Strategic planning should be a means not only to produce a strategy, but also to engage and cultivate stakeholders, develop leadership, and generate new energy, commitment and consensus around mission. Its primary product is not a written plan, but strategic thinking within the organization, which is achieved through a process of planning followed by a process of implementation. A well-conceived and managed planning process can be the most effective form of organizational development.

1. Strategic Planning Part 1:
Cultivation & Organizational Development
Sam Frank
•
Synthesis Partnership
March 20, 2013
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2. INTEGRATED PLANNING
Advising nonprofits in:! www.synthesispartnership.com!
• Strategy! !
• Planning! (617) 969-1881!
• Organizational Development! info@synthesispartnership.com!
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4. Today’s Speaker & Host
Sam Frank
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Assisting with chat questions: Principal, Synthesis Partnership
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5. Strategic Planning for Nonprofits
part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development
Sam Frank
Synthesis Partnership
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development!
© Copyright 2013 Synthesis Partnership
SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: March 20, 2013!
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6. Take-aways"
• The benefits of an effective planning process
• How to approach & structure a planning process
• How to get broad buy-in
• Tools for
• assessing your situation
• engaging your constituencies
• developing & implementing an effective plan
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development! SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: March 20, 2013!
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7. Why Plan?"
Is there resistance to planning within your organization?
From whom?
What is his/her argument against planning?
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development! SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: March 20, 2013!
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8. Why Plan?"
Circumstance
Operations
Wisdom
Cultivation
Organizational Development
Aspiration
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development! SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: March 20, 2013!
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9. What is Planning?"
INTEGRATED PLANNING
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development! SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: March 20, 2013!
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10. Roles "
!Governing Board! Planning Committee
• Set the strategic direction
• Own the planning process • Shape the planning process
• Offer inclusiveness and transparency
• Ensure participation and completion
• Craft mission-based goals & objectives
• Approve goals & supporting objectives
• Facilitate action plan
• Launch implementation
• Monitor implementation
Both!
• Gain a more robust understanding of the organization
CEO & Board Chair!
• Maintain proper focus
!
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development! SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: March 20, 2013!
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11. Planning Process"
Prepare
Assess
Engage
Plan
Implement
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development! SYNTHESIS
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12. Planning Process: !1. Prepare"
Board Commitment
Committee Chair
Documentation
Process Design
Committee
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development! SYNTHESIS
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13. Planning Process: !1. Prepare"
Typical Timeline!
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development! SYNTHESIS
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14. Planning Process: !2. Assess"
!
Examine Component Plans
Gather Data
Interview Key Players
Identify Critical Issues
Conduct a Board Self-Assessment
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development! SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: March 20, 2013!
© 2013 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P
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15. Planning Process: !2. Assess"
Board Self Assessment Tool!
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development! SYNTHESIS
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16. Planning Process: !2. Assess"
Mission Statement!
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development! SYNTHESIS
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17. Planning Process: !3. Engage"
!
Board & senior staff
All stakeholder groups
Ongoing communication
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development! SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: March 20, 2013!
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18. Planning Process: !3. Engage"
Situation!
Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats
External Environment: Opportunities Threats
Internal Environment: Strengths Weaknesses
• Inputs (Human resources, funding, facilities)
• Processes (Programs, operations, governance)
• Outputs (Quality of programs, social change)
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development! SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: March 20, 2013!
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19. Planning Process: !3. Engage"
Polarities!
MANAGEMENT
by Budget by Mission
Sustainability Purpose
+! Fulfillment of mission
Service to community
Bottom-line decision making Requires extraordinary leadership & involvement
-! Cut programs if budget can’t be balanced Requires full commitment to fundraising
Not attuned to ultimate purpose of institution
FUNDING PRIORITY
Facilities Programs
+!
-!
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development! SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: March 20, 2013!
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20. Planning Process: !3. Engage"
Surveys!
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development! SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: March 20, 2013!
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21. Planning Process !"
!
Strategic Planning Part 2:
Plan Development and Implementation
April 10, 2013
Strategic Planning Part 3:
The Measure of Success
May 15, 2013
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development! SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: March 20, 2013!
© 2013 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P
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22. Planning Process: !4. Plan Development"
!
Mission
Mission-Based Goals
Supporting Objectives
Board Endorsement
Measurable Actions
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development! SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: March 20, 2013!
© 2013 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P
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23. Planning Process: !4. Plan Development"
Mission-Based Goals !i[2]y!
Mission"
End isolation & improve quality of life for young adults affected by cancer.!
Mission-Based Goals!
Program: Access "
Offer access to resources for young adults with cancer, their families, and their care providers
Program: Connections "
Create opportunities for young adults with cancer to make meaningful connections to each other.
Program: Quality of Life"
Have an impact on the quality of life of young adults with cancer
Fundraising
Develop a sustainable funding stream from foundations, individuals and corporate sponsors
Marketing"
Make i[2]y a visible resource to all diagnosed young adults, survivors, their families and care providers
Governance
Shape the board and its activities to support sustainably the mission of i[2]y
Finance / Operations
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development! SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: March 20, 2013!
© 2013 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P
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24. Planning Process: !4. Plan Development"
Goals & Objectives !CBE!
Mission-Based Goal: Membership "
Strengthen ties & the sense of community among all members.
Supporting Objective 1:"
Develop programs that appeal to every segment of the CBE
community.
Supporting Objective 2:"
Connect with new members through as many means as possible.
Supporting Objective 4:"
Reach out to members only partially engaged in the CBE community.
Supporting Objective 8:"
Cultivate all younger members as potential leaders.
!
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development! SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: March 20, 2013!
© 2013 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P
!

25. Planning Process: !4. Plan Development"
Goals & Objectives !CBE!
Mission-Based Goal: Finance"
CBE will operate in a fiscally responsible manner.
CBE has not made a compelling case for the appropriateness of its current spending or its need for a higher level of
funding. More transparency is needed to indicate where funds are going and how thinly they are stretched. For financial
sustainability CBE needs to look at retaining existing members and increasing membership.
Supporting Objective 1:"
Communicate the financial facts more clearly to the membership.
Supporting Objective 2:"
Identify opportunities for revenue enhancement to support
expansion of programming and services.
Supporting Objective 3:"
Make prudent choices about programs that can be supported.
Supporting Objective 4:
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development! SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: March 20, 2013!
© 2013 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P
!

26. Planning Process: !4. Plan"
Mission to Action !i[2]y!
Mission: !
End isolation and improve quality of life for young
adults affected by cancer
Mission-Based Goal: !
Offer access to resources for young adults with
cancer, their families, and their care givers
Supporting Objective 1"
Upgrade the website to state of the art
Supporting Objective 2"
Develop a robust presence in cancer treatment centers
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development! SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: March 20, 2013!
© 2013 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P
!

27. Strategic Planning: !4. Plan"
Two versions !SGIS!
Dedication to Excellence
Goal 1!
SGIS will operate as a single school in pursuit of its mission.
Objective 2!
Develop an understanding among the SGIS community of the value of excellence in education
created by the SGIS model. !
The three-campus model is not just an Action 1: "
added value of SGIS, it is an essential Annually review the curriculum to assure that it supports the
feature of the SGIS education and understanding and acceptance of all SGIS students.!
Action 2: "
experience, both for students and for their
families. This fact must be reflected in Communicate to all constituent groups the vision and progress of
curriculum, communications, family cross-campus connections at least three times a year. !
Action 3:"
events, and all other school functions.
Parents Association will plan events, times and location to be
SGIS will have to re-examine
supportive of all three campuses. !!
curriculum, communications, and events
Action 4: "
annually to assure that the school is
Have at least one school-wide event for families and faculty from
reflecting this commitment in them in the
all 3 campuses each year. !
best possible manner.!
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development! SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: March 20, 2013!
© 2013 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P
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28. Planning Process: !4. Plan Development"
Published Plan!
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development! SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: March 20, 2013!
© 2013 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P
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29. Planning Process: !5. Implement"
Measurement & monitoring !
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development! SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: March 20, 2013!
© 2013 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P
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30. SYNTHESIS
PARTNERSHIP
Questions?!
Advising nonprofits in
!
strategy, planning, and organizational development!
!683 Commonwealth Avenue"
!Newton MA 02459!617 969 1881"
!info@synthesispartnership.com!
www.synthesispartnership.com"
© Copyright 2013 Synthesis Partnership! synthesispartnership.blogspot.com!
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development!
All rights reserved.! SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: only in20, 2013! and with full attribution!
Copies permitted March entirety
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31. Resources !"
! Critical Issues
#1 Why Plan? http://bit.ly/SyPci01
#2 The Secret Life of Surveys http://bit.ly/SyPci02
#5 The Structure of Planning http://bit.ly/SyPci05
#7 On Mission http://bit.ly/SyPci07
#8 The Measure of Success http://bit.ly/SyPci08
#9 Brand Identity for Nonprofits? http://bit.ly/SyPci09
#11 Integrated Planning http://bit.ly/SyPci11
#12 Managing Change http://bit.ly/SyPci14
#15 Strategic Action http://bit.ly/SyPci15
#17 Fear & Loathing of Strategic Planning !http://bit.ly/SyPci17
Arguments Against Planning
Blog post from prior webinar
http://bit.ly/SyParguments
Other Webinars on Strategic Planning
Strategic Planning Part 2: Plan Development and Implementation
April 10, 2013
Strategic Planning Part 3: The Measure of Success
May 15, 2013
schedule & registration links
http://bit.ly/SyPwebinars
Complimentary consultation !"
(by e-mail or phone appointment)
sbf@synthesispartnership.com
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development! SYNTHESIS
Wednesday Webinar: March 20, 2013!
© 2013 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P
!

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