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What is the difference between a desire and a goal? Without a plan, more vitality, strength, and sustainability are just desires. Without a plan, how will you convince the staff, donors, referral sources, and others that you are serious, intentional, and know how to do it? Unless you write down your plan how will others follow it? Without milestones how will you know if the plan is working? [...]  Numerical growth is only one example of growth. Is it the right one for your favorite nonprofit? It is the most popular measure because it is the most important measure to retail operations and retail is the most visible business activity around us. However, other growth measures can be more important. [...] One can connect the passion of the donor to the mission. The strategic plan is the connection. The strategic plan must be concrete, creditable, and have an emotional element. [...] A strategic plan will produce sustainability. The symptoms or key elements of sustainability are strong community support, donor passion, motivated employees and volunteers, an effective board, active and committed referral sources, and clients referring others. [...] The most significant hurdle to creating a strategic plan is having the time and skills. It takes time to plan and there always seems to be something urgent that delays the planning process. [...] Many nonprofits of all sizes struggle with strategic planning. Many individuals argue that strategic planning is a waste of effort. Technology changes often and rapidly. How can you develop a strategy in a rapidly changing environment? [...] At its best strategic planning solves an important problem. What is a counter example? Let us consider the board’s strategic planning retreat to create this year’s budget. [...] Where does donor loyalty start? Is it the responsibility of the donor to become loyal or is it the nonprofit’s job to create an environment that encourages loyalty? [...] |
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