Before you begin, clarify these 5 things.

1. Clarify that you going to do it
2. Clarify who needs to be involved
3. Clarify what information will be helpful
4. Clarify how the work will be led
5. Clarify the level of commitment

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Strategic plans are often misunderstood.

They are treated as documents to be produced, requirements to be met, or roadmaps to be completed. And while those elements matter, they are not where the real work lives.

Strategic planning is a governance tool and a leadership necessity.

At its core, it is an act of alignment among those who steer the organization forward.

To govern is to steer. It is not a role, but a set of responsibilities shared between the board of directors and executive leadership. In the nonprofit and public sectors, that shared leadership model carries inherent complexity: volunteer board members working alongside professional staff, multiple stakeholder groups with legitimate expectations, and a high degree of public transparency and accountability.

Strategic planning exists to bring coherence to that complexity.

It creates a shared understanding of where the organization is headed, how decisions will be made, and what will matter most in the years ahead.

And importantly—it is not just a technical process.

It is a physical process, shaping how time and energy are used.
It is an emotional process, asking people to invest their care and commitment.
It is a team process, requiring shared effort and participation.
It is a community process, rooted in the voices and needs of those the organization serves.
And it is a change process, bridging the distance between where the organization is and what it is becoming.

That is why the process matters as much as the plan.

Organizations often carry forward the impact of a well-designed strategic planning process long after the document itself is set aside. The alignment, clarity, and shared language developed during the work continue to guide decisions, shape priorities, and strengthen leadership.

Strategic plans rarely fail because they aren’t referenced.

They fail when the thinking behind them was never fully developed.

Preparation, then, is not about getting everything figured out before you begin.

It is about creating the conditions for meaningful work to take place.

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1. Clarify that you are going to do it

Strategic planning begins with a decision. This may be obvious, but it needs to be stated: leadership needs to agree to doing a strategic plan.

That decision belongs to the board and executive leadership together.

There are many valid reasons to enter a planning season: a funder requirement, a membership expectation, a leadership transition, an expired plan, or simply the recognition that it is time. But beneath all of these is something more fundamental.

Strategic planning is an act of intention—and often, an act of hope. And hope belongs not just to the executive who feels the need, or the board who cares about accountability.

It is a moment when leadership pauses to ask:

What are we building toward?
What does the future require of us?
And how do we want to show up to meet it?

These conversations reconnect people to purpose. They begin to align how time will be spent, where energy will be directed, and what will matter most in the season ahead.

Practically, this starts with a real conversation at the board level.

Set aside time on an agenda for discussion:

• Why would we benefit from a strategic plan right now?
• What would it help us do better as a governing body?
• What do our members, funders, or community need from us in this season?

You do not need full agreement on the reason.

You do need shared commitment that you will move forward.

That includes:

• naming the timeline
• budgeting both financial resources and time
• preparing board and staff for the additional energy the process will require

Strategic planning asks more of people for a period of time.

Strong organizations do not drift into it.
They choose it.

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2. Clarify who needs to be involved

Nonprofit organizations are not just structures. They are communities.

They include boards, staff, and leadership—each with distinct responsibilities and perspectives. But they also exist in relationship with members, participants, donors, funders, and the broader communities they serve.

In many nonprofit and association models, those voices are not optional. They are part of the organization’s legitimacy.

Strategy is stronger when it reflects that full ecosystem—especially in environments where public trust, stakeholder engagement, and transparency are essential.

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Before beginning, it is worth asking:

1. Who are our people?
2. How do we listen to them?
3. Whose perspectives will help us understand our work more fully?

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Practically, this may look like:

• surveying members or program participants to gather broad input
• hosting focus groups with specific stakeholder groups
• conducting individual interviews with board members, senior staff, or key partners
• identifying moments where direction can be tested before it is finalized

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You do not need to design the entire engagement plan in advance.

But you do need to recognize that meaningful strategy is built through intentional listening—not only within the organization, but in relationship with those it serves.

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3. Clarify what information will be helpful

Every strategic plan begins with an honest picture of where the organization is starting.

That picture is rarely fully formed at the outset. It is developed over time, as information is gathered, perspectives are shared, and patterns begin to emerge.

Preparation supports that work.

Most organizations are already sitting on a significant amount of relevant information:

• financial reports and budget trends
• program data such as participation, outcomes, or enrollment
• prior strategic plans and board materials
• governance documents such as bylaws and policies
• external data, including community trends or demographic shifts

But information is often fragmented.

Staff may hold detailed operational insight. Boards may receive summaries in dashboards or reports. Important context can be lost between meetings or across roles.

One useful step before beginning—or early in the process—is to bring this information into shared conversation.

For example:

• dedicate time in a board meeting to review key data together
• invite staff to share what they are seeing “on the ground”
• ask both board and staff to respond to a simple question: What do we know to be true right now?

This is not about reaching conclusions.

It is about creating a shared starting point.

From there, the strategic planning process can do what it is designed to do: synthesize information, surface patterns, and build a clearer understanding of what is needed next.

You do not need a perfect picture before you begin.

You need a willingness to see it more clearly—together.

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4. Clarify how the work will be led

Strategic planning is both a technical and a human process.

It requires coordination, structure, and follow-through. It also requires space for dialogue, reflection, and the navigation of competing perspectives.

That combination makes leadership of the process an important consideration.

Some organizations lead the work internally. Others engage an external facilitator to guide the process. Each approach brings different strengths and considerations.

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Practically, this is a conversation worth having early:

• Who will design the process and set the pace?
• Who will gather and synthesize input?
• Who will hold space for difficult conversations or competing viewpoints?
• Who will ensure the work moves forward between meetings?

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In internally led processes, these responsibilities often fall to executive staff or a board committee—sometimes in addition to their existing roles.

With external facilitation, the role shifts. A facilitator can help structure the work, hold the process, and allow board and staff to fully participate rather than manage the process itself.

There is no single right approach.

What matters is that the process is designed to support:

• thoughtful pacing
• broad participation
• honest conversation
• and shared ownership of the outcome

Strategic planning is not the work of a single individual.

It is a collective leadership effort—and how it is led shapes both the experience and the result.

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5. Clarify the level of commitment

This builds on the earlier decision to move forward.

Strategic planning is not only a financial investment.
It is also an investment of time, attention, and shared effort.

Strategic planning processes require work.

They ask more of people—for a defined period of time—and that work needs to be acknowledged and planned for.

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Before beginning, it is helpful to ask:

• Who will contribute to the lift?
• Where will that time come from?

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Practically, this may include:

• setting aside extended time for the board, such as a retreat or dedicated working sessions
• ensuring staff have space to contribute meaningfully, not just react to outcomes
• identifying how and when members or external stakeholders will be invited into the process
• communicating clearly that this is a planning season, and that participation is expected and valued
• Forming a strategic planning committee or workgroup from a variety of different audiences

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This is not about creating burden – or having one more thing to do.

It is about creating clarity.

When people understand that there is a defined process—and that their time and perspective are part of it—they are more likely to engage with intention and follow the work through. And. More likely to support the outcomes.

Commitment builds confidence.

And confidence allows the process to move forward with momentum.