The strategic plan provides an organization with many benefits: structure, vision, goals, metrics, etc. However, the greatest impact from a completed, thorough plan comes from its ability to support fundraising requests.
Having a clear but thorough strategic plan could make the difference between an organization struggling to sustain and one that finds success in fundraising. Today’s donors–whether individuals, corporations, or foundations–want to ensure that their dollars will have an impact on the mission and causes they believe in. Organizations with goals and objectives that are easy to understand and measure become organizations that are easy to support.
One of our clients, the International Human Rights Institute at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, was able to leverage their strategic plan to secure over $700K in donations from foundations, corporations, and individuals. Could your organization use an extra few hundreds of thousands of dollars?
In a world where well-meaning organizations have to compete for a smaller piece of the pie, don’t miss out on significant funding opportunities because you didn’t take the time to plan. The strategic plan should be created before your fundraising plan because no matter how much money you raise, the benchmarks of your organization’s success will be determined by the goals that you achieved with that funding.
Don’t miss out on significant funding opportunities because you didn’t take the time to plan.
Going through the process to develop the plan also provides lasting benefits for the organization and its leaders:
Decision making: Your strategic plan serves as a guiding light or North Star for all major decisions by unifying the board and staff to work towards the same goals. The process also identifies those responsible for carrying out specific tasks and establishes a time frame for milestones.
Continuous improvement: Your strategic plan pushes leaders to pause and think of the world as it should be and not just how it is, which helps the organization to anticipate and manage change and provides the opportunity to analyze the organization’s processes.
Bringing leaders and staff closer to the mission and vision of the organization: Your strategic plan provides the opportunity for the board, staff, and volunteers to recommit to your cause by reinforcing who you are and what you do. It identifies the existing strengths in the organization and helps to onboard new staff, board members, and volunteers on your organization’s history and vision.
These benefits will bring lasting benefits for the organization and its processes.
Need help getting started on your strategic plan?
Horizon Advisory Group provides collaborative strategic planning coaching and development services as well as local workshops in Atlanta to help you to build your own plan. Contact us today to determine which level of service is right for your organization.
