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Tips on Strategic Planning in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors

by Kathryn E. Newcomer, Director

The Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration

The George Washington UniversityNovember 28, 2012

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Develop Strategic

Goals with Appropriate Performance

Measures

Diagnose Environment,

Create an Inclusive

Communication Plan and Engage

Stakeholders

Communicate the Intent and Content of the

Plan to All Stakeholders

Solicit Ongoing Date

to Assess Progress and to Refresh the

Plan

Capacity-enhancing/learning loop

Using Strategic Planning to Encourage Learning and Improve Organizational

Performance

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Strategize and Make the Case for Strategic Planning

Establish a sense of relevance and value of strategic planning and convey to stakeholders reasons why the planning process will be fruitful;

Establish a vision for the planning process that can be communicated to stakeholders and effectively executed;

Collaborate with key stakeholders in developing both the planning process and the plan;

Establish a coalition of stakeholders (i.e., a change vanguard) who support the vision and will inspire and encourage other members of the organization to get on board with the effort and “act on the vision.”

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Key Factors Affecting The Success of the Strategic Planning

• The Complexity of the mission and work of the organization.

• Stakeholder perceptions and involvement.• The Socio-political-economic environment• The Organization’s Capacity:

– Leadership – Receptive Culture– Performance Measurement and Evaluation

Resources

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Kathy’s Top Ten Tips1. Authentic top leadership support for the planning process and for real use of the

plan is the #1 ingredient. 2. The leaders tasked with leading the planning effort must be well respected

programmatic leaders from key components of the organization (or network). 3. A communications campaign that explains how the plan both reflects and drives a

focus on mission should be created carefully and implemented well.4. The planning process must engage key stakeholders – both internal and external

to the agency. 5. Transparency and credibility of the development process, as well as honesty in

involving stakeholders is essential. 6. The plan needs to follow the actual work of the organization. 7. Development of measures to track achievement of strategic goals should be

undertaken at both the top and bottom of the organization (or network of organizational partners).

8. The measures developed to track the plan need to measure the right things – things that external stakeholders and employees find value in – but not everything.

9. Targeted evaluation should be included in and flow from the plan but should be realistic, affordable and clearly tied to performance measurement processes.

10. A strategic plan must be a living document and not replace strategic thinking.

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The Public

Interest

Mission Achievement

StakeholdersSocial

Political Environment

Organizational Capacity

Strategizing

Engagement

Rei

nfor

cing

Implementing

Effective Leadership with a Focus on the Public Interest

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Thank you!

• newcomer@gwu.edu