I love to discover wonderful nonprofits that are committed to a clear path toward a meaningful future! Is that you? Or would you rather tear your fingernails out than think about strategic planning? Would you also go on a long trip without getting out the GPS and mapping it?

If you can’t envision the future – I mean be crystal clear about where you’re headed – then you can’t make the impact you want. You can do okay, but you won’t be optimally efficient or effective. Is being mediocre okay with you? Is that fair to the community you serve?

Here are 3 common reasons planning is avoided:

1.  There’s nothing wrong. If you wait until something goes wrong, it will be too late. You see, the plan will drive your work. When your team is intentional about looking forward, setting priorities and anticipating changes, you will be much better prepared to adjust to the changes that are inevitable.

2.  Not enough time. Imagine what could happen if you revisited what you’re committed to. You intend to transform lives or change your corner of the work in some way, correct? Isn’t that worth dedicating some time to get it right?

3.  Don’t know how. No problem! There are plenty of people (like me) who know how to help you navigate through an effective planning process. Ask the organizations in your town who support nonprofits, do a LinkedIn search, google nonprofit consultants – but don’t use ignorance as an excuse.

The most successful nonprofit organizations have made strategic planning part of their culture. But if you don’t understand how strategy drives your future direction, you may still be procrastinating.

So here are the key benefits of strategic planning:

1. Increases alignment and commitment among the team
2. Establishes a shared understanding of your current reality
3. Maximizes return on investment by setting clear priorities
4. Identifies critical issues and ways to turn them into opportunities
5. Provides transparency and accountability through benchmark setting
6. Guides decision making and resource allocation based on clear goals and direction
7. Promotes innovation by exploring the “why” behind questions
8. Expands collaborative conversations within the organization and with community partners

If your team hasn’t gone through a planning process in the last few years, it may be time to consider it.

What should you do next?

* Get consensus from the board and senior staff to invest time, energy and perhaps money in the process (refer to benefits above)
* Form an ad hoc planning committee to clarify why you need to plan now (is there a major challenge you’re facing, have there been significant board turnover or staffing changes, are you starting a new program or service, is there confusion about future direction, have you never done any long term planning, etc.)
* Review your vision statement – does it still inspire you and describe your future? (if you don’t have one, this could be an outcome of your planning effort)
* Ask yourself if there are some key questions you’d like to have the answers to (I have a list if you need help here)
* Develop a proposed planning timeline and discuss who should be included.
* Determine who will facilitate it and, if needed, source the role.

Here’s the deal…you can procrastinate if you wish. And you can have mediocre impact. Or you can choose to be exceptional and design a clear path to SIGNIFICANT social good for the long haul.

Call me if you want to talk about your nonprofit’s planning needs.

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