Developing a Strong Not-for-Profit Strategic Plan

Does your not-for-profit have a strategic plan in place? In a recent article for Forbes, author Victoria Burkhart offers some tips for creating and implementing a strong strategy.

There are a number of elements that contribute to the creation of a strong strategic plan. Burkhart highlights the need for a cohesive format and a set timeframe. She also recommends that not-for-profit planners be sure to review their organizations mission and vision in order to make sure that the plan fits in with them. Finally, not-for-profits should perform a SWOT analysis in order to determine the elements that should be included in the strategic plan.

While many not-for-profits do have a strategic plan, a lot of existing plans are not well executed for a number of reasons. Sometimes the plan is simply poorly documented or implemented. Burkhart recommends that not-for-profits go through the following steps in order to implement a thorough and executable strategic plan:

1. Develop a strategy for implementation that includes detailed steps, specific action items, and a set timeline.
2. Make the plan a key part of your organization by sharing it with all team members and board members, issuing regular updates and progress reports, and highlighting all key accomplishments.
3. Designate a team member to manage the plan and its implementation in order to ensure that you stay on track.
4. Return to your plan at regular intervals in order to review it, update it, and assess its progress.

For further details, click here to read the article in full at Forbes.