Nonprofit work is often at the mercy of external stakeholders, from foundations to community partners. When a stakeholder requests a timeline change mid-Sprint, it can feel like your entire plan is derailed. However, the Scrum framework provides specific pathways to handle these shifts without losing your momentum or your mind.
Table of Contents
- Handling Interrupted Sprint Goals
- Using a “Definition of Ready” to Prevent Delays
- Key Takeaways for Agile Nonprofits
- Frequently Asked Questions
Handling Interrupted Sprint Goals
When a stakeholder changes a deadline, the first question the team must ask is: “Can we still achieve our Sprint Goal?”
If the goal is still reachable despite the updated timeline, you have flexibility. You can keep the current items in your Sprint Backlog and roll them into the next Sprint. Alternatively, you can move those delayed items out and bring in new work that matches your team’s capacity in story points.
However, if the partner’s change makes the Sprint Goal impossible to achieve, the Product Owner (PO) should consider “canceling” the Sprint. While this is a rare occurrence for most teams, it allows the team to replan a new goal for the remaining days of the Sprint. This ensures the team remains focused on delivering the highest value work for stakeholders rather than chasing an obsolete objective.
Using a “Definition of Ready” to Prevent Delays
Recurring work, such as partner contracts or grant applications, often suffers from “stop-and-go” progress. You can solve this by creating a Definition of Ready (DoR).
A DoR is a checklist that the team agrees upon before an item enters the Sprint Backlog. For example, a contract isn’t “Ready” for final review until all partner feedback is received. By sticking to a DoR, you ensure only actionable items enter your Sprint, minimizing the risk of work stalling due to external factors.
Key Takeaways for Agile Nonprofits
- Prioritize the Goal: Always evaluate the Sprint Goal before moving individual tasks.
- Empower the Product Owner: The PO decides if a Sprint needs to be canceled and replanned based on value.
- Build a DoR: Use a Definition of Ready to keep “unready” external work from clogging your system.
- Focus on Impact: Agile is about delivering value to your community faster, even when plans change.
FAQ
What is the difference between a Sprint Backlog and a Product Backlog? The Product Backlog is a visible list of everything the organization needs to do. The Sprint Backlog is a specific subset of items the team commits to finishing within a set timebox to reach a goal.
How do we handle tasks that we can’t finish because of a stakeholder’s delay? If the work is no longer “Ready,” move it back to the Product Backlog. You can then pull in other “Ready” work to ensure the team continues to create impact at a sustainable pace.
Can any nonprofit use these tools? Yes! Whether you are focused on grant writing, program design, or strategic planning, these frameworks help break down silos and improve communication.
Learn More & Connect:
- Training: Explore our upcoming trainings, such as our Registered Scrum Master for Nonprofits course or our one-hour Lunch and Learn sessions to see how we can help your team handle complexity.
- Free Resource:
- Download our FREE Glossary of Scrum Guide, where we translate Agile and Scrum vocabulary into plain language specifically for a nonprofit setting
- Check out our YouTube Channel for free videos on Agile and the Scrum framework.
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