From Seedling to Stalwart Key #5: Know What You Do Best
June 5, 2025 | By David M. Wagner
“Having a clear strategy!” I swear, I didn’t pay him to say this.
Nonetheless, when I asked Sam Evans-Brown, Executive Director of Clean Energy New Hampshire, what had been critical to his organization’s recent success, he did not hesitate to highlight the importance of having a solid strategic plan.
It took more than planning, and a good bit of time, to become successful.
Twelve years ago, Clean Energy NH was an all-volunteer organization that provided policy education. Today, that have 13 staff – and they’re moving the needle by influencing clean energy policies in the Granite State.
That transformation came about by knowing, and investing in, what their organization does best.
Play to your strengths.
Develop A Clear Theory of Change
For Clean Energy NH, growth started with having a solid reputation for its deep expertise – and knowing how to share that expertise in ways that drive change.
They recognized that local policy was the biggest driver of adopting clean energy solutions. And so they focused their work on providing education and workshops at the local level.
As hoped, showcasing that thought leadership led to support from funders to develop pilot programs to test new policies.
Now the organization assists municipalities and businesses who want to adopt cleaner energy policies. Through that model, Clean Energy NH continues to create innovative solutions and help communities put them into practice.
Align Expertise
As it became clear that policy advocacy was what Clean Energy NH could do best, the Board bolstered the organization’s capacity with deep expertise.
They hired an executive director with a background in policy and existing relationships in the State legislative House.
While some organizations mature by investing in existing staff, Clean Energy NH accelerated its growth by hiring expertise that complemented the team’s skills – deepening its core competency.
Organize Around a Core Competency
According to Evans-Brown, investing in that central competence made it easier to choose which opportunities to pursue and which to drop.
“We asked ourselves, ‘what are we trying to do? How?,” says Sam. “We could cut away all the rest.”
For Clean Energy NH, organizing around their “hedgehog concept” meant recognizing that they were, in part, acting like a trade association to lobby for the clean energy industry.
That acknowledgement has helped them put the structure in place for their industry to continue – and even amplify – their work. It has also helped them shed (funded!) programs that weren’t aligned with what they do best.
Are you positioned to maximize what you do best? Ask:
How clear is your theory of change?
How well does your team’s expertise support that theory?
How well do your programs and activities align with your core competence?
This post is the fifth in a series of case studies highlighting the steps established nonprofits have taken to develop from seedlings to stalwarts. If you could use a clearer strategy, let’s talk about how I can help you identify and maximize your team’s unique competencies.
Clear Mission Consulting, LLC, was not involved in the transition detailed above.