Developing a strategic planning team will help guide and keep the process moving forward. The strategic planning team does not make all the decisions. This team champions and supports facilitation of the process, which may include overseeing the design and implementation, developing an outreach and communications plan to maximize engagement of key parties, and preparing for planning sessions. The strategic planning team is normally involved throughout the Prepare, Listen, Envision, and Plan stages, concluding their work with a handoff to staff (or volunteers) in the Implement stage. Clarifying and agreeing to the purpose, roles, and responsibilities in a strategic planning team charter is a good practice.
Typically, a strategic planning team is a group of 6-8 people or fewer, with a mix of board, staff and community members. Although you may distribute leadership responsibilities across the team, from a project management perspective, it is important to identify one person who is leading the overall process from start to finish to ensure the process is completed on time and within the resources allocated. A strong lead person needs effective communications skills, attention to detail, and the ability to adapt as circumstances change. If your resources allow, you may consider hiring a professional consultant to serve as a guide, reduce the organizational workload, and keep the process moving.
A few considerations when forming your strategic planning team:
- What is the ideal team size and mix of people for your process?
- What are the various functions, programs, and departments within your nonprofit that need representation?
- How will the communities served by your organization be represented on the strategic planning team and throughout the larger process?
- How will you transparently communicate about the role and influence of the strategic planning team?