Developing a strategic plan for your organization

A road map for the future

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Few of us would get in the car to take a trip without a road map, unless we know how to
get where were going. Strategic planning serves as a road map to help an organization
or business figure out how to get where it wants to go. The process includes examining
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and then planning future operations
in a prioritized and realistic manner. This workshop will provide an overview of how to
get read for and undertake the strategic planning process so as to create a road map
that our organization can follow and get to its desired destination.
Presenter
Paul Mastrodonato, President, Nonprofit Works, Saratoga Springs, N
!"#$% "$#&$$'#, paul(nonprofitworks.com, www.nonprofitworks.com
)aul *astrodonato has spent the last #+ ears working with nonprofit organizations,
and specializes in creating strategic plans and writing grants. )aul fre,uentl leads
workshops in topics related to planning, grants, and nonprofit boards of directors. -e
holds a master.s degree in public administration from S/01 2rockport, and currentl
serves on the board of the 3ssociation of Fundraising )rofessionals, as well as other
nonprofit organizations.
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!ntroduction
"o# strategic planning is like going on a trip
Start with the end in mind and plan ahead.
5etermine whos going on the trip6
4here do ou want to go6 3ssess our options.
0iagara Falls
0ew 1ork 7it
3lban
7leveland
Saratoga Springs
3dirondacks
4hat are the groups priorities !especiall given time constraints%6
4hat mode of transportation will ou use6 4hos driving6
7onsider factors that ma affect our trip 8 how well oure prepared !e.g. hiking
clothes% weather, time, cost, crowds, etc.
-ow will ou know if oure on the right road6 4hat sort of road signs or milestones will
ou look for6
-ow will ou know when ou get there6
-ow will ou evaluate the trip and decide if ou want to go back to certain places, or if
ou want to go somewhere else6
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$vervie#
Simply put, strategic planning helps determine
4here an organization intends to go over a pre&determined period of time
-ow it plans to get there 8 what it needs to do to get there
-ow it will know if it got there, or if its on the right path
Strategic plan vs% &usiness plan
The focus of a strategic plan is usuall on the entire organization, and is
considered a living and dnamic process
The focus of a business plan is usuall on a particular product, service or
program, for a fixed period of time
Do #hat #orks, &e realistic, customize your process, and do #hat #orks
There are a variet of perspectives, models and approaches that can be used in
strategic planning. The wa that a strategic plan is developed depends on the
nature of the organization.s leadership, culture of the organization, complexit of
the organization.s environment, size of the organization, expertise of the
planners, etc.
Some plans are scoped to one ear, man to three ears, and some to five to ten
ears into the future. Some plans include onl top&level information and no action
plans. Some plans are five to eight pages long, while others can be considerabl
longer.
:uite often, an organization alread knows much of what will go into a strategic
plan. -owever, development of the strategic plan greatl helps to clarif the
organization.s plans and ensure that ke leaders are all ;on the same script;.
*ore important than the strategic plan document, is the actual strategic planning
process.
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'enefits of strategic planning
7learl defines or confirms the purpose of an organization
<stablishes realistic goals and ob=ectives consistent with the purpose
7ommunicates goals and ob=ectives to the organizations constituents
Benefits, continued
<nsures effective use of the organizations resources b focusing on ke
priorities
)rovides a base from which progress can be measured and establishes a
mechanism for informed change when needed
2rings people together to share and work on a common purpose and vision, e.g.
board, managers, staff, volunteers, customers
(iming and Scope
The timing and scope of the strategic planning process depends on the nature and
needs of the organization and its immediate external environment
>n a highl&dnamic marketplace, planning should be carried out more fre,uentl
!once or even twice a ear% and done in a comprehensive manner with attention
to mission, vision, values, environmental scan, issues, goals, strategies,
ob=ectives, responsibilities, time lines, budgets, etc.
>f an organization has been around for man ears and is in a fairl stable
marketplace, then planning might be carried out once a ear, focusing on certain
parts of the plan
)ommon (ypes of Strategic Planning
!ssues*&ased strategic planning is more commonl used b organizations in a dnamic
or competitive marketplace and examines
Specific issues facing an organization, e.g. finances, competition, marketing,
staffing
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Short&term strategies to address those issues
3ction plans to carr out the strategies
+oals*&ased strategic planning !the most common tpe% is tpicall used b
organizations in a stable marketplace and focuses on an organization.s
)urpose !could also include vision and?or values%
@oals to work towards the purpose
Strategies to achieve the goals
3ction plans !who will do what and b when%
'asic Strategic Planning Process
The following is a basic process that is tpicall followed b organizations that are small,
bus, and have not previousl done a lot of strategic planning before.
#. 5etermine who will be involved in the process
9. 5etermine if the focus of the plan will be issue&based or goals&based
+. 5etermine the scope of the planning process
'. 5etermine a timeline for the planning process
". Select a facilitator 8 preferabl someone who is ob=ective and impartial
A. >dentif or confirm our purpose or mission statement 8 concise statements that
describe wh our organization exists, its reason for being. The statement should
describe the customer or communit needs to be met, for whom, and how.
B. 7onduct a brief internal and external assessment 8 whats going on6
>dentif S4CTs 8 Strengths, 4eaknesses, Cpportunities, Threats
7onsider surveing constituents and stakeholders for their opinions and
ideas b using a written ,uestionnaire or evaluation
$. >dentif, list, and prioritize the ma=or issues and goals the organization must
reach if it is to accomplish its purpose. 7ommon categories include finance,
administration, facilities, products and services, sales, customer satisfaction,
marketing?advertising, partnerships, and personnel?staffing.
D. <stablish action plans and strategies to address ma=or issues and goals8
ob=ectives?targets, actions, resource needs, timelines, roles and responsibilities
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#E. 5evelop a written planning document that can be used to track progress, record
results, and communicate status to stakeholders
##. 7oordinate the strategic plan with the budget process, e.g. staffing
increases?decreases, purchases, sales, etc.
#9. >mplement, monitor, and update the plan
<xpect the board of directors and committees to use the plan as a guide
for their responsibilities and work, and to report on their progress
Fefer to and review the status of the plan at board and committee
meetings
Fegularl review, assess and refresh the plan so that it becomes a living
document !be sure to keep an archived cop of the original plan%.
Fegularl dedicate time to work on the strategic plan.
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SW$( Analysis
Strengths 8 internal factors that allow an organization to take advantage of
opportunities and excel in the marketplace
Weaknesses 8 internal factors that stand in the wa of an organization taking advantage
of opportunities or excelling in the marketplace
$pportunities 8 real or potential external situations and conditions that an organization
could take advantage of, given the right circumstances and planning
(hreats 8 real or potential external situations and conditions that could limit an
organizations effectiveness and competitiveness, if not dealt with in a pro&active
manner
our $rganization
!nternal ,-ternal
Strengths $pportunities








Weaknesses (hreats



!mportant 8 allow time to step back to evaluate and validate the S4CT analsis before
going forward with strategic planning
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