Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations: A Practical Guide for Dynamic Times, 3rd Edition

Section ThreeSet Your Course

All of the work you have done to date comes to fruition in the final steps, 9 and 10. A strategic plan is a set of ideas. You want these ideas to reside in two places: (1) summarized in a document and (2) alive in the hearts and minds of your board and staff members.

In Step 9, we focus on finalizing the ideas of the plan through completing a document and building commitment and alignment. Creating the document requires discipline in sharpening your thinking and preparing to communicate the plan to other people. The review process provides a final opportunity to ensure that a deep understanding of the plan exists and to get your board and staff excited about putting the plan into action.

In Step 10, we focus on taking proactive steps to prepare the way and ensure that people know how to put these ideas into action. The first steps of implementation involve translating the strategic plan into first-year annual operating plans and the annual budget. Thinking about how to help people manage the changes required and setting up an ongoing monitoring and response process help you begin navigating your course with confidence!