RESPONDING TO THE NEW NONPROFIT REALITY
THROUGH LOW-COST
GUIDED STRATEGIC PLANNING
Strategic planning is absolutely essential to organizational success. We all know that, yet thorough planning takes times and money, especially if you follow the advice of experts and do it every three years. What could make strategic planning more affordable and effective over the long term? Guided strategic planning. Guided strategic planning teaches you how to conduct your own strategic planning process, thereby controlling your planning costs now and in the future.
What is guided strategic planning?
Guided strategic planning is based on a collaborative partnership between your organization and our professional consultants. The guided strategic planning process takes approximately 50 consultant hours at a cost of about $8,000. (A traditional consultant-driven strategic planning process can take up to 200 hours of consultant time and cost between $18,000 and $30,000.)
Why guided strategic planning?
Successful nonprofits plan for the future. They continually scan the environment, identify unmet needs, analyze emerging trends, evaluate their efforts and efficacy, and adapt to new realities. Planning strategically for the future on a regular basis assures that this type of scrutiny is routinely taking place. By itself, the strategic planning process strengthens the organization. Guided planning adds the element of institutional learning and builds the capacity of the organization to plan for itself in the future.
The economic downturn has put the non-profit sector under new stress. Agencies must respond quickly and with integrity to changes in priorities, funding and an increased demand for services, and yet declining resources make well-considered action difficult. Guided planning is a cost-effective solution for organizations that must invest in the future now, and with the active participation of staff and stakeholders.
How does it work?
In standard strategic planning, consultants design and implement the planning process. While the organization has a major stake in the outcome, participants are not being trained in the process and thus don't develop the skills required to do this type of planning for themselves. In guided strategic planning, NEN consultants train the strategic planning committee and then coach them through each phase of the process, demonstrating how to:
- Determine the strategic planning focus
- Conduct an environmental scan
- Review the organizational mission, vision and values
- Develop key strategic directions
- Create an implementation plan
- A 20-hour training on facilitation and strategic planning
- Templates and tools, agendas, and work guides
- On-going process support and coaching
Guided planning is right for many organizations, but not all. Organizations considering guided planning must have:
- Committed individuals
- A Strategic Planning Committee of five to nine people (including representatives from your Board) willing to be trained and committed to staying through the process
- An active chairperson (or co-chairs) able to lead and coordinate the planning, and communicate with NEN consultants
- A time commitment of approximately 40 hours per person
- Money in the budget to cover the guided planning process and costs related to space, food, supplies, and printing.
- Administrative support from a staff member or volunteer
- Relative stability. Organizations experiencing the normal challenges and opportunities of growth and stability are ideal for guided planning. For organizations in crisis or undergoing significant change (new leadership, a merger, a major new focus or shift in clientele), we recommend more intensive consulting support.