Organizational planning is what people usually think about when they consider planning for a nonprofit. An organizational plan, usually covering a three- to five-year period, sets goals for the organization and describes the objectives that must be accomplished to achieve those goals. While this may seem like overkill, this organizational plan will help you identify the actual steps that need to be taken to accomplish your goals.
The steps for successful organizational planning are as follows:
Decide whether it’s the right time to plan.
Look at your mission.
Assess the external and internal situation.
Hear from stakeholders.
Make decisions about goals and strategies to meet them.
Write the plan.
Act on the plan.
Planning is an ongoing activity. A formal effort to develop an organizational plan may occur only once every three to five years, but planning for the purposes of refining objectives, creating a budget, and developing fundraising programs goes on all the time.
You won’t necessarily amend a written plan each time a change occurs because, if you’re actively involved, your nonprofit will constantly change to meet new demands and adapt to changing environmental conditions.