Traditional guidance suggests strategic planning takes place every 3-5 years. Developing a strategic planning cycle that is ideal for your nonprofit does not need to be rigid, but how do you know if now is the right time for strategic planning?
There are several common motivations for strategic planning.
- Your last strategic plan is ending or your organization has never had a strategic plan.
- A big shift occurred in the landscape in which you work.
- Regulations, funding sources, or the physical environment have changed in ways that may affect your nonprofit.
- There is a significant change within your nonprofit such as new leadership, loss of a major funder, or high staff turnover.
- Your nonprofit lacks a sense of direction, or there is a feeling your organization’s full potential is not being realized.
You may also review your current strategic plan and determine only a refresh is needed to update specific elements or adjust objectives to better achieve your strategic priorities. Create an annual practice of asking “What are the most important strategic decisions your nonprofit needs to make this year?” Building space to ask this question is different from a full strategic planning process and can help your nonprofit plan more proactively, as well as make more informed decisions about possible actions.