Practice Management Member Conversations

Following the questions on this discussion board I have been thinking about one question over and over.  So if you are sitting at your desk, scrolling on your phone or walking the expo floor during the AIA 26 conference, please take a moment and let me know your thoughts about this question. Interfaith design vs practice:

How do you balance mission-driven work for nonprofit and faith-based organizations with the financial realities of running a practice?

Very good points from Jerry Roller.

Not exactly part of the compensation topic, but certainly related to project management, is dealing with the Owner's "Construction Committee".  Members are often (justifiably) seeking to ensure that they get what they pay for.  They're usually volunteers.  Often the chairperson is a retired contractor who a) remembers all of the things he used to do to stay afloat, b) expects that the current contractor is doing the same, and c) expects that the standards and techniques of yesteryear are still current.and d) is often deferred to by the other committee members.  Dealing with c) can be a thankless task in the process of bringing things to conclusions.

Very relevant question.

I am able to report what has happened in my practice, now in its 47th year, regarding the issue -nonprofit architectural work and balance of business survival.

I have developed, not necessarily intently, a Robin Hood practice.

We have been working on nonprofit church and parochial school renovations, at reduced fees for years.

We have been fortunate in getting very high-end projects with reasonable fees to keep our practice, financially stable, including our work on nonprofit projects, on an even keel.

my advice is keeping the faith, diversify, be aware of more profitable work to cover the non-profit work.

Additionally run your practice as efficiently as possible. 

Also develop a contract, where the scope of work is identified, for any requested work the non-profit would like, so you encourage the nonprofit to be serious and focused on their requests for your work.