using a strategic plan to your benefit. introductions: the spark mill

USING A STRATEGIC PLAN TO YOUR BENEFIT

INTRODUCTIONS: THE SPARK MILL

3Grab a post-it and write down three expectations or desired outcomes you have for this session – what needs to happen to make this session invaluable and worth your investment?

WHERE ARE YOU TODAY?• How old?• Measurable?• Action oriented?• Dust Magnet?

WHO HAS CONTROL?• First, assess your culture. • What can you control and what is out of your control?• Alliances and Relationships

BEST PLACE TO ADVOCATE: INVOLVE YOUR DONORS• Planning Committees• Retreats• Surveys• Leadership Briefings

THE TEAM

STRATEGY & VISION

MISSION VS VISION

MISSION VISIONWhy you exist Desired end stateUse to make

decisionsInspirational

Long-term change

STRATEGIC VS TACTICAL

STRATEGIC TACTICALFuture Present

Long-Term ImmediateAnticipatory Reactive

Growth-Oriented Survival-Oriented

Where are you going?

How will you get there?

How will you know when you have arrived?

STRATEGIC PLANNING

STRATEGIC PLAN DOs• Internal and external• Dream, Synthesize, Plan• Finance• Measures

STRATEGIC PLAN DONTS• Don’t allow staff to write it

• Don’t use the process to shut out ideas• Don’t involve external stakeholders• Don’t forget to consider your environment• Don’t do it in one day

INSIDE A STRATEGIC PLAN

OUTCOMES

CHANGES you want to see in the organization (3-6 per plan)

STRATEGIES

HOW you will accomplish those changes (2-5 per outcome)

TACTICS

SPECIFIC ways or things you need to accomplish the changes

(2-4 per strategy)

ACTIONS

RESOURCES AND TIMING - Specifics of who and how much

INSIDE A STRATEGIC PLAN

OUTCOMES

CHANGES you want to see in the organization (3-6 per plan)

STRATEGIES

HOW you will accomplish those changes (2-5 per outcome)

TACTICS

SPECIFIC ways or things you need to accomplish the changes

(2-4 per strategy)

ACTIONS

RESOURCES AND TIMING - Specifics of who and how much

WHAT CAN A PLAN LOOK LIKE?

WHAT ELSE COULD IT LOOK LIKE?

DEVELOPMENT

LEAD BY EXAMPLE• If you can’t get your organization to do one, make one for your department instead.

WHY DOES IT HELP?• Strategic planning forces an organization to do thorough Project Planning • Defines fundraising priorities through planning

TAKE THIS

MAKE THIS

DEVELOPMENT PLAN• Shorter the better• It is for your desk, not your bookshelf• Written by you, approved by board• Translated into Calendar• Informs budget, not informed by budget• Based on last two years results

Key ComponentsStrategy Overview

The major strategies for the year will be:

Annual Giving – maintenance, which will require additional work Major Gifts – increased communication, Discovery of increased opportunities for funding and greater communication with donorsPlanned Giving – increased communication, Work on identifying current planned gifts and cultivating new ones.Board Participation – expansion, increased participation in fundraising activities.

Key Components• Action Plan

PRACTICE• List most distinctive and compelling programs • List the primary ways this project will serve your clients• Summarize one story• List three reasons the donor might wish to support the project• What would that gift help accomplish for your organization?

DON’T FORGETMEGA GIFTS COME FROM BOLD PLANS

BOARDS

MOTIVATING

•Setting Commitments

MOTIVATING

•Action Plans

BOARD MEETINGS• Reorganize for Fundraising• Energize• Inform• Refocus

• What do you cover?• What are you leaving on the table?

804-852-6409 QUESTIONS NOW or LATER?

to talk: 804.852.6409to write: sarah@thesparkmill.com

P /thesparkmillT @thesparkmillF /thesparkmill