Thriving | Mature bush stage

Find information about the thriving stage of a group or organisation - the mature bush stage.

Focus: Impact and sustainability

In native bush, the mature stage represents the peak of growth, where trees reach their maximum size and produce seeds or fruit. In your group’s life cycle, the maturity stage signifies stability and impact. You have fully established your identity, membership base, and operational processes.

Characteristics of the Thriving | Mature bush stage

This stage typically involves taking on larger projects which require more resources, while your group expands its reach by engaging more stakeholders to help increase impact. Your membership may continue to grow significantly as word spreads about what you’ve achieved. You may establish new initiatives such as environmental education programmes. There may be additional volunteering opportunities. Fundraising campaigns become even more ambitious. You may collaborate with local businesses. Your group may advocate for public policy changes. You might host conferences.

It is during this stage that a group really comes into its own as a powerful force within its local area, aiming for positive change for all members of their community. You have become established as a key player in environmental advocacy and preservation efforts.

During this stage, the group may have a large membership base, a well-established reputation, and a strong influence on environmental policy. The group may continue to evolve and adapt to changing environmental issues, but it remains committed to its mission of promoting and preserving the natural environment.

Impact

  • Consistent results proven through robust evaluation.
  • Focus on quality and continuous improvement, scale and systems-building.

Identity and reputation

  • Marketing and communications strategy initiated.
  • Everyone equipped to tell your story.

Revenue

  • High degree of financial diversity, with established relationships with more than one funder.
  • Higher degree of financial predictability.

Operations and culture

  • Culture is well-defined and is regarded as a key strength by external stakeholders.
  • Volunteering as a concept is embedded in your culture.

Staff and volunteers

  • Clear division of labour and accountability among staff and volunteers.

Leadership

  • You may have had two or three leaders since your founder set up your group, or they may be working fulltime on the programme.

Governance

  • Your board is more focused on policy and strategy than with hands-on management.
  • Delegates management to your group leader.
  • Strategic conversations and focus on sustainability happen at board level.
  • At this life stage, the governance group is clear on their roles and responsibilities. They may still be participating in the group’s work, or they may be volunteering only at a governance level. There is no one right way – success comes from having the conversation about what good governance is and how your group needs to be governed.
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Challenges

  • Complacency at all levels of the group and failure to recognise changing / emerging needs
  • Resistance to change at all levels of the group
  • The board losing connection to the work
  • Losing sight of your purpose
  • Declining membership and volunteering
  • Dwindling enthusiasm from members due to lack of incentives for continued participation or lack of new ideas for engagement coming from current leadership
  • Maintaining public interest in the environmental issue over long periods of time
  • Communicating complex scientific topics to non-specialist audiences across multiple channels including traditional media and social media
  • Achieving financial sustainability, due to numerous external factors or competing priorities in the community. 

Opportunities

  • The ability to leverage the group's reputation to influence policy and make lasting change
  • Experienced leadership to initiate new projects that provide greater visibility and the potential for more income sources
  • Well-developed knowledge base
  • Strong networks and existing relationships with stakeholders
  • Credibility among stakeholders
  • Transitioning into a long-term model where continuity is preserved despite changes across staff and volunteers
  • Collaborations with larger institutions, e.g. universities
  • Track record of success stories.

Questions to ask

This is the stage where you want to ask questions that address the multiple dimensions of your group’s life.

Areas to look at include:

  • impact
  • stakeholders
  • leadership
  • staff and volunteers
  • organisation
  • resourcing.

Use Worksheet 3 - Thriving stage to help you review the maturity stage and work through the questions in each of the areas above to help you focus your actions.

Activities to build group sustainability

  • Strategy reviews, planning, and risk management.
  • Seeking opportunities for scaling up of impact and replication of programmes and activities.
  • Recruiting fresh talent and building diversity in your teams.
  • Leadership development.
  • Volunteering programmes.
  • Awareness raising campaigns.
  • Research and advocacy to influence policies and regulations.
  • Continuous assessment and response to evolving environmental issues and community needs.
  • Networking and prioritisation of relationship building.
  • Deepening of community engagement and involvement ensuring community-centric approaches.
  • Building of strategic alliances and networks for broader influence.
  • Participation in collaborations with other organisations.
  • Building knowledge of contemporary thinking around conservation and environmental issues.
  • Board and manager partnership is defined and embedded in relationships.
  • Governance and leadership succession planning.
  • Implementation of monitoring and evaluation systems including outcomes and impact reporting.
  • Financial management is enhanced, and sustainable funding sources developed.
  • Partnerships developed with academic institutions for research and education.
  • Your group’s visibility and public relations efforts are enhanced.
  • Establishment of long-term financial reserves.
  • Mentoring and supporting emerging other environmental community groups.