When it comes to strategic planning for nonprofits, the skeptics abound…and with good reason. For every truly successful strategic plan, there are a dozen that have failed in some significant way. It's no wonder that nonprofit executives regard strategic planning as the organizational equivalent of a root canal. If it's not performed correctly, it's very painful, very expensive, and it doesn't get the job done. At Enterprising Strategies, we believe in getting the job done right, with the least amount of inconvenience and expense to our clients.

Strategic plans come in all shapes and sizes. Some are undertaken with very short planning horizons in mind, others require very long ones. It can be an organizational wide project or it can focus on a particular department or activity. It can be a major overhaul, or just a tune up. Whatever your needs, we will work with you to get it right. We will start by "planning to plan." We will determine what kind of preparation is needed, whether it's an internal assessment, including interviews with board and staff, or an external review of how others look at your organization. If it's really necessary, we will look at the best practices of other organizations, or how your competitors are doing. In the process, we will develop a pretty clear understanding of your organization's strengths, weaknesses, and most importantly, it's potential.

When all the preparation is done, we will work with you to devise a strategic planning schedule that works best for you, your staff and the board. We won't let the strategic planning process consume an inordinate amount of time or hinder the day-to-day operations of your organization. And we will work with you to make sure that all the relevant "stakeholders" are consulted and fully engaged in the process. We will make sure that you have a clear, concise mission statement, but we won't let that discussion derail the process. We will help you stimulate the creative process, so that you get the very best ideas; but, as the process evolves, we will make sure that those new ideas are properly vetted. We will assist you in developing new initiatives, but we will also ask you to identify the programs and activities that should be phased out. And, before it's all over, we will work with you to make sure that you have a realistic plan for implementing new strategies and ideas.

None of this will be easy. It never is. But, done properly, strategic planning can set your organization on the right course. And we can help.