RELEVANT REVIEWS
Field Guide
to Nonprofit Strategic Planning and Facilitation
2003. McNamara,
Carter. Authenticity Consulting, LLC. 284 pages. Cerlox
bound
For more information and to order.
Price $30.00 US
plus shipping and
handling
The author cautions the
reader early in the introduction not to be intimidated by
the size of the guidebook. At 284 pages and approximately
two pounds, it could be intimidating at first glance but
the guide is a complete and comprehensive resource to
anyone involved in planning, participating in or
facilitating the strategic planning process.
The guidebook has been
updated from an earlier publication, Facilitator’s Guide
to Nonprofit Strategic Planning that was written by Carter
McNamara as a cooperative effort with Management
Assistants Program for Nonprofits, St. Paul Minnesota,
1997.
It has been written and
organized so that the reader can use it to conduct the
complete start to end planning process or as a reference
manual to address certain areas when needed. Guidelines
walk the reader through a step by step process that is
complete, simple to understand and intended for the
typical nonprofit organization.
The writing style is
reader friendly. McNamara uses forms of questions to
define terms or to further explain the concepts. He
assumes that the reader is a novice to the strategic
planning process and its terminology, so the writing is
simple and includes definitions and explanations for all
of the “buzz words” and tactics of the process.
The guidebook is
organized in three parts and has an extensive list of
appendices. Part I includes guidelines for the reader to
develop an understanding of the strategic planning
process. Part II includes complete, stet by step
guidelines to customize a strategic plan for the reader’s
organization that McNamara states will be relevant,
realistic and flexible. Part III is intended for the
person who will be facilitating the process and includes
guidelines and techniques to enhance the effectiveness of
the facilitator in the process. It’s not often that books
on strategic planning include this important aspect and it
is a useful and informative section.
The appendices in the
guidebook are very good. There are eight appendices that
provide numerous resources for strategic planners
including 13 worksheets and 5 tools that may be customized
for the reader’s organization.
Overall, I like the
guidebook. It will be a valuable resource for someone new
to strategic planning. It will also be useful as a “better
practice” guide for planners who have been through many
planning sessions and may need to be refreshed on the
complete process.
The cost of the
guidebook is very reasonable. For $30.00US, it’s a good
buy for any nonprofit organization seeking to improve or
embark on its strategic planning process.
Table of Contents
Part I: Understanding Strategic Planning
Strategic Planning
- What is Strategic
Planning?
- What is "Strategic"?
- All Else Flows From
Strategic Planning in Nonprofit
- Benefits of Strategic
Planning
- Many Reasons Nonprofits
Do Strategic Planning
Conducting Strategic
Planning
- Strategic Planning
Framework
- Traits of Any Strategic
Planning Process
- What Strategic Planning
Won't Do for You
- Myths About Strategic
Planning
- Three Criteria for
Highly Effective Strategic Planning and Plans
- When Should Strategic
Planning Be Done?
- Strategic Management:
Strategic Planning Cycle
- How Much Will Strategic
Planning Cost?
Part II: Conducting
Relevant, Realistic and Flexible Strategic Planning
Phase 1: Design Plan
for a Plan
- Ready for Strategic
Planning
- Organize Planning
Committee?
- Why Do Strategic
Planning Now?
- What is the
Organizational Scope of the Plan?
- What Strategic Planning
Approach Might Be Used?
- How Might Strategic
Planning Approach Be Followed
- What is the Time Span
for the Plan?
- What is the Schedule
for Developing the Plan?
- Who Will Be Involved
From Your Nonprofit? How? When?
- Need Outside Help? How?
When? How to Get It?
- What Materials Might Be
Needed? When? How to Get Them?
- Conventions for Terms
- Provide Planning Guide
to Planners?
- Develop Profile of Your
Organization
- How Will You Get "Buy
In" of Your Planners?
- How Will Planners Be
Trained About Strategic Planning?
Phase 2: Conduct
Situational Analysis
- Develop Mission
Statement Now or Situational Analysis First?
- Analyze External
Environment -- What We Can't Control
- Analyze Internal
Environment -- What We Can Control
- Identify Strategic
Issues or Establish Strategic Goals?
Phase 3: Establish
Strategic Direction
- Develop/Update Mission,
Vision and Values Statements
- Ensure Strategic
Thinking for Goals and Strategies
- Establish Strategic
Goals Now?
- Identify Strategies
Phase 4: Develop
Implementation and Finance Plans
- Develop Action Plans
- Finalize Action Plans
-- Integration and Reality Check
- Develop Performance
Plans
- Developing Staffing
Plan
- Develop Associated
Plans?
- Develop Operating
Budget
Phase 5: Develop
Strategic Plan Document
- Draft Strategic Plan
Document
- Coordinate Reviews and
Approval of Plan
- Distribute and
Communicate Plan
- Celebrate Completion of
Plan
Phase 6: Monitor
Implementation and Adjust Plans
- Leadership, Supervision
and Delegation
- Specific Approaches to
Ensure Implementation of Plans
- Specific Tools to Track
Implementation of Plans
- Adjust Plans As Needed
Part III: Foundations for
Effective Facilitation
Getting Started As
Facilitator
- Understand What
Strategic Planning Facilitator Does
- Understand Yourself as
Facilitator
- Learn to Work with
Diversity
- Develop Contract With
Nonprofit Organization?
- Understand Planners'
Nonprofit Organization
- Clarify Expectations
Between You and Planners
- Establish Criteria to
Evaluate Planning Effort
Facilitation Techniques
and When to Use Them
- Overview of Common
Techniques and Their Applications
- Procedures for Each
Facilitation Technique
Challenges in
Facilitating Strategic Planning
- What If Board Not Ready
For Planning?
- How Do We Enhance Group
Participation?
- How Do We Resolve
Differences and Reach Consensus?
- How Do We Get Unstuck?
- How Do We Deal With
Resistance?
- How Do We Ensure
Implementation of Plan?
Appendices
Appendix A: Glossary of
Common Strategic Planning Terms
Appendix B: Resources
for Nonprofits
Appendix C: Nonprofit
Management Indicators (Internal Analysis Tool)
Appendix D: Data
Collection Guidelines
- Conducting Interviews
- Conducting Focus Groups
- Basic Methods to Assess
Client Needs
Appendix E: Getting and
Working With Consultants
Appendix F:
Understanding Nonprofits
- Unique Culture of
Typical Nonprofit
- Organization Chart of
Typical Start-Up Nonprofit
- Organization Chart of
Typical Small Nonprofit With Chief Executive Officer
- Organization Chart of
Typical Medium-Sized Nonprofit
- Diversity of Board
Structures
- Typical Cycle of
Operations in Nonprofits
- Nonprofit Programs,
Configurations and Types
Appendix G: Worksheets
- Worksheet #1: Plan for
Plan
1.1 Is Nonprofit Ready for Strategic Planning?
1.2 Organize Planning Committee?
1.3 Why Do Strategic Planning Now?
1.4 What is Organizational Scope of Plan?
1.5 What Strategic Planning Approach Might Be Used?
1.6 How Might Strategic Planning Approach Be Followed?
1.7 What Time Span Will Be Used?
1.8 What Schedule Might Be Used?
1.9 Who Will Be Involved from Nonprofit? How? When?
1.10 Outside Help Needed? When? How Get It?
1.11 Materials Needed? When? How Get Them?
1.12 Any Conventions for Use of Terms?
1.13 Provide Planning Guide to Planners?
1.14 Develop Organizational Profile
1.15 How Will You Get "Buy In" When Announcing Process?
1.16 How Will You Train About Approach to Strategic
Planning?
- Worksheet #2: Primary
Client Analysis
- Worksheet #3:
Stakeholder Analysis
- Worksheet #4:
Environmental Scan
- Worksheet #5:
Collaborator Analysis
- Worksheet #6:
Competitor Analysis
- Worksheet #7:
Opportunities and Threats
- Worksheet #8: Strengths
and Weaknesses
- Worksheet #9: Strategic
Issues
- Worksheet #10: Mission,
Vision and/or Values
- Worksheet #11:
Strategic Goals
- Worksheet #12:
Strategies
- Worksheet #13: Action
Planning
Appendix H: Tools to
Identify Strategies
- Tool #1: Guidelines to
Problem Solving and Decision Making
- Tool #2: Organic
Philosophy of Problem Solving
- Tool #3: SWOT Grid
Analysis
- Tool #4: Internal
Nonprofit Problems and Strategies to Address Each of
Them
- Tool #5: Guidelines for
Successful Organizational Change
Sharon Johnson, MBA is an Associate of AXI, and president of sej consulting ltd in Calgary. Sharon consults to a range of non-profit and for-profit clients, and has extensive experience in facilitation and strategic planning.
Relevant
Reviews takes an occasional look at publications and
resources
of
relevance to associations and non-profits.
|
