A service of the Childrens Bureau, US Department of Health and Human Services

FourStagesofStrategicPlanningStrategicplanningisacontinualprocessforimprovingorganizationalperformancebydevelopingstrategiestoproduceresults.Itinvolveslookingatwheretheagencywantstogo,assessingtheagencyscurrentsituation,anddevelopingandimplementingapproachesformovingforward.Weutilizeaframeworkcomprisedoffourdistinctstages:

Prepare

Implement

Review/Revise

Plan

1.Prepare

Threecriticalstepsmustbeaccomplishedpriortodevelopingastrategicplan: visioning, assessment,and thedevelopmentandimplementationofaplanningprocess.Ineachoftheseareas,youwillneedtoreviewandbuildonwhatisalreadyinplacevisionandmissionstatements,agencyand/orstatewideassessments,andinputfromongoinggroupsofinternalandexternalstakeholdersalreadyengagedinplanning.

2.Plan

Todeveloptheplan,youmustestablishprioritiesbyconsideringtheneeds,strengths,andresourcesofyourorganization.Threekeyquestionsmustbeanswered: Whatdowewanttoaccomplish? Whatwillwedotogetthere? Howwillweknowifwearemakingprogress?Onceyouhaveadraftdocument,circulateitforinput,reviseandfinalize.

3.Implement

Thefollowingstepsensurethatplansareusedtoguidetheworkoftheorganization: Communicatingor"marketing"theplan, managingtheimplementationoftheplan, supervisingtheactualwork,and monitoringandreportingprogressontheplan.

4.Review/ReviseThisstagestartsthecycleoveragain,allowingtheplantobecontinuouslyupdated.Thiswillkeepitcurrentandmeaningfultotheorganization.Onanongoingbasistheorganizationshould: conductassessmentsofitsperformancebygatheringandanalyzinginformation; convenetheplanninggrouptoreviewperformanceandreassessgoals,outcomes,strategies,andactionsteps

andtomakerecommendationsforchanges;and revisetheplan.Totheextentthattheplanisupdated,itwillstaycurrentandmeaningfultotheorganization.

Astrongstrategicplanningprocesscanbeapowerfultoolforsystemicchangewithinchildwelfareagenciesandkeepagenciesfocusedonimprovingoutcomesforchildrenandfamilies.Throughouttheprocess,ongoingcommunicationiscritical.

National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement