During the last year I have been working with several
organizations that are very different from each other on building strategic
plans. Although these organizations are
very different from each other, I am noticing trends in strategic planning across the board
in nonprofits. This difference is true
even from just a few years ago. I wrote
about this in April and made these observations then:
“They are all dealing with external changes that are
causing them to take a broad look and where they are and where they are going.
So what’s changing?
- · Sources of funding
- · Effective approaches to fundraising
- · Need for program design updating or re-assessment of need
- · Program expectations from people served (what they need/want versus what we provide)
- · Expectations from funders (Outcomes, collaboration)
- · Donors – Who gives, how they give, importance of building relationships”
As I have gotten further on in the year and deeper into the
strategic planning with these organizations I am seeing more trends – even
though the organizations are so diverse.
I have had to be nimble and adjust my own leadership as a
consultant. I am really happy to do so
because the trends are changing in the right direction.
Here are the trends I see happening in strategic planning with
nonprofits:
Timeframe for Planning
The strategic planning process has to be shorter than it used to
be. I have a process I use with small
organizations which calls for 2-3 closely placed meetings, then a break from
meetings as committee members complete interviews and then 2 -3 closely placed
meetings culminating in a whole Board retreat.
This usually means that I have to allocate more intense time to a
particular client at the beginning and end of the process. How long the whole process takes depends on
how long the committee members need to complete interviews. Frankly, this can
vary depending on the time of year it is.
You can complete interviews a lot quicker during January to May than you
can during June to August. A six week
interval to complete interviews in the Winter/Spring easily becomes three
months in the summer.
Committees Work Harder
I am seeing a stronger commitment among
strategic planning committee members who are willing to work harder throughout
the process and so we can shorten the timeframe without compromising the
process.
Committee Engagement
My favorite strategic planning committees
have members who have very different perspectives. I am finding that today committees are also likely
to have someone with a particular important expertise. It is encouraging that these people often are
asked to be on a strategic planning committee even if they are not on a
Board. They bring expertise and
sometimes objectivity that is hard to have from within.
Decision Making
Boards are inpatient if the committee only brings broad goals to
them. They are ready to make decisions
at the retreat. Make sure your goals are
specific – for example: We need to raise
X dollars more per year to accomplish these goals within the next three years. The
board retreat is now more than the first step to thinking about making decisions. It has become the point for decision making
and a springboard for a much increased pace of action. At Board retreats that I
facilitate today we take all the agreed to strategies and assign them to existing
or new committees. Oh and by the way, committees
have chairs before we leave the room. This means that someone is taking responsibility
to initiate the action.
Fundraising
Boards seem more ready to roll up their sleeves and get involved
in fundraising if they are committed to the strategic plan and there is energy
around specifc goals that everyone agrees to. The task of getting the board prepared to be
better fundraisers falls to the Fundraising and Communication committees in the
implementation phase.
Program and Financial Management Integration
There is an understanding that program updating – improving and
streamlining – go hand in hand with financial management. In almost all cases your strategic plan can’t
be just about raising more money to do what you’ve been doing – in the same way
that you have been doing it. Board
members are interested in having information which will allow them to make
informed decisions and they are taking their responsibilities more seriously
than ever.
Succession Planning
I have to admit that I am actually surprised at the level of
interest in succession planning. There
is more interest in conducting formal review of executive directors and having
specific plans to develop emerging leaders.
I am seeing more staff participate in strategic planning and younger
people being listened too eagerly. How
refreshing!
Implementation
By setting up action committees with specific strategies to be
pursued right at the Board retreat I am seeing more active involvement by the
Board. They really get it – if
the plan is going to happen – they have to make it happen.
These are all positive trends in
strategic planning. Does your strategic
planning process reflect these trends?
It should.
