Strategic Planning

The phrase "strategic
planning" combines words
of Greek origin meaning
"to lead an army," and a
French term meaning "a
scheme for making, doing,
or arranging something."

The presence of sound strategic planning is a common denominator for armies that win, and for successful nonprofit organizations. It is an exciting and fulfilling function of governance and administration, because the outcome charts the course by which the mission and goals of an institution are realized. Planning also serves to identify institutional priorities that will be translated into fundraising objectives.

Here are a few components that organizations embarking on the development of a strategic plan should keep in mind.

• Decisions should be made based upon facts, not intuition. Sound institutional research, environmental scanning, and other pertinent information is at the heart of sound decision-making. One mid-Atlantic university with a self-perceived image problem had marketed itself for years as a university of first generation college students, only to find in their research that such students represented but a small percentage of their enrollment.
• Meaningful participation by many individuals and constituency groups is important. Dwight D. Eisenhower once said, "Plans are nothing. Planning is everything." If the end result of the process is a leather bound document in which very few have ownership, the plan loses much of its value. Most organizations are good at talking to themselves, but are less prone to seek the input of those whom they serve. Broad constituent involvement is essential to a worthwhile outcome, and is also a potent cultivation tool for prospective major donors.
• The organization's mission must reflect the current environment. Institutional needs are secondary to the needs of the organization’s constituents. Political, economic, and social change constantly reshape the landscape in which the organization provides service. Revisiting an institution’s vision and subjecting its mission to possible modification is not an uncommon consequence of the strategic planning process.
• Individuals with responsibility for fundraising should have seats at the table. Most planning processes yield recommendations that require resources. The governing board development committee chair, the institution's chief development officer, and representatives of the organization's related foundation should be included in planning processes. Their understanding and focused effort is essential to fulfillment of the organization's evolving vision.
• Thoughtful strategic planning leads the way to organizational success. The institution as a whole must take ownership in the process and its outcomes. To quote the timeless exchange between Alice and the Cheshire Cat in Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland:
  
  Alice: Would you please tell me which way I ought to go from here?
  Cheshire Cat: That depends on where you want to get to.