49. What does success look like in your nonprofit strategic planning process?
All fingers are not created equal, and neither are nonprofits.
What works for one nonprofit’s strategic planning process might not work for another, and that is perfectly okay.
While it is great to be inspired by other nonprofits, what is more important is developing a strategic planning process that works for you.
This begins with answering a key question:
What does a successful strategic planning process look like to us?
Let’s explore scenarios for two different nonprofits focused on serving youth.
Scenario 1: Youth mentorship group with 6 volunteers
Imagine you are a part of a local group is dedicated to providing mentorship and after-school activities for at-risk youth in your community. With just six volunteers, success in your strategic planning process might look like:
Long-term sustainability: Creating a roadmap for financial stability, succession planning, and lasting impact.
Team connection: Creating a space for volunteers to reflect, share ideas, and stay energized about their work.
Relationship building: Strengthening relationships with mentors, partners, and sponsors, while also reaching out to potential new supporters.
Flexibility: Staying adaptable to meet the emerging needs of the community and to seize new opportunities for collaboration as they arise.
For this small group, success is not about changing the world overnight. It is about making meaningful, sustainable progress in their community.
Scenario 2: Youth Services Alliance with 15 member organizations
Now, consider a network of 15 nonprofits, each offering different services to support young people. Success for this group might involve:
Direction: Developing a common vision and overarching goals to guide the collective efforts of all members.
Unity: Building a strong sense of collective purpose, reinforcing that the alliance is stronger when its members work together.
Learning: Creating opportunities for members to learn from each other’s successes and challenges.
Streamlined Operations: Identifying overlaps across members and opportunities to improve efficiency.
For this larger alliance, success involves building a cohesive, well-coordinated network that amplifies impact within their community.
Although both nonprofits serve a similar youth community, success in their strategic planning process differs based on their mandates, size, structure, and team atmosphere.
Both value building strong relationships, fostering unity, and creating opportunities for learning and growth. However, the mentorship group focuses on long-term sustainability and flexibility, while the alliance emphasizes collective direction, unity across members, and streamlining operations to maximize impact.
As a result, their strategic planning processes should reflect these differences. Who they engage with, how they engage, and the reasons for their engagement should be tailored to their unique needs and goals. The goals that emerge in their strategic plans will likely vary as well.
In conclusion, success in strategic planning does not look the same for every nonprofit. It is about identifying what is most important for your group and creating a plan that fits your unique situation.
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