Group life cycle guide
A guide to growing and developing your community conservation group or organisation, using the life cycle model.
Acknowledgement
Auckland Council would like to acknowledge LEAD | Centre for Not for Profit Governance and Leadership for developing this life cycle guide for community conservation groups/organisations.
Auckland Council aims to support your journey as you grow and develop in response to needs, opportunities and challenges.
Introduction
Community conservation groups or organisations like yours share a common goal: you want to make a meaningful impact in your environment and communities. This often presents two types of challenge:
- To deliver change
- To ensure you have the capacity to deliver this effectively.
This guide covers:
- Assessing, developing, and strengthening your group or organisational capacity
- Strategic planning – defining your direction for the next 3-5 years (the average timeframe for a strategic plan)
- Resource management
- Leadership
- Governance
- Delivering your programme
- Community engagement
- Sustainability.
These activities are key parts of organisational life. Evaluating and addressing them can help you identify strengths and gaps. This will ensure you have the right resources in the right areas to achieve your goals.
Note: we use the terms "group" or "organisation" interchangeably throughout this guide. This could be anything from a local "hands-on" group, network or organisation to a hub.
The four stages of an organisation's lifecycle, based on the lifecycle of plants within native bush.
Value of the life cycle approach
Every group has a life cycle, just like any living organism – beginning, growth, maturity and decline, which results in either a reinvigoration or an eventual end. Of course, the real world is always more complex than any two-dimensional model. Stages can overlap, you can move back and forth and different parts of the group may be at different stages at the same time. But it's a helpful way of focusing your self-reflection.
The life cycle used here is based on the life cycle of native bush. It can help you achieve sustainability, navigate challenges, determine leadership roles and restore balance if needed. It involves systems and a culture that promotes learning and innovation to avoid complacency or decline. This guide can help you effectively identify the strategies you need to have in place and the actions to deliver them.
Each life cycle stage has unique characteristics that will help shape your group’s future. Examining these characteristics will give you insight into how groups develop, adapt and eventually transition into something new to make the difference you are seeking.
Examining these stages will help you:
- Identify and address obstacles early
- Find innovative solutions
- Stay focused on goals
- Manage resources
- Be responsive to stakeholders
- Foster open dialogue among all members, enhance their role awareness and empower everyone to succeed by uniting the team through conversation.
Not all community conservation groups will follow this exact life cycle. You may face different obstacles and opportunities at different stages. Some groups transition between two stages or even miss some aspects of a stage entirely. Each group’s challenges and opportunities can vary with local context and depend on your goals and priorities.
How to use this life cycle guide
You can use the native bush life cycle to get insights into the dynamic nature of your group. It will help you understand the importance of adaptation and renewal, as well as the interconnectedness of elements within your group's life cycle.
This guide helps you identify the specific stage or stages your group is at and what you need to focus on. It will help you:
- Identify
What is your group’s current position and which life cycle stage best aligns with that? - Explore
This describes the stage, identifies potential challenges and highlights opportunities you can leverage. - Reflect
We have created questions in each life cycle section. They will help you assess your progress, identify areas to improve and plan for the next phase. It’s a good idea to document your responses to gain clarity and direction. - Choose activities
We suggest activities that groups often do at each life cycle stage. These will help improve your capacity and address specific challenges. Consider incorporating these activities into your group’s planning and implementation. - Learn
Each section has links to other resources on the web that can help you build your capacity at each stage.
This guide emphasises the importance of learning and collaboration within your group. It is most effective when everyone - from volunteers to staff and board members - takes part. Involving people from different roles and backgrounds will build your capacity and improve results.
Identify your group's life cycle stage
Using the information below, you can identify which stage of the native bush life cycle your community conservation group is at.
You share a concern or passion for an environmental issue and have done some successful projects. You rely on voluntary contributions and donations.
Formation and development: Just as a tree starts from a single plant seed and gradually grows into a mature ecosystem, your group or organisation begins with an idea or concept and goes through various stages of development. In both cases, there is a progression from a small and fragile entity to a more complex and robust structure.
You have become more formal and have a team who coordinates and leads the group. Partnerships are in place to fund your activities and you have more work than resources.
Adaptation to surroundings: a tree, like your group or organisation, needs to adapt to your environment to thrive. You must contend with factors such as climate, soil conditions and competition from other plants. Similarly, you must adjust to changes in your community and the impact of external influences to remain relevant and successful.
You have a sound funding base and a strong network of active supporters. You are doing multiple activities, have solid planning, management and community-wide engagement.
Cycles of change: The bush experiences cycles, such as through the shedding of leaves, regrowth after disturbances like fires, and the natural decay and recycling of organic matter. Likewise, you go through cycles of change, innovation, and adaptation. You need to constantly reinvent yourself to overcome challenges, embrace new opportunities and ensure long-term viability.
Your funding and volunteer numbers are declining. You're not sure if you can achieve our goals or even what those goals should be. You need to work out the best way forward.
Legacy: The bush has a long lifespan, beyond individual trees or generations of animals. It leaves a legacy in the form of the ecosystem it creates and the resources it provides. Similarly, you aim to build a lasting legacy by establishing your identity, influencing others and achieving impact. You will also consider succession planning to ensure a smooth transition of leadership and expertise to future generations.
The tree is made up of various interconnected elements, including other trees, plants, animals, and microorganisms. Similarly, your organisation comprises interconnected groups, teams and individuals working together to achieve common goals. Both ecosystems rely on the synergy and collaboration of these interconnected parts for sustained growth.
Now select the appropriate resource below:
