Partner Training: Strategic Plan Development

Strategic Planning

Partner Service & Sales Training

Strategic Planning Def. & Benefits

I. Strategic Planning Definition and BenefitsII. Strategic Planning ProcessesIII. The Strategic Plan-Contents and OutlineIV. CharityNet USA Services & Processes

Strategic Planning

• In short, strategic planning is a disciplined effort to produce fundamental decisions and actions that shape and guide what an organization is, what it does, and why it does it--with a focus on the future.

Why Strategic Planning

• A means of establishing major direction for a nonprofit organization

• Concentrates resources in a limited number of directions in order to maximize benefits to stakeholders

• Structured approach to anticipating the future

• Tool for finding the best future for the organization and the best path to get there

• Clearly defines the purpose of the organization

• Establishes realistic goals and objectives consistent with the mission and in a defined time frame

• Develops a sense of ownership of the plan

• Ensures the most effective use of the organization's resources

Benefits of Strategic Planning

• Provides a base from which progress can be measured

• Brings together everyone's best and most reasoned efforts

• Provides clearer focus of the organization

• Bridges staff and Board and builds strong teamwork

• Increases productivity

Benefits of Strategic Planning

Strategic Planning Processes

I. Strategic Planning Definition and Benefits

II. Strategic Planning ProcessesIII. The Strategic Plan-Contents and

OutlineIV. CharityNet USA Services & Processes

Planning Purposes

• To help an organization do a better job

• To ensure that members of the organization are working toward the same goals

• To assess and adjust the organization's direction in response to a changing environment

“Strategic”

• Strategic planning process is “strategic” because it involves preparing the best way to respond to the circumstances of the organization’s environment, whether or not its circumstances are known in advance

• Nonprofits often respond to dynamic and even hostile environments

Strategic

• Being “strategic” means being clear about the organization’s objectives, being aware of the organization's resources, and incorporating both into being consciously responsive to a dynamic environment.

Characteristics of Strategic Planning Process

• Disciplined- It calls for a certain order and pattern to keep it focused and productive

• Analytical- Raises questions that help planners examine experience, test assumptions, gather and incorporate information about the present, and anticipate the environment the organization will face in the future

• Decisive- Incorporates fundamental decisions and actions

Strategic Thinking

• Strategic planning is only useful if it supports strategic thinking and leads to strategic management.

• Strategic Thinking means asking, “Are we doing the right thing?” and evaluating using specific requirements…

Strategic Thinking

• 3 Requirements of Strategic Thinking:– A definite purpose in mind– An understanding of the

environment, specifically the forces that affect or impede the fulfillment of that purpose

– Creativity in developing responses to those forces

Strategic Plan Contents & Outline

I. Strategic Planning Definition and BenefitsII. Strategic Planning ProcessesIII. The Strategic Plan-Contents and OutlineIV. CharityNet USA Services & Processes

Strategic Plans vs. Business Plans

• Focus of a strategic plan is on the administration of the entire organization

• Focus of a business plan is usually on a particular product, service, or program

Strategic Plans vs. Business Plans

• Strategic planning determines where an organization is going over the next year or more, how it’s going to get there, and how it will know if it got there or not

• Specific plans do not contain specific financial data, but may include overall plans for increasing organizational funding

Strategic Plan Contents

• A Strategic Plan should cover 2 to 5 years and should contain the following elements:– Mission Statement- The reason you started

the nonprofit and describes what you do

– Vision Statement- It is what you hope to become. This provides motivation to the Board, staff, volunteers, and donors

– Values- While your mission may be noble and your vision grand, how you get there is important as it often reveals the quality of the organization


• Government Mandates:– All federal, state, and local rules and

regulations that the organization must adhere to should be identified. The organization must review administration to make sure they’re in compliance with each mandate.

– Failure to remain in compliance with ALL governmental mandates may result in a variety of penalties.

Government Mandates

• Mandates may incorporate a variety of compliance issues, including:– Private Benefit and Inurnment– Political Campaign Intervention– Legislative Activities– Timely filing of Form 990– Filings for Employees’ Quarterly Taxes– State Income and Sales Tax Regulations– Charitable Organization Registration Requirements– State Annual Reporting– Charitable Gaming Laws


• Need Assessment- Defining the needs to be fulfilled or the problems to be solved helps to promote your work and make your nonprofit attractive to donors

• Goals- In striving to meet the needs of the community or in solving problems, to what extent do you hope to accomplish your work?

• Organizational Assessment- To get where you are going you have to know where you are starting. This assessment reveals the strengths and weaknesses of the organization so you can focus on areas to improve (a.k.a. SWOT Analysis)


• SWOT Analysis– Strengths- Attributes of the organization

that are helpful to achieving the mission.

– Weaknesses- Attributes of the organization that are harmful to achieving the mission.

– Opportunities- External conditions that are helpful to achieving the mission.

– Threats- External conditions which could do damage to the mission.


• Strategies: – The strategies you will use to achieve the goals

identified leading toward the vision of what the organization should become.

Strategic Plan Outline

I. Executive SummaryII. Organizational BackgroundIII. MandatesIV. Stakeholder AnalysisV. ValuesVI. MissionVII. Environmental AssessmentVIII. Issue IdentificationIX. Goals, Objectives, StrategiesX. Evaluation PlanXI. Vision of the FutureXII. Strategy Implementation

Services & Processes

I. Strategic Planning Definition and Benefits

II. Strategic Planning ProcessesIII. The Strategic Plan-Contents and OutlineIV. CharityNet USA Services & Processes

Pricing

• Prices charged for completion of a strategic plan will vary, depending on the options selected.

• Price quotes include only document preparation fees, and additional consulting time may be selected at an additional charge.

• CharityNet USA offers a variety of options within our strategic plan services, including plan writing, mandate research, strategy development assistance, and more!

Our Process

• Once a sale has been made, clients are given access to a specific “Steps Page” related to the service purchased

• Here, they will find a variety of information, FAQ, processes, and questionnaire to help them provide us with quality content to complete their work.

• Additionally, we provide value added resources to build goodwill and help our clients manage or grow their business.

Summary & Conclusion

• A strategic plan is ultimately no more and no less than a set of decisions about what to do, why to do it, and how to do it.

• Strategic planning implies that some organization decisions and actions are more important than others- and much of the strategy lies in making the tough decisions about what is most important to achieving organizational success.