Practical Tips for High Functioning Collaborative Teams in Nonprofits

For nonprofits, having a high-functioning collaborative team is one of the most valuable assets you can build. Whether your team works remotely or on-site, creating a culture of teamwork, trust, and communication ensures that you maximize impact while reducing inefficiencies. At PhoenixFire, we specialize in helping nonprofits develop collaborative teams that not only work well together but thrive, even under tight budgets and time constraints.

In The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, Patrick Lencioni writes:

“Not finance. Not strategy. Not technology. It is teamwork that remains the ultimate competitive advantage, both because it is so powerful and so rare.”

At PhoenixFire, we know that building a collaborative, trusting team doesn’t happen on its own. Our remote, global team has found ways to create a joyful, high functioning culture. We’ve helped clients turn dysfunction into productivity by building trust, valuing diversity, and promoting a friendly environment.

In this post, you’ll find practical methods that increase collaboration, creativity, and teamwork, increasing the functionality of your nonprofit team.

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Building Trust and Connection for Effective Nonprofits

Trust is at the foundation for high-functioning teams, and for teams that have high turnover or have gone through conflict, it’s especially important to establish a basis for trust if you want true teamwork and collaboration to occur. 

Many organizations use awkward ice-breakers in an effort to allow staff to connect. Those can be fun, but at Phoenixfire, we know a better way to build trust.

One of the most powerful trust-building exercises is the 3 Sentence Story. This activity acknowledges that each teammate is coming to their work with their own point of view and context, but it reaffirms that everyone has a reason to be there. It’s even better because the activity provides teams with the chance to be vulnerable by choice – everyone can reveal as much or as little as they want. 

At PhoenixFire, we’ve seen the 3 Sentence Story have a huge impact on team culture. When we share our motivation and our connection to our nonprofit work, we build trust in each other.  Later, when conflicts arise, that trust allows us to assume the best of each other.

Here’s how to do it:

• Tell your team members, in advance if possible, to think of 3 sentences that explain why they are a part of your organization. That’s it. Simple.

  
  

• Then, set aside time for each person to share. It can be powerful for one member of your leadership to share first and set the tone.

  
  

• Depending on the number of people, you might break this activity up over a number of days, with a few people sharing each day. 

Practical tip: Plan for a short break after this activity for your team members to connect or relax after this activity. 

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Increasing Inclusiveness and Collaboration in Your Nonprofit

It’s normal to have some team members be the life of the party and others prefer to keep quiet, and all too often, awkward ice breakers aren’t enough to lift the mood. Excellent nonprofit leaders find ways to create an inclusive culture where everyone’s voice is heard.

A Collaborative Brainstorm is excellent for planning events, evaluating systems, and debriefing glows/grows, and can be done over Zoom or in person. 

• Before your meeting, create a Google Sheet with all the things you will discuss across the top. Then, list out each team member down the side.

•  During your meeting, share the link, and provide 5-10 minutes for team members to independently fill in their thoughts in their row for each of the questions. 

• Then, give a few minutes to read through everyone else’s ideas. Finally, ask your team what trends they noticed across multiple people.  

• Everyone’s “voice” is heard through the document, and you’ve saved so much time by getting all the ideas at once!

Practical tip: If your team members do not have laptops, you can do the same activity using sticky notes that you place onto different sections of the wall.

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Building Buy-In for High Functioning Nonprofit Teams

Leaders can create the best plans, but if team members aren’t committed to doing it, nothing will change. Building trust and collaboration can be even more challenging for nonprofits that rely heavily on volunteers because they often come in with varying levels of commitment and experience. 

By using the ‘Opt-In Solution Group’ method, you can identify volunteers who are passionate about solving specific problems, giving them ownership over solutions and increasing their long-term commitment.

One of the best ways to increase buy-in is by giving your team members the chance to offer their input. Opt-In Solution Groups are a great way to hear from members of your team who are most likely to push back when changes come from on high. 

Here’s how to do it:

• Tell team members about the problem you’ve identified and name the time you’ll run a solution group. Explain that the group will be tasked with identifying solutions and creating a plan. 

  
  

• During the meeting, use a collaborative problem solving protocol. We’ve use a 5-step protocol that allows us to gain insights and buy-in from the entire group:

  
  

  • Define the problem: Ensure everyone has a shared understanding of the issue.

  • Brainstorm solutions: Set a timer for 10 minutes to encourage rapid, creative thinking.

  • Clarify: Spend 5 minutes discussing any constraints or boundaries (e.g., budget limitations).

  • Build consensus: Have each person rank their top three ideas.

  • Assign roles: Ensure each solution has a clear owner to drive implementation.

Practical Tip: Sometimes, not everyone agrees, and that’s ok! High functioning teams can agree to try a solution and then evaluate if it’s effective. If your team does not agree, choose one of the top solutions and make a plan to try it for a set amount of time. Then, the team can reconvene to evaluate its effectiveness. 

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Need Help Creating a Collaborative Culture at Your Nonprofit?

Nonprofit leaders often feel overwhelmed by tight budgets, high turnover, and mounting pressures to deliver results. Creating a high-functioning team starts with your commitment to fostering a culture of trust, accountability, and open communication. At PhoenixFire, we’ve helped nonprofit leaders like you tackle these exact challenges—and we’re here to support you as you take the first step.

Looking to create a high-functioning, collaborative team in your nonprofit? Contact PhoenixFire today for a free consultation and let us help you transform your team's productivity.