There’s a familiar statement that’s been surfacing amongst our new clients and those reaching out to inquire about Coaching and Consulting services. What are they saying? 

“I feel stuck.”

We’ve all been there, right? Every time we hear those three little words, we feel the dread and confusion that accompanies “stuckness” and we want to help you make it stop!

Good news. We know the way out of being stuck – it’s having a plan of action.

Not just goals to achieve, but a clear strategy to reach those goals. We love a learning moment, so we’re here to tell you that “raising more money than last year” is not a strategic Development plan. While that is generally a good goal for development teams, when we say strategic planning, we’re talking specifics: who, what, when, where, why, and how.

Imagine you’re driving to a new destination without a map (remember those?!). Sure, you get there eventually (we  hope), but you’ll probably take a few wrong turns, end up on some creepy backroad with no streetlights, and run out of snacks. A strategic development plan is your GPS – guiding you directly and efficiently out of stuck, towards your goals, and ensuring you’ve got enough trail mix and Diet Coke to keep you happy along the way

Strategic Development planning starts with reflection and assessment. This key piece of the process helps you get to the root of what’s holding you back from your full potential. Assessment provides you with the data you need to help your board, executives, and staff make effective investments in your fundraising. Bonus: You know we love a reflection moment here at TPC, so much so that we created this handy tool!

Here’s our outline for successful strategic development planning:

Enter Step 1: Development Assessment (we like to use the term assessment vs audit because audit makes us think of the IRS and who wants that?)

This is the time to ask ALL the questions. Who’s handling which responsibilities? What’s taking up most of your staff members’ time? Are people’s workloads overlapping? Are there gaps? Are we seeing sufficient ROI (return on investment) on our fundraising initiatives (aka is it worth it)? Were there benchmarks set in place previously? Have we met them? How does our fundraising compare to last year? Like we said…ALL the questions.

Next Up: Defining Your Goals.

First, you’ll want to identify who should be a part of this process. This group should include organizational leadership from both your development and programs/services teams to ensure consistency, along with your board of directors.

Pro tip: this is where hiring a consultant can be especially valuable. There are likely A LOT of opinions about what’s most important. A consultant can serve as an impartial presence and offer expert recommendations about what’s really going to drive fundraising success.

It’s time to get specific! Like, really specific. As we mentioned in the beginning of this post, “raising more money than last year” is not a strategic goal, but “increase revenue from institutional partnerships by 3-5% by the end of the fiscal year – June 30, 2025” is. We highly recommend using the SMARTIE format to make sure your goals are actionable, timebound, and inclusive.

Finally: Putting It All Together

Compile all the information into one easily accessible document: organizational background, strategic planning process, the folks involved, and an outline of your goals including detailed information about purpose, due dates, and person/people responsible for each initiative. We recommend hosting an information session for your staff to walk them through the goals, your reasoning behind them, and how they support the organization’s strategic plan.

Ongoing: Track Your Progress

Add benchmark reminders to your work calendar, make “strategic plan progress” a standing item at your leadership meetings, track important notes pertaining to the specific goals in your CRM or a spreadsheet, etc. Your strategic plan shouldn’t just sit on the shelf, it’s a guidebook for reaching your goals. Use it!

Pro tip: when you’re considering a new initiative, campaign, or event, have your strategic plan ready to ensure that the additions are aligned with your goals. If it’s not contributing to your strategic plan, then it’s not serving you, and you can let it go!

Extra pro tip: Hopefully this blog makes a case for doing your development assessment without a consultant, however, in some scenarios bringing in outside counsel is the best course of action. Consultants can provide unbiased, fresh perspectives, and facilitate a safe space to have challenging conversations. 

Some scenarios where a Consultant is highly recommended include:

• When your Board is having a really hard time appreciating that it takes money to make money and it’s affecting your staff retention. 
• You recently said goodbye to your Executive Director, Director of Development, Founder or another key fundraising staff member and things are feeling scary and very uncertain.
• Your organization can’t seem to raise more money even though your strategic plan says you’ll need exponential revenue growth in the near future.

If this is sounding a bit overwhelming, take a deep breath, we hear you and we’re here for you. Strategic development planning can be time consuming, but it is vital to your organization’s long-term success.

This is precisely why we’ve decided to pilot a new program: The Philanthropy Coach’s Development Assessment Learning Cohort. This hands-on, interactive series will equip you with the tools and insights you need to create a powerful roadmap for your organization’s success. You’ll receive:

• Three engaging 1 hr sessions in which you’ll dive deep into the essentials of strategic planning, from mission clarity to actionable goal setting.
• Personalized attention and guidance tailored to your nonprofit’s unique needs.
• A detailed workbook filled with templates, exercises, and resources to keep you on track long after the workshop ends.
• A better understanding of the value of assessments and the knowledge to execute the process on your own in the future!

The June 2024 cohort is limited to 5 spots with special pilot pricing of just $149 per participant (coaching and strategic advising services valued at more than $2500). Click here to secure your spot today and let’s make your vision a reality!

Have questions? Please contact Korie, TPC Administrative Director, at korie@thephilanthropycoach.com.

As always, we’re rooting for you! You got this!

-Team TP