Why is strategic planning so important for NPOs?

Strategic planning has several objectives:

Clarify your vision and mission

Strategic planning helps your NPO precisely define its reason for being, core values, and long-term aspirations. This step is crucial in guiding the organization's decisions and actions.

Set realistic and measurable goals

By establishing clear, specific, and time-bound objectives, your leadership team can tangibly track progress and ensure they stay on the right path.

Allocate resources judiciously

Strategic planning allows for optimal distribution of your organization's financial, human, and material resources according to your priorities.

Anticipate challenges and opportunities

This process involves a thorough analysis of the internal and external environment, thus helping your NPO prepare for changes and seize opportunities that arise.

Ensure sustainability

Solid strategic planning contributes to the long-term stability and resilience of your organization, strengthening its ability to fulfill its mission.

The Gazelles Model: a simple and effective approach 

The Gazelles method offers a structured and effective approach to strategic planning, particularly suited to organizations seeking growth and operational efficiency. It's the method used by the Riposte team for our own strategic planning.

Key principles

• One-page strategy: the method proposes a concise and clear strategic plan, facilitating team alignment on common objectives, in one or two pages. It may seem short, but it covers all necessary points, and the overview is particularly effective.
• Four critical decisions: the Gazelles strategic planning focuses on strategy, individuals, execution, and cash, thus covering all essential aspects of good organizational management.
• Rockefeller habits: the approach integrates Rockefeller habits, which propose a set of practices aimed at aligning the team, optimizing communication, and empowering each member to promote your organization's growth and efficiency.

Advantages for NPOs

• Clarity and focus: the simplified strategic plan allows all organization members to understand and follow the same trajectory.
• Team mobilization: the method promotes engagement and accountability of employees and volunteers.
• Continuous improvement: the emphasis on execution and Rockefeller habits encourages a culture of continuous improvement.
• Adaptability: although originally designed for high-growth companies, the Gazelles method can be adapted to the specific needs of NPOs.

By adopting the Gazelles method, NPOs can benefit from a structured approach to achieve their objectives, improve their impact, and ensure their sustainability, while keeping their social mission at the heart of their activities.

What's next?

Once the strategic plan is completed and endorsed by your board, the various departments of your organization must align their strategy accordingly. In particular, are your member offerings, recruitment campaigns, and digital strategy consistent with the objectives set in the strategic plan?

Aligning digital strategy with the overall strategic plan is essential. Your digital strategy should not be considered an isolated initiative, but a powerful lever to achieve your organization's strategic objectives. By adapting the digital strategy to the strategic plan, you will be able to ensure that your digital investments and initiatives directly support the long-term vision, growth objectives, and value proposition.

Conclusion

Strategic planning is an essential tool for NPOs that wish to develop an ambitious vision and achieve their long-term objectives. By following a structured approach, these organizations can successfully position themselves in their sector of activity and have a lasting impact on their community.

CAROLYNE LORD Director, Strategy & Development