Strategic planning is clarifying the purpose of an organization, where the organization wants to be in the future, and how it is going to get there. Thus, strategic planning in a nonprofit organization means clarifying:
- The purpose, or mission, of the nonprofit organization
- The vision for the nonprofit, which means a shared picture of the future you seek to create – what you believe the organization can accomplish
- How a nonprofit is going to achieve that status, including analyzing the external and internal environments of the organization, establishing goals, implementing strategies to achieve the goals, and by operating according to certain overall values
- What resources are needed in order to implement the strategies and action plans, including budgeting for those resources
- How to make sure that the nonprofit is on track to get there, including by implementing, monitoring and adjusting plans.
Typically the strategic planning process involves the Board of Directors, key staff people and sometimes even donors or volunteers. The process can range from a day-long retreat to a six month process, depending on the complexity of the objectives and where the organization is in terms of organizational development. One of our goals is to create a framework where the organization uses the plan as a living, breathing document. It should be viewed the same way the budgeting process works, with monthly quarterly reviews and adjustments on goals and expected outcomes.
Each organization’s needs and capacities are different, and we have found a variety of strategic planning tools useful for every budget and every set of outcomes. Please contact us to discuss your organization’s needs.
