What is Strategic Planning?

Strategic planning is a creative and dynamic process through which an organization’s board, executive director, administrators, staff and other internal/external stakeholders map goals, objectives and strategies to maintain existing programs and services at their current level ¾ or move them to higher levels of proficiency, effectiveness and scope ¾ in accordance with the organization’s mission, guiding values, principles and vision.

The planning process affects the entire organization ¾ that is, it builds stakeholder confidence, commitment and unity related to the changes to be pursued as well as to the goals, objectives and strategies (the means to achieve those desired outcomes).

To draw this map, you must answer these questions:

• What have been our history, mission, challenges, milestones and accomplishments?

• What currently are our mission and vision?

• Whom do we serve ¾ why and how?

• How do people perceive who we are and what our mission and vision are?

• What is our organizational culture and what do we want it to be?

• How well are we doing now in relation to our programs and services?

• Where do we want to be in the next three to five years?

• How will we get to where we want to be?

• How will we assess our progress in getting where we want to be and how will we know when we get there?

Why Plan?

Strategic plans are, first and foremost, road maps for the organization itself.  Increasingly, though, individual, corporate and foundation funders are predicating their level of support on how well the organization has articulated its mission, vision, goals, objectives and strategies in its strategic plan.  To these funders, the organization’s effectiveness and sustainability are closely tied to the quality and credibility of its strategic plan.

That’s because the process itself ¾ when done properly ¾ is startlingly revealing.  The planning process helps you:

• Clearly define (and achieve consensus on) the mission and/or purpose of the organization, and establish attainable goals and objectives consistent with your vision for the future. 
• Clearly define who the organization serves and why.
• Attract a greater number of contributors and increase the average gift.
• Determine what strengths and weaknesses the organization possesses, what opportunities exist and what threats should be addressed (SWOT).
• Achieve a consensus on a timeframe to implement the plan.
• Determine your financial capacity to maintain current operations and implement the actions/strategies included in the strategic plan.
• Create a higher level of awareness and appreciation of your mission and vision.
• Construct a script that spells out what the board, administrators, staff and other stakeholders will focus their resources (time, talent and finances) on, and what strategies you’ll employ to fulfill your mission and vision.  This planning script has the potential to foster strong interpersonal and team relationships.

On one level, strategic planning is an empirical and methodological process; but it’s equally a nurturing creative process for those involved in structuring the plan.  So in large measure, the planning process has the potential to create an environment in which self-discovery, creative expression and actions are fostered.

Planning ... to Plan

First, gather the key information/resources that will guide the planning process.

• Determine your readiness to plan (what are the key factors to consider?).

• Agree on the scope of the planning.

• Select the planning model you’ll follow.

• Review past success, milestones, challenges (historical events that impact the organization now and might influence its future).

Be sure to make an environmental assessment.  Potential areas for consideration in the environmental scan are:

• Organizational structure.

• Organizational culture.

• Board governance and degree of involvement.

• Degree to which the organization is currently fulfilling it mission and achieving its vision.

• Communication and marketing scope and effectiveness.

• Degree to which the mission is effectively communicated and understood.

• Degree to which the vision is effectively communicated and understood.

• Scope of core programs and services.

• Effectiveness of core programs and services in terms of reaching targeted audience.

• External factors that do or may have an impact on the organization.

• Internal and external economic factors that do or may have an impact on the organization.

• Revenue sources:  individual gifts, trusts and bequests; corporate and foundation gifts and grants; government support; and earned income.

• Scope of the fund-raising program, and areas of success and in need of improvement.

• Key expenses and/or revenue distribution.

• Degree to which the facility meets current needs and its projected useful life.