Strategic planning involves setting three-year goals linked to an organization's mission. It includes turning weaknesses into strengths, responding to community trends, and increasing current strategy effectiveness. The process begins with reviewing the mission to define the organization's purpose and focus. A vision statement describes the ideal future state. Values identify ethical boundaries. An environmental scan gathers external data on the mission, trends, and strengths/weaknesses. A SWOT analysis identifies internal strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Tactical plans detail action steps for the first 18 months and are revised annually. The board then monitors progress and updates plans at meetings with the strategic plan guiding all work.

1. Strategic Planning - Definitions of Key Steps in the
Planning Process
By Laurie Roemmele, Ph.D.
Strategic Planning - Process by which an organization sets
future goals (usually three year) linked to mission for new
initiatives that will:
-turn key organizational weaknesses into strengths
-respond to key trends in the community
-increase the effectiveness of current strategies
Strategic planning assumes that current initiatives will
continue as long as they are not considered weaknesses and
that new initiatives are limited in number to allow
time/energy for both new and current initiatives.
Mission Review - The most important board policy, which
answers the questions:
-what difference does the organization make?
-for whom?
-what is unique about the way this organization does its'
work?
The mission does not address how the work is done (lists of
services). A strong mission gives clear focus to the
parameters of the work (can't be everything to everybody).
An organization's mission should be reviewed at the
beginning of every planning cycle.
Vision - This is the organization's statement of when it can
go out of business - what problem will be solved or
ameliorated? Vision statements should feel close to
impossible and address a compelling social need.
Values - The values of an organization, as identified in board
policies, identify ethical limits placed on the organization for
the long term. They provide answers to the question of what
should be always true about the way you do your work (or
conversely, what should never be allowed to happen in your

2. work). These policy statements in key areas set the
commonly agreed to ethical and prudent behavior of the
organization.
Environmental Scan - a process used during strategic
planning to gather more information from outside the
organization about:
-response to a revised mission
-key trends/needs in the community
-perceptions of current strengths and weaknesses
Data from the environmental scan is used to determine
priorities for new strategic initiatives and mission
enhancement. This data collection can be done through
literature research, individual/group interview, focus groups
or surveys.
SWOT Analysis - A brainstorming and/or assessment process
done internally to identify strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats that impact on an organization's
ability to achieve its mission. The environmental scan is the
external check to add depth to the information, identify
issues that may have been missed and assist with setting
priorities within the SWOT results.
Tactical Planning - Development of action steps to achieve
strategic goals. This is usually done in detail for the first 12-
18 months of a plan and revised annually. The action steps
include measurable benchmarks of progress, assignment of
responsibility and estimates of resource needs (funding,
personnel, expertise). Staff prepare a tactical plan for each
program/management goal. The Board prepares a tactical
plan for governance goals.
Setting A Strategic Agenda - After setting strategic direction
for the organization for the next 3 years, the board adapts
its regular meeting agenda to include monitoring of
progress, continued trend analysis and committee tactical
plan updates. The strategic plan should come alive in every

3. board meeting and be at the center of board work
(governance).
Plan Roll-Out - After the strategic plan is approved by the
board the tactical plans are implemented. The tactical plans
are updated every 12 months and also inform the budget
process. Interim changes in direction can be made if
continued trend analysis indicates a new compelling priority.
New strategic initiatives require the board to identify which
of the former initiatives should be replaced or altered to
make room/energy for new/additional initiatives. The third
year of any planning cycle begins an entire new process
starting with mission review.