[Re-release] Five steps to nonprofit strategic planning
1/7/2025
In episode 114 of Nonprofit Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton is re-releasing a favorite from last year. It includes:
What strategic planning is and is not
The five steps to a comprehensive strategic planning process
The Keys to ensuring your plan gets put into action and stays relevant
The five steps are:
Kick off
Discovery or listening tour
Explore
Decide
Plan & act
Strategic planning:
Strategic planning is a structured process for setting priorities for the medium term (3-5 years).
It involves gathering insights from stakeholders, identifying themes, exploring futures, and making decisions to focus the organization’s future in service of its mission.
What it is NOT
It’s not about predicting or controlling the future.
Just the document, it's about conversations that build alignment and shared understanding.
It is not just a retreat
Kick Off
Setting yourself up for success
Let everyone know what is happening and what is coming
Pull together a team
Equity considerations
Discover
Go on a listening tour
Interviews, focus groups, surveys – what will work for you.
How are you making participation accessible?
Explore
Share the current state as well as hopes and aspirations
Explore the wider landscape and ecosystem for trends
imagine new futures for the organization
Decide
Prioritize and decide on the future directions and goals: Where will you put your energy?
Revisit your mission and vision – are they aligned with where you are going?
Plan & Act
Define action steps, success indicators, and feedback mechanisms.
Keeping the Plan Fresh
Agree on a process for reviewing and updating the plan
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