Pacific Business News

March 25, 2005

How to navigate your nonprofit’s strategic planning

by Sally Little

Strategic planning is an opportunity to create possibilities for a nonprofit.

The plan is a dynamic road map that sets the direction for an organization for three to five years.

The strategic plan is the foundation of a nonprofit, and its development is the responsibility of the board of directors. As a road map for fund development, operations/programs and administrative and financial management, the plan provides guidelines and gives staff the freedom to explore new ventures. It sets the benchmarks that help the board of directors evaluate the organization, giving cause for celebration by staff and board members when benchmarks are met.

The strategic plan should permeate through all levels and functions of the nonprofit. It is the basis for the work plan for the CEO/executive director and senior executive staff. Adjustments and revisions should be made as the organization progresses through the plan. At the end of the plan’s life cycle, the document should be well worn.

There are general guidelines in strategic planning but no absolutes. The following tips should prove helpful as you navigate through this process.

* Allow sufficient time to draft your plan. Do not confuse the process of creating a strategic plan with the process of drafting the final product. Much of the initial process involves information-gathering, discovering emerging trends and a critical analysis of your present operations. Although staff may be assigned these tasks, board members will need time to assimilate and understand their implications for the nonprofit.

A session to draft the strategic plan will take at least six hours. The time taken to reach this stage may take up to a year.

* Solicit information from outsiders. Members of the community, former board members and customers/clients can provide valuable feedback about your organization. This feedback provides a comprehensive assessment of your organization’s assets and liabilities. Without this information your planning process may result in “group think.” This will compromise the integrity and the value of your strategic plan.

* Hire a facilitator. Few nonprofits should attempt to draft their strategic plan without the assistance of an outside facilitator. A facilitator should serve without bias and keep the board members on target to achieve their goal. To help locate a facilitator for a strategic planning session go to www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/consultants/consultant.php. Then click on search the consultant’s database.

* Give your facilitator clear direction. Make sure the facilitator is aware of specific organizational issues you would like addressed. Some facilitators will only manage the strategic planning process, and others will provide guidance on concerns affecting your nonprofit. Others will write the plan from the notes taken during the session. Clarify these tasks with your facilitator prior to the planning session.

* Select a suitable location. As you draft your strategic plan, the board members will generate many ideas and these are usually recorded on large, easel-sized sheets of paper. Empty wall space where you can tape these papers is a must. A large white board is also helpful. Find a room with adequate space for the board members to move around, pause and discuss the ideas taped to the wall.

Make sure the room is comfortable. Remember the board members are volunteers and they are giving up a Saturday or an evening to participate in this important task.

* Agree upon the strategic planning process. Generally this includes developing your vision and mission statements. These are supported by your defined core values and competencies. Recent trends in your industry and a strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats (SWOT) analysis are presented. Board members then formulate the goals/outcomes/strategies for the organization and the objectives/tactics are derived from them. Your implementation plan and evaluation process are then developed.

The strategic planning process should be tailored for your nonprofit. Some nonprofits see a dramatic shift in their specific focus area, and the trend analysis requires more attention. Perhaps your nonprofit is growing rapidly, and the board members will need to focus on the implementation plan.

* Encourage expansive thinking. Stay in the big picture. Most board members are focused on the day-to-day issues of the nonprofit. As they work through the creation of the plan, it is easy for board members to be trapped in present-day concerns. However, the strategic plan is a forward-looking document, and board members need to stay directed to the future as they develop it.

A feasible and well-researched strategic plan is one of the keys to success for a nonprofit. It also will keep the organization focused on the important contributions it is making in the community.

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