Strategic Planning Overview
What is Strategic Planning?
Strategic planning is the process of defining what your organisation wants to achieve, setting timelines, and making decisions about the best ways to make it happen. It helps clarify direction, create measurable goals, and guide everyday decisions as well as long‑term progress.
Why is Strategic Planning Important?
A good strategic plan gives your organisation a clear sense of purpose and direction. It helps your team and board make consistent decisions, track progress, adapt when things change, and create shared understanding about priorities and next steps.
Strategic planning encourages your organisation to look at both its internal strengths and the environment you operate in. It supports better decision making and helps attract alignment from supporters, funders, and partners.
Useful Websites & Reading
Here are places you can go for guides, explanations and examples of strategic planning in the community and nonprofit sector:
Strategic Planning Process – A strong overview of steps, environmental analysis, and SWOT considerations – CommunityNet Aotearoa
NOTE: CommunityNet Aotearoa is a mine of information about a wide range of topics to help charities and not-for-profits.
Strategic Planning in Non‑Profits (SPIN) – A collection of short videos that explain the planning process, implementation and review – Nonprofit Association of Washington
Strategic plans help universities tell their story – “When done well, these plans can help to set an institution’s path” – University Affairs
Strategic Planning Is A Process—Not An Event – “Strategic planning may take several years to get traction, but once successfully launched, it can become a cornerstone in an enterprise’s foundation” – Chief Executive
Examples of Strategic Plans
Theory of Change
Theory of change is a specific type of methodology for planning, participation, and evaluation that is used in the philanthropy, not-for-profit and government sectors to promote social change. Theory of Change defines long-term goals and then maps backward to identify necessary preconditions.
A Theory of Change (TOC) is a living tool that links:
- What you do
- Who you are targeting for results
- Why and how you do it
- What you expect to achieve
Theory of Change Video – Explaining the Theory of Change and measuring your social impact (2.5min) – Social Investment Business
Creating Your Theory of Change – Includes introduction to theory, benefits, how to create your own & how to use it – New Philanthropy Capital (NPC)
Useful Resources
Basic Strategy Model for beginners – a simple format to help lead discussions – SociaLink
Strategic Plan Template 1 – use to develop your own plan > Download editable Word doc – SociaLink
Strategic Plan Template 2 – use to develop your own plan – SociaLink