Strategic planning is an important prelude to any marketing plan. Why?

Let’s say Sophie and Jack want to help the environment, so they start a nonprofit. Sophie develops a logo and posts it on Facebook. Sophie and her friends twitter away as they debate the organization’s name, tag line, and web site design. Jack uploads a video clip to YouTube showing polar bears on melting icebergs. Meanwhile, Sophie identifies a large foundation that supports environmental groups. Sophie discovers that she cannot complete the pre-application, because she doesn’t have answers to the following questions: What is your organization’s mission and vision? What specific programs or services will you provide, what impact will those programs have and how will you measure impact? Sophie texts Jack and says, “Hold off on that blog.” They have a few other things to do first.

Whether you are starting anew or a well-established organization, we can provide the services you need to plan for your nonprofit’s future. Our approach is highly participatory and focused on the specific needs of your nonprofit.

Strategic planning is a process that typically takes three to six months to complete. It can take more time, or less, depending on budget and circumstances.  
How it works: We collaborate with you to design an appropriate process for your organization. Once the process begins, we facilitate that process to help you:

1. Understand the internal and external issues that shapes your nonprofit’s current reality
2. Review, revise or re-imagine your mission
3. Develop a new vision statement of what you want your nonprofit to achieve in the next three to five years
4.  Identify the major obstacles that stand in the way of your vision.
5. Develop key strategies to address the obstacles and build on organizational strengths
6. Establish ad hoc work groups to develop detailed action plans for implementing the key strategies.

We typically recommend a daylong retreat (or two half-day meetings) to conduct Steps 2 – 5. We facilitate while you sit back and participate in structured discussions and activities that produce results.

Our services include:

• Full service strategic planning services for nonprofits, foundations, and public service organizations
• Business plans for nonprofit start ups or nonprofits seeking to increase earned income
• Board development services including governance coaching
• Meeting facilitation, curriculum development, program development and evaluation and related management services