We thought this was an interesting read from The Nonprofit Times. The seven phases include
- Phase One, Get Ready
- Phase Two, Articulate Mission, Vision, and Values
- Phase Three, Assess Your Situation
- Phase Four, Agree on Priorities
- Phase Five, Write the Plan
- Phase Six, Implement the Plan
- Phase Seven, Evaluate and Monitor the Plan
See the full article at on www.thenonprofittimes.com
There’s an old saying that says that you can’t get to where you want to go without knowing how you will get there. That’s exactly the reasoning behind strategic planning at nonprofits.
Just as important as WHAT TO DO in strategic planning is WHO TO INVOLVE. There are plenty of guides with step-by-step instructions on how to create your strategic plan, but we hope you’re not doing it in a vacuum! Not-for-profit strategic planning should involve the Board of Directors, key staff leadership, membership if you have it, key stakeholders, and maybe even an external advisory group comprised of strategic partners, funders, stakeholders, donors, service recipients, and more. A high level of engagement and ownership in the strategic planning process will result in a high level of ownership over and investment in the implementation of the plan.