1. Amy L. Simonds, MS, MA, LCPC

2. Objectives
Define strategic planning
Identify why, when and by whom strategic planning
should be done.
Articulate at least one method of strategic planning &
action planning.

3. Planning cannot guarantee the
outcome you want. Instead, it can help
you to achieve something integral to
any future success: readiness to face
the challenges that chance presents.
~Arlene Goldbard, NEA
~Arlene Goldbard,
NEA

4. What is strategic planning?
 A management tool used by organizations to
determine direction or goals for the coming 1-2
years.
 Based on mission, vision and values statements,
strategic planning drives the organization toward
their vision. (Mission is your purpose, vision is your goal).
 Strategic planning aligns mission, vision and values
with resources found in a comprehensive strategic
plan document.

5. Benefits of strategic planning
 Ensure the effective use of limited resources.
 Ensure everyone is playing from the same piece of
music. Each person may have a different task, but
all are in concert.
 An opportunity to clarify mission and vision of the
organization.
 Develop a measurement of progress.
 Strengthens team membership as all board
members take ownership of the plan.
 Ensure continuity and viability the of organization

6. Overview
Basic steps of strategic planning include
Preparation
Analysis of current situation
Setting direction
Action planning

8. Why now?
Why is [organization] deciding now is the time for a
strategic plan?
What do you hope a plan will help you achieve?
What is the timeframe for completing the plan?
How frequently does [organization] plan to overhaul
the plan?

9. Who needs to be involved
Make a list of key stakeholders

10. Preparation: Implementation
Plan on using your plan
Write the plan so the goals are measurable and
achievable
Involve all key stakeholders
Break down large goals into work plans for committees
Specify who is responsible with target dates for
deliverables
 Ask for reports about deliverables.
Place deliverables into job descriptions
Distribute the plan

12. Organization mission statement
Organization purpose:
Organization vision (AKA: goals):

13. Evaluation tools
SWOT analysis
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
Surveys
One-on-one interviews
Multi-stakeholder consultations

14. Force field analysis
Current situation Organizational vision
Driving forces take you
toward the vision
Opposing forces are taking
you away from the vision.
Driving
forces
Opposing
forces

15. Surveys
Send to … via email using survey monkey.
Survey monkey provides 10 free questions and
organizes the data.
Make sure the questions are easy to answer and the
survey brief.
Good tool when you know what you want to know.

16. One-on-One interviews
Subjective, but can help flesh out basic answers from
a survey and help the membership feel more involved.
Good to use with highly invested and knowledgeable
stakeholders familiar with the organization.

17. Multi-stakeholder
consultations
A group of stakeholders at one sitting having a
conversation about the SWOT or general direction of
the organization.
Good tool to use at a regional meeting or annual
meeting.
“Stakeholders” can be members, non-members,
professors, licensing board members, representatives
of consumer groups or others we’d like to partner
with.

18. Goal planning

19. The goals grid(Fred Nickols, 2000 http://home.att.net/~nickols/goals_grid.htm)
want
have

20. It’s about change
The goals grid should assist in developing what the
organization wants to achieve.
While developing goals, keep in mind what the
organization wants to preserve. Because change
happens regardless of our intentions, it is only with
thoughtful action that we can preserve what we have.
Ex: we can only preserve our licenses by actively
scanning for and responding to threats to our license.

21. Staying strategic
Goals should focus on change inside the association
with an eye to how external events may impact the
association.
Resist the temptation to “ratify” what’s always been
done in the past.
Good brainstorming is a process of “divergence” and
“convergence”.
Brainstorming ends with prioritizing.

22. Map and Territory…

23. Both are needed!
Include specific steps, time frames and people
responsible for implementation.
Goals = destination (strategic plan)
action plans = route (action plan)

24. Suggested format
Critical success factor 1: Enhance
organizational viability
Long term goal 1: Strengthen
relationship between
[organization] and State ChaptersShort term goals Target date Lead partner Supporting
partners
1.1 a
Clarify chapter
standards &
compliance
protocols
2010
Judie Mark

25. Tips for writing the plan
Use a small number of people to actually write the
plan
Bring a draft to the larger group for analysis and
editing
Complete a second draft for ratification
Organize the plan such that significant elements
(mission, vision, values statements, goals) can be
distributed outside of the organization. Keep detail
oriented parts internal.

26. Upon completion of the
strategic and action planning:
Present & discuss the plan with the board,
incorporating necessary changes.
Upon approval, consider what (if any of it) should be
published.
Use appendices for keeping internal details from
being published. Ex: budget, work plans, description
of the process used, SWOT analysis…

27. Bibliography and resources
 General
http://arts.endow.gov/resources/Lessons/index.html
http://www.managementhelp.org
http://www.nsba.org/sbot/toolkit/ts.html
 environmental scanning:
http://www.axi.ca/tca/may2004/associatearticle_1.shtml
 SWOT analysis: http://www.marketingteacher.com/Lessons/lesson_swot.htm
 5 most important questions:
http://www.leadertoleader.org/tools/sat/index.html
 Association Expertise Inc.:
http://www.axi.ca/TCA/nov2004/associatearticle_2.shtml
 Fieldstone’s non profit lifestage assessment:
http://surveys.wilder.org/fieldstone/lifestages/
 http://www.compasspoint.org/content/index.php?pid=14

28. New Hampshire Center for Non-Profits
http://www.nhnonprofits.org/
 Four core capacities
 Organization lifestages
Boardsource
www.boardsource.org