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The Ultimate Guide to Strategic Planning for Non-Profits In recent times, strategic planning has been increasingly touted as dead and irrelevant by some bloggers and practitioners. I differ with that view. How can one get to his/her destination without planning ? With that said, when should the leadership of a non-profit organization embark on a strategic planning mission?
Often, the decision to carry out strategic planning depends on the growth/development phase of the non-profit. For instance, if it is in its' first year of operation, it might be more pre-occupied with developing its' operational budget or its' governing board. On the other hand, a non-profit in its' fourth or fifth year of operation might be preoccupied with the leadership style of the organization. A critical question it might be pondering about will be, "is this non-profit being operated strategically?" One tell-tale sign of an organization that is operating strategically is that its' strategies are developed from a shared vision. It spends more time fulfilling its' vision instead of reacting to an onslaught of daily problems without an end in sight. Strategic Planning is a conscious, disciplined choice that requires a willingness to change. Without a willingness to change, the status quo will be maintained. Additionally, the strategic planning process predominantly lies in the domain of the organization's leadership and generally involves the following : 1. Assessment of the Situation In order to determine the best course of action to take, an overview of the organizations history and goals should be carried out. By conducting this step, a clear picture of accomplished and unaccomplished goals will emerge. Furthermore, research in the form of empirical data collection should be conducted. Recommended data to be targeted include budget, program trends among others. 2.Organize a Retreat A second step in the strategic planning process entails conducting a retreat. Staff members, board members , a facilitator and other stakeholders that are involved with the work of the organization either directly or indirectly ought to be included. During the retreat, exercises centered on the attainment of a common ground regarding the organization's mission, vision and core values should take center stage. Next, it is highly important to carry out a SWOT analysis followed by a discussion on the priorities of the organization. 3. Write out the Plan Following the retreat, a strategic plan reflective of the organization's goals can be developed. Data collected during the assessment phase will serve as the framework for the formulation of goals. For example, it might have been discovered that the non-profit's waning infrastructure has been affecting the ability of staff to carry out their work effectively. Consequently, low productivity has been it's (non-profit) plight. In essence, the issue pertaining to waning infrastructure will inform the type of goals that eventually emerge. 4. Monitoring Plan Once a plan is developed, it is essential to develop a monitoring plan that tracks and evaluates the progress of the strategic plan. This plan will include a timeline of activities and stated goals. Furthermore, the names of individuals assigned to listed responsibilities should be captured in the monitoring plan. By doing this, the organization will be well on its way of implementing its' strategic plan in a timely manner. Written By Sherita N Brace Sherita N Brace is an International Development Professional and a Blogger. She serves as a Consultant to non-profits and provides grant writing services, program planning services and communications services. Reference:
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 A Guide to Non-Profit Program Planning In order to achieve successful program outcomes, it is essential to build a strong foundation during the program design process. As is the case with many ventures in life, strategic planning coupled with dedication towards the achievement of goals will result in desired outcomes. The main steps that comprise effective program planning are:
1. Identification of Service Gaps 2. Alignment of Program with Organization’s Mission 3. Engaging Beneficiaries 4. Program Planning as a Team Effort 1. Identification of Service Gaps To develop a successful program plan, conduct research centered on gaps in service to beneficiaries. By carrying out this activity, areas that require additional attention and input will be discovered. As a result, non-profit leadership can fine tune their approach while focusing on the development of relevant programs with a high rate of success. 2. Alignment of Program with Organization’s Mission Program(s) opted for should tie in to the organization’s mission and goals. During the brainstorming phase, ideas generated should reflect the goals that the non-profit organization seeks to achieve. By doing this, the non-profit will stay true to it’s mission while avoiding the likelihood of stretching itself too thing. Each idea generated should be thoroughly questioned and vetted to ensure that it fulfills the organization’s core mission. 3. Engaging Beneficiaries Intended beneficiaries of the program should be engaged during the inception phase of the program. By interacting with them, the non-profit can gain their perspective. Thus, they will be in a unique position to fine tune the ideas generated and come up with a program that reflects the perspectives of. Also, engaging beneficiaries has an added benefit of creating awareness and generating interest in the non-profits' activities. This can help the non-profit entrench its position within the community that it serves. 4. Program Planning as a Team Effort Programming planning should be conducted as a team effort by engaging the board, executives, consultant(s) and personnel that will be providing key administrative and programmatic services. One of the crucial functions that conducting program planning as a team effort provides is clarity. Team members can clarify any idea or suggestion that may be shrouded in confusion. Also, an added bonus is that it ensures ownership of the program. As a result, team members will be more likely to go the extra mile in ensuring the success of the program. Developing a program that takes into account identification of service gaps, alignment of the program with the organization’s mission, engages beneficiaries and carries out program planning as a team effort will result in the development of a strong program that fulfills required outcomes. Written By Sherita N Brace Sherita N Brace is an International Development Professional. She serves as a Consultant to Non-Profits and provides grant writing services, program planning services and communications services. Reference:
 How to Cultivate Donors in Four Steps Just as water is essential to the survival of fish, so is adequate funding essential to the sustainability and survival of programs run by non-profits. As such, planing and incorporating a strategic donor cultivation plan will assist in the achievement of program objectives. The following steps can serve as as a guide in the cultivation of donors for various non-profit programs.
1). Research: Prior to starting a donor cultivation program, non-profits should conduct research on funders and categorize funders according to their mission. By so doing, they will be better positioned to connect on mutual point(s) of interest. This is critical since the attention of potential funders has to be captured prior to solicitations. Therefore, a meaningful way of capturing the attention of donors is by communicating with them based on mutual interests. 2).Engage Identified Funders: Upon identifying and capturing the attention of donors based on their interests, the next step is to engage with them. Activities that encourage networking and face to face interactions tends to yield higher results than activities that involve less personal interactions. For instance, invitations to the program site of non-profits can be issued to potential donors. By doing this, funders will be provided with an opportunity to learn more about a non-profit's programs while providing them(funders) with an opportunity to connect with the non-profit at a deeper level. To involve funders further, the non-profit's team lead can provide them with options/mediums through which they would like to engage with the non-profit. That is, would they rather serve as volunteers or offer advice on an "as need basis?" At this phase, some donors will opt out. Whatever the outcome maybe, it shouldn't be taken personally. For example, a donor may opt out simply because he or she may have other pressing engagements. 3). Request Financial Support: Now is the time to request for financial support from potential donors after researching and engaging identified donors. At this point, most of the donors identified would be conversant with your non-profits mission and its work within the community. Since the likelihood of an emotional connection is likely to be high, funds for programs can be solicited successfully. Funds may be solicited through fundraisers, sports events etcetera. 4).Create a CRM System: Creating a crm system will help non-profits in keeping track of the activities of donors. It will also provide insights on strategies that work best among a certain segment of donors and those that don't work. Such information can be fine tuned and transformed into the development of an adequate donor cultivation strategy. Donor cultivation process is an ongoing process and should not end once funding is received. Coming up with creative ways of engaging with donors will definitely set your non-profit apart from others while making it more memorable. Although donor cultivation is a slow process, sticking to it reaps desired results. Written By Sherita N Brace Sherita N Brace is an international development professional and a blogger. She serves as a consultant to non-profits and provides grant writing services, program planning services and communications services. Non-Profit Market Research - Benefits  The implementation of market research (identification of a specific market and measurement of its size and other characteristics) as part of program design activities by non-profits is a practice that cannot be ignored. Hitherto, market research was viewed as a practice best suited for corporations and industries. Yet, non-profits stand to gain immensely from the incorporation of market research in their program design practices.
For non-profits that cite limited funding and time as the main reasons why they can't afford to conduct market research, it should be noted that refraining from conducting market research is actually costly in the long term. Benefits of market research to non-profits include; 1. Time Saver Let's observe the following scenario. A non-profit may decide to offer shelter services for victims of domestic violence within its' community. After approval from the board, the non-profit may decide to design a program aimed at providing shelter services. How will the non-profit move from acting based on an assumption to acting based on facts? What if there is another non-profit carrying out the same service ? Without market research, the leadership of the non-profit will not have a sufficient response to this question. In the event that another non-profit is already offering that service in the community, a likely outcome could be that the program would not be successful. Therefore, the time and funds expended on the program would have been for naught. Had market research been conducted from the onset, this outcome would have been avoided. 2. Competitive Advantage In an ideal world, competition would be non-existent. Yet, the world we live in is highly competitive. For non-profits to excel, it is essential that they figure out their value and competitive edge. This can be gleaned through market research. Once a non-profit carries out market research, it will be armed with insight on how its' competitors are carrying out their programs. Along with this insight comes the opportunity to figure out how to carry out similar services effectively and efficiently. This knowledge will inevitably result in a non-profit attaining its competitive advantage! 3. Sustainable Programs Conducting market research is a key step in the design of sustainable programs. For example, by carrying out market research, the leadership of a non-profit will acquire information on where a need is greatest and the beneficiaries that stand to gain most from a proposed service. On the flip side, areas requiring minimum service from the non-profit will be brought to light. Therefore, the design of a program taking into account information gained from market research is highly likely to be sustainable. 4. Partnerships Through market research, a non-profit can gain important information on the services being provided by other non-profits within its' community. Accordingly, it will be in a better position to team up or collaborate with the right non-profit when it comes to providing services that require such partnerships. Also, a non-profits ability to form the right partnership(s) when seeking funds can increase its' fundraising potential. Small non-profits can take advantage of affordable market research that are easily accessible. Some of the affordable options for conducting market research can be readily obtained from sources such as local libraries and local colleges. Non-profits ought to integrate market research in their program design efforts as they will reap benefits such as saving time, gaining a competitive advantage, designing sustainable programs and establishing partnerships. Written By : Sherita N Brace Resource: 1.Market Research. Retrieved June 23, 2017 from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/marketing-research.html 2. Strategic Marketing for Nonprofit Organizations, Alan R. Andreasen, Phillip Kotler, 2008, Seventh International Edition, Pearson Prentice Hall.  the Benefits of non-profit brandingTo the uninitiated, branding is synonymous to the image of a logo. Yet, branding is much more than a logo. What then, is branding? "Branding is endowing products and services with the power of a brand” (Kotler & Keller, 2015) . One can clearly tell from this definition that branding is much more than a logo , a website or a brochure.
In times past, non-profits adopted the concept of branding mainly for fundraising purposes. Today, branding has evolved beyond fundraising purposes and offers the following benefits: 1). Builds Trust An effective branding strategy that communicates the impact of a non-profits work engenders trust. By sharing its' activities and progress, people become aware of the role the non-profit plays in its' community. With the trust earned, a non-profit can easily garner support for its' causes. 2). Advocacy / Expanded Support Base Once people become aware of a non-profits' work, it becomes easier for them to connect with its' brand. Consequently, they not only become loyal adherents of the non-profit but they also become its' advocates. This can serve the non-profit in many ways. For instance, success stories shared on a non-profits social media page can be re-posted by loyal adherents and shared with their friends. Such activities have the power of expanding a non-profits support base since a wider audience is reached. 3). Increased Funding Opportunities A strong brand improves the rate of success of a non-profits' funding endeavors. By creating a positive brand image, it becomes easier to engage favorably with funders and stakeholders alike. 4). Facilitates Partnership Formation A strong brand makes it easier for a non-profit to forge meaningful partnerships. The ability to collaborate with other organizations enhances a non-profits ability to implement projects that have a wider reach/scope. This in turn creates a favorable perception for the non-profit and influences its' fund raising potential. It is important for a non-profit to develop a compelling and consistent brand since it engenders trust among its' audience, expands its' support base, increases its' funding opportunities and facilitates its' ability to forge partnerships. By Sherita N. Brace References: Kotler & Keller: Marketing Management (2015), American Marketing Association (AMA) Nathalie Kylander & Christopher Stone (Spring 2012). The Role of Brand in the Non - Profit Sector[Blogpost].Retrieved from https://ssir.org/articles/entry/the_role_of_brand_in_the_nonprofit_sector#bio-footer why are grant reports necessary ?You discovered a need in your community and formulated a strategy for solving it. The next plan of action you took entailed the implementation of your strategy. Also, you were successful at finding a funder whose interests aligned with your non-profit's mission. Consequently, your non-profit has been awarded a grant as a means of helping in the realization of its' goals.
Granted, one can appreciate the immense responsibilities and duties that come with running a successful non-profit. Sometimes, while attending to the everyday requirements of program implementation, the development of a grant report can end up on the back burner. I can't stress it enough, grant reports are very important and should be prioritized. In the the event that your non-profit finds itself missing a deadline, include a letter explaining the reason for the delayed submission and include it with your report... Better late than never ! Why Are Grant Reports important? Why should you take time off your busy schedule to prepare one ? Grant reports are important because of the following reasons : 1. Accountability : It provides funders with information on how the grant awarded to your program was used. Through the financial statement provided, they are able to acquire comprehensive information on how much money was spent on the various components of the program. 2. Positive Reputation of Non-Profit : A well written grant report aids in boosting the credibility to the recipient of the grant . It also demonstrates to the funder that your organization can be trusted . This paves the way for the strengthening of relationships. Once a non-profit earns the trust of a funder, further funding for the expansion of programs becomes easier. 3. Program Outcome : Increasingly, funders are now opting for an outcome oriented approach. Through a grant report, funders are provided with tangible evidence of their financial contribution to your program. A grant also helps funders in assessing the sustainability of the program which in turn informs informing future grant decisions. 4. Human Touch : An engaging and informative grant report lends a human touch to the program. For instance, in reports where testimonies from few beneficiaries expressing the positive impact of the program's results are included, funders end up with relatable evidence of how the grant awarded has impacted lives. This, in turn, improves the likelihood of continuous support from the funder . Utmost importance should be attached to the writing of grant reports. An informative, engaging and timely grant report will go a long way in strengthening a non-profits relationship with funders. In addition, it will improve the likelihood of the receipt of more funding for successfully implemented programs. Written by : Sherita Brace |
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