels valued and supported, and collaboration is a cornerstone of success.

Building the Future Together

Our values, operating system, and aspirational goals are more than just words on a page—they are the foundation of who we are and who we strive to become. They guide our decisions, shape our culture, and inspire us to push boundaries in pursuit of our mission.

By committing to these principles, we aim to create an organization that is not only effective but also meaningful—a place where people feel empowered to do their best work, where innovation thrives, and where we make a lasting impact on the world around us.

This is a shared journey. Every member of our team, every partner, and every stakeholder plays a vital role in bringing this vision to life. Together, we are building something greater than ourselves: a resilient, adaptive, and purpose-driven organization that stands as a model for what is possible.

As we move forward, we will continue to learn, grow, and evolve. We will celebrate our successes, embrace our challenges, and remain steadfast in our commitment to our mission and to one another.

Thank you for being part of this journey. The future we envision is within reach, and it starts with the choices we make today. Let’s build it together.