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A strategic planning process identifies strategies that will best support a nonprofit with sustainability and mission work. Participants commit to measurable goals, approve priorities for implementation, create strategies, and plan to revisit the strategy on an ongoing basis as the internal and external factors change.
Learn more about strategic planning here and then check out what I've shared below to ensure you're ready to take on the process.
Timing is everything
Sometimes it makes sense for a nonprofit to engage in a strategic planning process. It's always a good idea to speak with your team to ensure you're on the same page about why a strategic planning process should happen now. Some good reasons to embark on a strategic planning journey could include:
New funding opportunities
Looking to grow or expand programs, services, etc.
Growing staff and volunteers
Moving into new partnership opportunities
Looking to re-brand your organization
Looking to re-engage with your community or the people that you serve
Key Participants
When working with strategic planning clients, I always stress the importance of having the right people in the room and gathering the right input and perspectives before moving into a strategic planning process. A strategic plan is something that everyone involved with the organization is impacted by so it's important to ensure varying voices and ideas are present. The following participants should be contributing to the process in some way. This can be providing pre-work that will be shared and discussed during the strategic planning process or looking at early drafts of the strategic plan before it is finalized.
Board Members – Participants
Staff – Participants
Volunteers – Participants / Shared Input
Program Alumni – Shared Input
Partners - Shared Input
Past Donors - Shared Input
Clients - Shared Input
Collecting & Organizing Data
Understanding organizational data and metrics for success is a big part of success in a strategic planning process. Nonprofits should be working to develop a system for regularly collecting and organizing data and evaluations that support planning for engagement with funders, supporters, and partners. I recommend that clients go through a data audit before going through a strategic planning process.
I'm a data girl! I love data for so many reasons. It's valuable for nonprofit organizations. Data helps:
to build your brand and reputation in the community
to increase your chances of obtaining relevant funders and donors/grant opportunities
to promote growth and sustainability for your organization
to tell a story about what you do and why you do it
With a data audit, you should:
Reflect on the data you are collecting across the organization.
Donor or grantee profiles
Giving histories
Surveys
Project or grant reports
Interviews
Input from focus groups
Stories of change
Trip reports
Annual reports
Emails where impact-related information has been shared
Create a list of the data you are collecting and how it's being used
Think about the following:
In what ways and for what purposes is this data being used?
Are you collecting the right data to learn, assess progress and failures, and analyze organizational partner needs?
Can you communicate your findings in alignment with your strategic contributions and goals? (Think about your strategic plan and organization goals)
What data should you be or start collecting toward your organizational and programmatic goals?
How is your data telling a story that support, clients, partners, and funders can understand or care about?
Accountability Plan
Don't create an amazing strategic plan and neglect having a process for accountability. With any quality strategic plan, you should be scheduling check-ins and making sure that all of your goals and action items have an owner. These are conversations you should be having before moving into a strategic planning process so that you aren't wasting time and hitting brick walls having the conversation down the line. You can have a great strategic plan, but if there’s no accountability plan for carrying it out, nothing else will matter. Ensure you think about clarity on roles and responsibilities and how you want folks to show up DURING and AFTER the process.
Research
Simply put... know what you'd like your deliverable to be. Here are some things to consider:
Be sure to research other nonprofit strategic plans before going into the process
Many nonprofits include strategic planning links on their websites or in their annual reports
Share examples with your team so they know what to expect as an outcome
Share clear expectations with your consultant regarding formatting, content, etc.
Investment
Strategic plans are an investment of time, resources, and finances. Make sure that your organization is fully prepared to go through the process. Depending on the consultant and the process, strategic plans can range from $7,000 up to $25,000.
When you're ready to talk about strategic plans more, email me at Rashidah@rbjcommunity.com so that we can chat and make sure you're ready.
Check out some organizations I've supported with strategic planning:
Milwaukee Health Department
Lovin’ The Skin I’m In
Hmong American Women’s Association (HAWA)
Nearby Nature
Urban Economic Development Association of WI (UEDA)
Off the Field NFL Wives Association (Board Restructuring Support)
Milwaukee Food Council
Do you currently have an organizational strategic plan?
We do and we reference it often
We do, but we haven't utilized it in a while
We don't and it's now a goal for 2025! I'm hitting you up.
I have questions. I'm emailing Rashidah@rbjcommunity.com
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