Richard A. Mittenthal

Strategic planning has long been used as a tool for transforming and revitalizing corpora-tions, government agencies and nonprofit organizations. Recently, however, skepticism aboutplanning has been on the rise. Political and economic uncertainty is the norm and the paceof technological and social change has accelerated. There is some disillusionment with plan-ning efforts that can’t keep pace. “We did a plan five years ago and haven’t looked at it since,”is one common complaint. Or, “By the time we completed our plan, we were already carryingout all of its strategies.”

But such comments miss the point. Rather than expose some fatal flaw in strategic plan-ning, they reflect a basic misconception about the purpose and value of strategic plan-ning and what it takes for a plan and the process to succeed. Indeed, the process canprove pointless and frustrating and the end product of dubious value when care isn’ttaken to set clear, realistic goals, define action steps explicitly, and elicit the views ofmajor stakeholder groups.

Yet few tools are better suited to help address the staggering array of challenges broughtabout by a changing environment. A successful strategic planning process will examineand make informed projections about environmental realities to help an organizationanticipate and respond to change by clarifying its mission and goals; targeting spending;and reshaping its programs, fundraising and other aspects of operations.

briefingpaper

strategies to achieve social impact

Strategicplanningwhat it is —and isn’t» ppage 22

Componentsof aneffectivestrategic plan» ppage 55

Why visionmatters» ppage 66

Howconsultants can help» ppage 88

A final word» ppage 99

Resources» ppage 110

Inside:

Ten Keys to SuccessfulStrategic Planning forNonprofit andFoundation Leaders

tcc group

Plans Into Action: Prerequisites of Success

A successful plan is, by definition, a usableplan–one that informs the organization’s activitiesas well as its long-range view, and one that yieldsmeaningful improvements in effectiveness,capacity and relevance.

For more than 25 years, TCC Group has assistedprivate, community and corporate foundations;public charities; and nonprofit organizationsthroughout the country to develop and designeffective strategic plans. Although the challengesof funding, governing, and managing each organi-zation are unique, certain lessons apply acrossthe board. The features of a good planning projectdo not vary–regardless of its organizationalscope, emphasis or specific issues. This papershares ten immportant keys to promote more suc-cessful strategic planning.

For purposes of brevity and readability, founda-tions, public charities and nonprofit associationsare all referred to in this paper as organizations.

No organization exists in a static environment.Social, political and economic trends continuallyimpact the demand for its offerings and services.Even as advances in technology present newopportunities, they also generate new expecta-tions. Needs and community demographics are allsubject to change. So too are methods for deliver-ing programs and services. It is thus essential thata strategic plan reflect the external environment.Programs, services and operations should be reex-amined and reshaped in light of current realitiesand future projections.

In 1994, the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL)approved a five-year strategic plan that, pre-dictably, had run its course by 1999. “Most of thegoals had been achieved,” says Martin Gomez,BPL’s Executive Director. “We embarked upon anew planning process in 2000, in part because webelieved that we needed to rethink our servicesand programs in light of new technology. In thecurrent market, we realized we could no longerget by with yesterday’s systems.” Moreover, whilefew had questioned the English-only platform forthe Library’s online catalog five years earlier, anassessment of Brooklyn demographics, coupledwith information from staff discussion groupsconducted by TCC Group as part of the planningprocess, revealed that the library’s user baseincluded increasing numbers of immigrants fromLatin America, Eastern Europe, the Caribbeanand Asia. Thus, Taking Flight, the Library’s 2001-2006 strategic plan calls for the development of amultilingual and more flexible online catalog of itsholdings as well as an advanced telecommunica-tions infrastructure.

“Ultimately, we’ll be able to create virtual collec-tions of print, video and multimedia materials thatcan be accessed from any of 59 branch librariesthroughout Brooklyn, as well as by library users inother parts of New York City,” Gomez says. “Thatwouldn’t have been a top-line priority a decadeago. Today it is.”

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1. A clear andcomprehensivegrasp of externalopportunities andchallenges.

Strategic Planning: What It Is — and Isn’t

More than a few strategic planningefforts have run aground becausethey were based on a fundamentalmisunderstanding of what a strategicplan is. Sometimes strategic planningis confused with other planningmodalities, each valid in its own rightbut geared toward a different endresult. To put it simply, not every planis a strategic plan.

A ssttrraatteeggiicc ppllaann is a tool that providesguidance in fulfilling a mission withmaximum efficiency and impact. If itis to be effective and useful, it shouldarticulate specific goals and describethe action steps and resources need-ed to accomplish them. As a rule,most strategic plans should bereviewed and revamped every threeto five years.

An ooppeerraattiinngg ppllaann is a coordinated setof tasks for carrying out the goals

delineated in a strategic plan. It thusgoes into greater detail than thestrategic plan from which it isderived, spelling out time frames andthe roles of individual staff and boardmembers, for example. It also has ashorter horizon than a strategic plan— usually one fiscal year.

A bbuussiinneessss ppllaann is typically focusedon the actions and investment necessary to generate income from aspecific program or service. A business plan includes informationabout an organization’s products,competitive environment and revenueassumptions.

A ccaassee ssttaatteemmeenntt is geared towardmarketing and fundraising ratherthan planning. It describes the organization’s goals, capabilities andstrengths and the benefits it provides.Its purpose is to secure contributionsand grants from individuals, founda-tions, corporate giving programs andother philanthropic entities.

briefing paper

“Rising operatingcosts, especially thoseconnected withrepairs andmaintenance, weredraining ourresources, overtaxingour board andhampering oureffectiveness.”

— Noelle Mills AdlerPresidentLCU

The bedrock of any successful strategic plan is awarts-and-all consideration of capabilities andstrengths, weaknesses and limitations.Information, both objective and subjective, mustbe gathered from a wide array of sources, includ-ing staff and board members, clients, communityleaders, funders and partner organizations,among others.

Sometimes the process yields unexpected results.A 1999 organizational assessment led to a turningpoint in the nearly 150-year history of LCU, aprovider of low-cost housing for deserving youngwomen studying and working in New York City.Interviews with board members and staff broughtout a pervasive belief that it was time for LCU toconsider new approaches to fulfilling its mission.

“Rising operating costs, especially those connect-ed with repairs and maintenance, were drainingour resources, overtaxing our board and hamper-ing our effectiveness,” says LCU President, NoelleMills Adler. “The capacity assessment helped usfully grasp how serious our situation had become.It also presented us with two possible solutions:professionalize our operations in order to reducethe load on the Board, or sell our residences andestablish a grantmaking program.”

LCU’s Board reflected on what would be mostrealistic and chose the latter course. “Our plan isto provide housing stipends for young women inconjunction with schools and nonprofit housingproviders throughout the city,” says Adler. “It’s away of making better use of our resources andserving an even larger client base.”

A capacity assessment likewise laid the ground-work for a successful strategic plan for theWilliam Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund, a pri-vate foundation dedicated to improving publiceducation in Connecticut. The foundationretained TCC Group to organize and facilitate astrategic planning project in 1999 as its existingfive-year plan was moving into its last year. Theprocess examined all aspects of the Fund’s opera-tion, including governance, staffing, program,communications and evaluation. The assessmentprovided a stepping-off point from which the actu-al plan development could proceed. The goals andstrategies outlined in the plan that was approvedby the Fund’s board in 2001 focused on increasingorganizational capacity to ensure program success.

At one point or another, all important stakeholdergroups should have a voice in the planning effort.At a minimum, that includes staff, current andincoming board members, clients, funders andpartner organizations. To be sure, all views will notbe weighted equally, nor will every staff memberbe involved at every stage: it is possible to beinclusive without falling into the too-many-cookstrap. But a strategic plan should not become theexclusive responsibility of a small cadre of stake-holders. If the planning process is to succeed, itmust incorporate the views of all the constituen-cies that will be affected by the plan or have a rolein its implementation.

When Ethical Culture Fieldston School beganwork on a new strategic plan in 1999, its intentionwas to honor “the long tradition of democratic,

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3. Aninclusiveapproach

2. A realistic andcomprehensiveassessment of theorganization’s strengthsand limitations

broad-ranging consultation,” says school headJoseph Healey. “But we also needed to avoid char-tering so many committees and adding so manylayers that the work would bog down.” To achieveinclusiveness without sacrificing productivity, thework was divided among task forces in several keyareas, including diversity, faculty life, governanceand buildings and grounds. Each task force, aswell as an oversight committee, drew representa-tives from each of the school’s major constituen-cies — faculty, student body, parents, administra-tion, alumni and trustees.

“In a real sense, our methodology was consistentwith our objective,” says Healey. “The school wasoperating as three separate schools — two forlower grades and one for upper grades, each withits own principal and distinctive curriculum, withlittle sense of institutional cohesiveness. We arestriving to unify the three into a single PK-12school with a single mission, culture and curricu-lum.” Ethical Culture Fieldston’s new strategicplan, completed in December 2000, “is an impor-tant first step in that direction,” he says.

Strategic planning should be a participatoryundertaking—but not an anarchic one. As a mat-ter of practical necessity, the core work will gen-erally be entrusted to a small planning committeewith sufficient decision-making authority to keepthe project moving forward.

This isn’t to suggest that the committee membershave carte blanche to adopt and implement keyaction steps, or that they not be held accountableto the board or larger community. But neithershould they be subjected to constant second-guessing, or be required to seek board or man-agement approval at every step. The board’s con-fidence in their skill and judgment must be implic-it. At the Miami, Florida-based John S. and JamesL. Knight Foundation, a board-staff committeeoversaw the strategic planning effort from startto finish, reviewing the scope of work and trackingits progress through regular reports. The commit-tee also planned and led a three-day retreat wherethe framework and direction of the new plan wereformalized. In the end, the Board discussed andapproved the final plan – a common organization-al practice, but “they knew that they had appoint-ed a strong planning committee, and that thecommittee had done its job,” comments ExecutiveVice President Penny McPhee. “There was noneed to revisit or question the end result.”

At Safe Horizon–a New York City-based nonprofitformerly called Victim Services–the bulk of the initial planning work was done by an eight-personcommittee comprising four staff members andfour representatives from the Board of Directors.In the 20 years since its founding, Safe Horizonhad strayed from its mission “to provide supportfor victims of crime and abuse and their families.”The organization had branched out into severalnew areas, including immigrant services, “whichwere valuable in their own right, but not consis-tent with our reason for being,” says Senior VicePresident Elizabeth McCarthy. “We saw strategicplanning as a way to get back to our founding mission.”

“Committee empowerment was especially impor-tant because of our aggressive time frame,”McCarthy adds. Work began in December 1999with the goal of having a plan in place before theend of the fiscal year, the following June — anambitious undertaking for an organization withmore than 60 sites and a $40 million budget. Whilethe committee’s recommendations were subjectto Board approval, “the Board took them very seri-ously,” McCarthy says. “In fact, most membersdidn’t see the plan until it was in close-to-finalform in May.”

4. Anempoweredplanningcommittee

“We saw strategicplanning as a way toget back to ourfounding mission.”

— Elizabeth McCarthySafe Horizon

4 briefing paper

Some executive directors and board members areinclined to take a hands-off approach when itcomes to strategic planning. They may simply lackthe necessary time or interest to get involved. Orthey may underestimate the significance of thetask at hand and its potential impact on the organization.

Must executive directors micromanage theeffort or involve themselves in its every aspect?Certainly not. But their active participation—that is, buy-in that goes beyond mere verbalendorsement—is crucial. Absent their visionand commitment, and the certainty that fundsand resources will be available to implementaction steps, others are unlikely to take theprocess seriously.

Prior to the arrival of Gordon J. Campbell asChief Executive Officer of Safe Horizon in1998, the Board had taken steps toward draft-ing a new strategic plan. “But Gordon wasuncomfortable with that approach,” saysBrooke McMurray, Chair of the PlanningCommittee. “He felt that this needed to be anagency-wide effort, involving staff as well asboard, front-line personnel as well as seniormanagement.” In fact, Campbell hosted a two-day senior management retreat that resulted indevelopment of core features of the plan.“What we needed was a plan for increasing ourimpact and relevance in tangible ways,”McMurray says. “Without Gordon’s dynamicinvolvement, I doubt we would have gottenthere.”

An effective plan takes multiple elements intoaccount: the funding climate, the expectationsof clients and other stakeholders, the competi-tive landscape and the exigencies of operationsand programming. Neither board nor staff, act-ing on its own, has a full grasp of all those areas.Hence the need to ensure that both are fullyinvolved.

As policy-setters and financial and legal watch-dogs, board members are charged with keepingan organization on track and working to fulfillits mission. It’s an important responsibility—one to which they must be fully committed,notwithstanding any other professional andbusiness involvements. The duties of gover-nance require that board members figure cen-trally in defining the goals of the plan and layingout its structure.

However, removed from day-to-day operations,board members may propose ambitious ideasthat require tempering or scaling back. Staffmembers are likely to have a more intuitive andinformed understanding of the organization’sinternal workings and capabilities, and a clearersense of what is feasible and what is not. Theyunderstand the ins and outs of programming,operations and personnel functions; they’re theones who deal directly with clients.

6. Sharing ofresponsibility byboard and staffmembers

Components of an effective strategic plan

Strategic plans are compre-hensive documents thatcover all aspects of anorganization’s work, includ-ing programs and services,management and opera-tions, fundraising andfinances, facilities and gov-ernance. Depending on theorganization’s scope andemphasis, a plan might alsodescribe approaches toenhance marketing, inter-nal and external communi-cations, membership devel-opment and administrativesystems.

Information about thesetopics should be presentedin an action-oriented for-mat. Good strategic plansinclude:

A MMission SStatementA brief expression of theorganization’s purpose. Itshould answer the ques-tions “Why do we exist?”and “What, at the mostbasic level, do we do?”

A VVision SStatement A description of the organi-zation’s desired futurestate. An organizationalvision statement is internal-ly focused: It projects thefuture in terms of the pro-gram, budget or staff size,answering the question“Where do we want tobe?” Some organizationsalso adopt societal visionstatements, articulating thedesired influence of their

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5. Involvement ofsenior leadership

The upshot: professional staff and board mem-bers each bring complementary skill sets andperspectives to the table. One without the otherwould result in a skewed and incomplete pic-ture. The planning effort should draw on both.

Established in 1991, the Foundation for the Mid-South (FMS) has since evolved into a kind of“hybrid foundation,” in the words of its presi-dent, George Penick. “We’d started out as anoperating foundation, and later became a pub-lic charity,” he says. “Today we function as acombination of a number of philanthropic mod-els.” The foundation’s original purpose — tobuild the communities, resources and leader-ship of Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippithrough change strategies based on regionalcooperation — remains in place. But by 1999, acertain ambiguity had crept into the founda-tion’s message: its board seemed unclear onFMS’s institutional priorities.

“We weren’t in disarray or on the brink of a crisis,” Penick says. “It was more of a tremorthan an earthquake. But we needed to haveeveryone on the same page with regard to ourmission, objectives and management prac-tices.” The development of a strategic plan “pro-vided the board with an opportunity to immersethemselves in our activities and operations — toreally get their hands dirty,” he says. “For theirpart, I think they felt TCC Group’s work gavethem a greater sense of the scope and workingsof the Foundation. And the entire experiencegave them permission to ask tough questionsthat might not otherwise have been raised.” TheBoard, in fact, was responsible for framing theplan and defining the foundation’s mission andgoals; the staff played an essential role byrestructuring programs within that framework.

“We’re on a much better footing than before,”Penick says. “Board members have a muchclearer sense of programs. Outcomes are moremeasurement-driven. And program managershave a better awareness of what their programsactually cost.”

Why vision matters

A strategic plan cannot succeed unless it is derived from a clear vision ofwhat the organization will look like at a specific point in the future. Thisvision is encapsulated in a written description of the organization’sdesired future state in terms of budget size, client base, staffing levelsand program areas and other parameters. (Alternatively, a vision state-ment may focus outward on the organization’s societal impact. SeeComponents of an Effective Strategic Plan on page 4.)

Sometimes the vision is so self-evident at the outset ofthe planning process that the statement virtually writesitself. But more often, the existing vision may be hazy,ambiguous or outdated. Indeed, the effectiveness ofmany organizations is hampered by conflicting visions,or myopic visions devoid of “big picture” thinking.

Regardless of the starting point, an external scan andorganizational assessment are essential prerequisitesfor drafting an effective vision statement. They groundthe process in reality, thereby helping stakeholdersnarrow their choices or see opportunities that they hadnot previously considered.

Group facilitation techniques can be especially useful. TCC Group regu-larly convenes retreats for planning committee members and other keystakeholders to develop a vision for the future. Creative groups with goodinsights about programming and constituents’ needs can write newspa-per headlines about their work and operations five years down the roadand use this as a starting point for deriving the vision. The scenarioapproach, whereby a planning committee discusses several different pos-sible directions for the future, is another common tool for building con-sensus.

A vision statement should be explicit, straightforward and, above all, con-cise. Omit secondary points and needless digressions; keep the state-ment focused. Because of the defining nature of the vision statement, itis important for an organization to invest as much time as necessary incrystallizing its ideas and articulating them on paper.

A visionstatementshould beexplicit,straight-forwardand, aboveall, concise.

6 briefing paper

Clearly, each organization has its own individu-alized mission, client base and operating culture. Thus, each must map a strategy, incor-porating goals and action steps carefully customized to its needs. A plan that is appropri-ate in one setting won’t necessarily be appro-priate in another, no matter how similar theorganizations.

Nonetheless, it is possible to learn from thesuccesses, failures and mistakes of others. Oneway or another, every organization and founda-tion deals with challenges related to humanresources, technology, capacity building,fundraising, organizational development andgovernance. Whatever their specific goals andmethods, all must find ways to remain relevant,meet the needs of a changing client populationand make the best use of available funds.Often, a solution that works for one can be suc-cessfully adapted by another.

Thus, many comprehensive planning processesinclude a survey of comparable organizations’experiences in dealing with similar challenges.These can be researched via interviews, data-base searches and a review of relevant litera-ture, such as journal articles and positionpapers.

In preparation for formulating a new strategicplan, the Knight Foundation was particularlyinterested in examining its evaluation andcommunications functions. Toward this end,TCC Group conducted extensive benchmark-ing interviews to obtain information aboutenhancements other large foundations were

making in these areas. “The interviews gaveus a broad context from which to makeinformed decisions about the future,” saysPenny McPhee. “We learned some newapproaches that our planning committeemight never have previously considered.”

While missions and visions are essential to inspir-ing commitment to your organization, they may beseen as hollow unless accompanied by an orga-nized description of activities needed to fulfilldesired aims. (See Components of an EffectiveStrategic Plan on page 4.)

Developing a workable strategic plan means dissecting the organization’s objectives andstrategies and determining which take prece-dence. Sometimes it is easy to define first steps,such as shoring up current operations beforemoving on to replication in new sites or restruc-turing a Board. In other instances, leading strate-gies may be less clear, but prioritization is stillessential. When a planning committee focuses oncoming up with new ideas without determiningwhich are most important, the task of implement-ing the plan becomes overwhelming. Goals arerarely achieved.

The best time to make these tough choices isafter key features of the mission and the vision forthe future are clear. The planning committeeshould outline the full list of priorities and, if thereare many, decide which to move ahead on andwhich to cut back. Outside consultants can oftenhelp facilitate this type of discussion and buildconsensus. Once priorities are set, members of

8. Clear priorities andan implementation plan

7. Learning frombest practices

work on their target commu-nity or constituency. This typeof vision statement answersthe question “What is theimpact of our work?”

A VValues SStatement The principles on which anorganization is built, and thatguide its planning, operationsand programs. It answers thequestion “What do webelieve in?”

Goals aand OObjectives These express desired out-comes and may be focusedon discrete parts of the orga-nization’s programming orinternal operations. Progresstoward achieving goals andobjectives should be measur-able. While the terms areoften used interchangeably,goals are generally morecomprehensive or far-reach-ing than objectives. Framedclearly, they answer the ques-tion “What do we want toaccomplish?”

Strategies aand TTacticsThese consist of approachesor sets of activities needed toachieve the goals and objec-tives. They answer the ques-tion “How will we actuallyaccomplish our work?”

An IImplementation PPlan This is an organizational“user’s guide” to the strate-gic plan. It spells out thecost, duration, priority orderand accountability for eachstrategy and tactic. Theimplementation plan answersthe questions “What are ourspecific priorities?” and“How can we pursue ourplan in a logical and feasiblefashion?”

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the planning committee need to identify strategiesor sets of activities to achieve the goals and objectives.

Next, staff members often give critical input aboutthe costs of new ideas and who might take on theresponsibility. Having such extensive informationallows key individuals on the planning committeeto make further choices about sequencing and par-ing back (or in rare cases, stepping up) the activi-ties represented in the plan. It often takes time toachieve this level of detail, but in the long run it isworth it.

The National Center for Learning Disabilitiesworks to increase opportunities for all individualswith learning disabilities to achieve their potential.TCC Group worked with the organization to createa plan that included information about the organi-zation’s vision, target audience and goals. The planalso encompasses more than 50 strategies cover-ing all facets of the organization as well as infor-mation about who has responsibility for each strat-egy, how much implementation would cost andwhen it will happen. “This tool has been incrediblyhelpful for our work,” says Jim Wendorf, ExecutiveDirector of NCLD. “We have clear ideas of whatnew activities we need to fundraise around and,whenever the Board gets into a debate about newprogram ideas, we can refer to the strategic plan.It has also helped us assess our progress and seehow much we have accomplished in a short spanof time.”

For small and mid-size organizations, strategicplanning often moves forward on a speedytimetable. But for larger organizations with manyconstituencies, the process may advance much

less quickly. When an organization is making majorchanges and needs extensive buy-in, the processmay not be perfectly linear. As information is gath-ered, sifted and analyzed, assumptions arerethought, new ideas advanced and old onesrevamped or discarded.

It is important to keep things on course and main-tain momentum, but rushing is counter productive.“We recognized a compelling need to revisit ourexisting plan and rethink our priorities,” recallsPenny McPhee of the Knight Foundation. “At thesame time, we knew at the outset that the processcould take a year or longer if it was to be doneright.” For one thing, staff and Board members hadto fit their duties into already crowded work sched-ules. “The reality is that we simply didn’t have thetime or resources to devote every waking momentto the strategic planning process,” says McPhee.“We had a foundation to run.”

Further, the planning process coincided with thearrival of a new president “who was eager to builda consensus and willing to take the time to do so,”says McPhee. Historically, Knight had addressedtwo key areas: journalism and quality of life issuesin 26 U.S. communities. “We expected to makechanges, but didn’t expect to wind up with a planthat took us in such a markedly different direction,”says McPhee. While not abandoning its twin focus,the Foundation eliminated several grant programs,restructured its staff and revamped its philan-thropic criteria to meet its grantees’ needs in amore focused way. “We have much greater impactnow,” says McPhee. “That wouldn’t have been pos-sible had we cut corners in the planning process.”

How Consultants Can Help

Many organizations large and small have Board and staff members withstrategic planning experience. What they often lack are objectivity, disci-pline and time. A consultant can provide invaluable assistance in designinga strategic planning process that involves all key stakeholder groups in acost-effective way. Consultants can also obtain sensitive information con-fidentially and share it in a useful fashion.

Other productive roles for consultants include providing “expert advice”based on their work with other organizations; facilitating consensus amongstakeholders with differing points of view; keeping planning committees ontrack and on schedule; and helping to organize seemingly diffuse or contra-dictory thoughts and approaches into a sound strategic plan document.

What outside consultants cannot do is take full responsibility for developingthe strategic plan, or determine an organization’s mission, vision, goals orimplementation activities. Rather, their role is to facilitate a process where-by the organization’s leadership makes those decisions. Nor should consul-tants be expected to communicate to an organization’s constituents aboutthe value of a planning process or generate enthusiasm for new directions.It is the consultant’s job to furnish background information when neededand to focus on process. This ensures that the plan reflects the interests ofindividuals who will be instrumental in helping the organization thrive in thefuture.

8 briefing paper

“Everyoneunderstood theimportance ofmaking this aparticipatory andcollaborativeventure.”

— Gail NayowithCitizens’ Committeefor Children

9. Patience

No matter how relevant its original mission, noorganization can afford to shackle itself to thesame goals, programs and operating methodsyear after year. As client needs, market conditionsand funding criteria change, strategies need to berevisited regularly. Sometimes all that’s needed isfine-tuning; other times, a more fundamentalrethinking of goals and opportunities may berequired. If they are to remain viable and effective,organizations must be prepared to change asextensively as conditions require.

Prior to 1994, Citizens’ Committee for Children ofNew York (CCC) had never drafted a strategicplan. What the organization did have was a clearmission— “to ensure that every New York Citychild is healthy, housed, educated and safe.”Since its founding, CCC had applied a broad arrayof advocacy tools “to provide an effective voicefor children and make sure children in every cityneighborhood had the rights, protections and ser-vices they deserve,” says executive director GailNayowith. With the approach of CCC’s 50thanniversary, “we decided a strategic plan couldhelp us clarify and recommit to our mission andmake sure we were using our resources to achievethe best possible results for kids.”

From the beginning, Nayowith says, “everyoneunderstood the importance of making this a par-ticipatory and collaborative venture. We knew thatserious changes were likely, and that changealways carries risk. I think we all recognized thatthe best way to manage that risk was to makesure we were all on the same page.”

In the end, “there wasn’t a single aspect of theoperation that wasn’t changed in some way,” saysNayowith. Governance was closely reexaminedand overhauled: Board size was reduced, thebylaws were strengthened and, for the first time,term limits were set for directors.

“Putting our heads together, we also reworked ourbasic operating model with an eye toward becom-ing less of a think tank and more action-oriented,”says Nayowith. While CCC’s original mission had-n’t changed, “we needed to recapture our originalagility and nimbleness. The strategic planningexperience helped both staff and board see that“in an increasingly conservative funding environ-ment, the surest way to achieve that missionwould be through purposeful action — not end-less examination and discussion.”

Apart from governance and organizationalchanges, the plan helped CCC double its fundrais-ing within two years, becoming an even strongerand more effective advocate for children whileeliciting the single largest funding increase forchildren’s mental health programs in the historyof New York State.

“We also found ways to use our communicationsresources more efficiently, resulting in an expo-nential increase in media coverage and visibility,”says Nayowith. “For an organization whose stockin trade includes advocacy, the shaping of publicpolicy, and the dissemination of information,that’s a very valuable payoff.”

A Final Word

It is important to understand the limitations aswell as the possibilities of strategic planning. Astrategic plan is not a wish list, a report card or amarketing tool. It is certainly not a magic bullet ora quick cure for everything that ails an organiza-tion — especially if the plan winds up on the shelf.

What a strategic plan can do is shed light on anorganization’s unique strengths and relevantweaknesses, enabling it to pinpoint new opportu-nities or the causes of current or projected prob-lems. If board and staff are committed to itsimplementation, a strategic plan can provide aninvaluable blueprint for growth and revitalization,enabling an organization to take stock of where itis, determine where it wants to go and chart acourse to get there.

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10. A commitmentto change

Allison, Michael and Jude Kaye. StrategicPlanning for Nonprofit Organizations: A PracticalGuide and Workbook. John Wiley and Sons, 1997.ISBN: 0-471-17832-2

Availability, $39.95: http://www.wiley.com or877.762-2974

Written by consultants of the Support Center forNonprofit Management in San Francisco, thisguide and workbook is a good combination ofexplanation and examples and worksheets. A diskwith worksheet formats is included with the book.

Barry, Bryan. Strategic Planning Workbook forNonprofit Organizations. Amherst WilderFoundation, 1997. ISBN: 0-940069-07-5

Availability, $28 through the Wilder FoundationPublishing Center at 800.274.6024 bulk ratesavailable or http://www.wilder.org/pubs

This basic hands-on guide is one of the best toolsfor explaining the strategic planning process anddemonstrating how it can be implemented. Theworkbook was recently updated from its 1986 ver-sion. It provides step-by-step instructions that aregeneral enough to be tailored to most nonprofitorganizations yet detailed enough to provide spe-cific instruction and value. The workbook featuresan overview, guidance through five strategic plan-ning steps, three methods for developing a strate-gy, a sample three-year plan, detachable work-sheets and completed sample worksheets.

Bryson, John M. Strategic Planning for Publicand Nonprofit Organizations: A Guide toStrengthening and Sustaining OrganizationalAchievement (revised edition.) Jossey-BassPublishers, 1995. ISBN: 0-787-90141-5

Availability, $36: http://www.wiley.com or877.762.2974

This book is a comprehensive discussion of strate-gic planning for the more serious planner/reader. Acompanion workbook is also available as a step-by-step guide to conducting strategic planning. Thisnew version of the book addresses the leadershiprole in strategic planning and the ways in whichstrategic thinking and acting can be embracedthroughout an organization. It is not a quick readbut is valuable for those most serious about strate-gic planning.

Drucker, Peter. The Drucker Foundation Self-Assessment Tool: Participant Workbook. DruckerFoundation and Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1998. ISBN: 0-787-94437-8

Availability, $14: http://www.wiley.com or877.762.2974

The Drucker Foundation Self-Assessment Tool:Participant Workbook “combines the best elementsof long-range planning and strategic marketingwith a passion for dispersed leadership.”

Eadie, Douglas C. Beyond Strategic Planning:How to Involve Nonprofit Boards in Growth andChange. BoardSource (formerly National Centerfor Nonprofit Boards), 1993.ISBN: Not applicable

Availability, $4.99 (members), $6.25 (non members): http://www.boardsource.org/Bookstore.asp or800.883.6262

The guidebook focuses on: the practical stepsboards can take to play a meaningful role in theprocess; helping organizations identify key strate-gic issues; and implementing a plan to ensure thateach issue is fully developed and addressed.

10 briefing paper

Strategic Planning Resources

Grace, Kay Sprinkel. The Board’s Role inStrategic Planning. BoardSource (formerlyNational Center for Nonprofit Boards), 1996.ISBN: Not applicable

Availability, $9 (members), $12 (non members):http://www.boardsource.org/Bookstore.asp or800.883-6262

This best-selling booklet explains the importanceof strategic planning and why board involvementis essential. It discusses types of planning,defines key planning terms and outlines a sampleprocess. The lesson discusses the importance ofongoing monitoring, evaluation and revision oncethe plan is in place. A valuable primer for boardmembers and executives who are beginning aplanning process.

Kibbe, Barbara and Fred Setterberg (for TheDavid and Lucile Packard Foundation).Succeeding With Consultants: Self-Assessmentfor the Changing Nonprofits. The FoundationCenter, 1992.ISBN: Not applicable

Availability, $19.95 through The FoundationCenter at 212.620.4230

Based on the Packard Foundation’s work withnonprofit organizations and consultants over thelast decade, this guidebook provides nonprofitleaders with the basics of how to assess manage-ment and organizational capacity; when a consul-tant may be needed and how to select and use oneeffectively; and how to begin a process of organi-zational planning and change. In plain prose, thisresource presents nonprofit executives with theright questions to ask before engaging in a plan-ning process. It introduces who consultants areand what they do, how to select and hire one andhow to evaluate the consultant relationship.

Porter, Michael E. Operational Effectiveness IsNot Strategy. Harvard Business Review,November-December, 1996.ISBN: Not applicable

Availability, $8.50 (Hard Copy or Electronic):http://www.harvardbusinessonline.com or800.988.0886

Written by a leading thinker and writer regardingcompetitive strategy in the business world, thisarticle pushes the reader to think about the dis-tinction between doing work well and doing workstrategically. Porter argues that the essence ofstrategy is choosing to perform activities differ-ently than rivals do. A thought-provoking article.

Stern, Gary. The Drucker Foundation Self-Asessment Tool: Process Guide. DruckerFoundation and Jossey-Bass Publishers., 1999.ISBN: 0-787-94436-X

Availability, $30: http://www.wiley.com or877.762.2974

The Drucker Foundation Self-Assessment Tool:Process Guide “lays out the three phases of a fullself-assessment process and gives step-by-stepguidance.”

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Mittenthal, Richard. Effective Philanthropy: TheImportance of Focus. TCC Group, 2000.ISBN: Not applicable

Availability, downloadable athttp://www.tccgrp.com or phone 212.949.0990

This briefing paper provides insight into helpingfoundations and philanthropies define a carefullyarticulated purpose, a clear understanding of thelarger environment in which they operate and acarefully defined grantmaking program. With adetailed look at the prerequisities to effectivephilanthropy, this resource examines the neces-sary ingredients for an organization to achievesuccess.

About TCC Group

For over two decades, TCC has provided strategicplanning, program development, evaluation andmanagement consulting services to nonprofitorganizations, foundations, corporate communityinvolvement programs and government agencies.In this time, the firm has developed substantiveknowledge and expertise in fields as diverse ascommunity and economic development, humanservices, children and family issues, education,health care, the environment, and the arts.

From offices in Philadelphia and New York, andfull-time staff in Chicago, the firm works withclients nationally and, increasingly, globally. Ourservices include strategic planning, organization-al assessment and development, feasibility stud-ies, program evaluation and development, boarddevelopment, restructuring and repositioning, aswell as grant program design, evaluation, andfacilitation.

Approach

Our approach is governed by the need to estab-lish a clear and engaging consulting process thatoffers structure and predictability as well as flexi-bility to meet unforeseen needs. Working in multi-disciplinary teams, we tailor each new assign-ment to meet the individual needs and circum-stances of the client. We develop a scope of workthat responds to the particular challenges,timetable and budget for the assignment.

Sometimes clients engage us for short-termresearch, problem solving, or facilitation projects.Other times we provide comprehensive planningand evaluation assistance over a longer period orconduct other activities, over one or more years.Increasingly, TCC helps clients manage and imple-ment their work and provide advice on an ongoingbasis. We bring to each new assignment the per-spective of our expertise, broad experience andthe enthusiastic commitment to get the job doneright.

Our Services to Grantmakers

Our distinctive competence ranges from estab-lishing foundations to asessing grantees and theirneeds, to developing funders’ internal processesand external communications strategies. We haveextensive experience in helping private founda-tions, corporate community involvement pro-grams and government agencies understand andimprove both grantmaking and organizationalissues.

Services include:

Grantmaking strategy and needs assessment Program design Grantmaking and program management EvaluationStrategic planning Organizational development and assessmentFoundation formation Strengthening grantees

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We provide an array of consulting services thatcan help nonprofit organizations address opera-tional and environmental challenges. As a resultof their work with us, our clients are able to:

Strategic planning Business planning Benchmarking, peer review and research Program feasibility and design Marketing strategy Program evaluation Organizational assessment and development Governance review and board restructuring Training on topics such as strategic planning,governance, developing mission statements,and addressing challenges at particularstages of an organization’s life cycle

For more information about TCC Group or to learnhow we can help your organization, visit us onlineat http://www.tccgrp.com.

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TCC Group

New York50 East 42nd Street19th FloorNew York, NY 10017phone: 212.949.0990fax: 212.949.1672

PhiladelphiaOne Penn CenterSuite 1550Philadelphia, PA 19103phone: 215.568.0399fax: 215.568.2619

Chicago875 North Michigan Ave.Suite 3930Chicago, IL 60611phone: 312.642.2249fax: 312.642.2259

Websitehttp://www.tccgrp.com

Emailinfo@tccgrp.com

Contact a TCC office

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Richard A. Mittenthal is President of TCC Group. Laura Colin Klein, Affiliated Consultant, was instrumentalin conceptualizing and developing this paper. Special thanks also to Paul Connolly for his contributions tothis paper.