Process for Strategic Plan Development for an NGO
Md. Humayun Kabir
A strategic plan is a vital tool for an NGO in Bangladesh, helping it navigate the complex environment, maximize its impact, and ensure its long-term sustainability. It serves as a roadmap for achieving the organization’s mission and adapting to the ever-changing landscape of development work in the country. For developing a strategic plan for an NGO involves a systematic and inclusive process to ensure the organization’s goals and activities align with its mission and vision. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
1. Preparation and Planning
The strategic planning preparation phase involves forming a diverse planning committee with expertise, commitment, and balanced skills. Roles and responsibilities must be clearly defined, and a conflict of interest policy implemented. Objectives should align with the organization’s mission, be SMART, involve stakeholders, and ensure effective communication. Review the current state, engage stakeholders, formulate objectives based on data and feedback, and seek leadership approval. Establish a timeline with realistic timeframes, milestones, flexibility, and regular reviews. Develop a high-level timeline, detailed schedules, allocate resources, monitor progress, make adjustments, and communicate the finalized timeline to all parties. Inclusivity, clear objectives, and a well-structured timeline are essential for successful strategic planning.
2. Stakeholder Engagement
Effective stakeholder engagement for strategic plan development involves a structured approach. Firstly, identifying all relevant stakeholders based on influence and interest is key through stakeholder mapping. Documenting stakeholders in a registry with contact information and expected contributions is crucial. Roles and responsibilities should be defined, and a communication plan established. Gathering input from stakeholders through surveys, interviews, and focus groups is essential. Analyzing data for common themes guides the development of the strategic plan.
3. Situational Analysis
A Situational Analysis, including a SWOT Analysis, can be conducted for strategic plan development. For SWOT Analysis, assess internal strengths and weaknesses, external opportunities, and threats. Procedures involve forming a SWOT Analysis Team, data collection, workshops, and validation with senior management. External Environment Analysis aims to analyze external factors like economic and political trends. Internal Evaluation evaluates processes, resources, and capacities. Procedures include Internal Audit, Resource Assessment, Capacity Building Needs Assessment, Process Evaluation, and Continuous Improvement. Documentation is essential for maintaining records and updating procedures to inform strategic decisions.
4. Mission, Vision, and Values Review
To enhance organization’s Mission, Vision, and Values, considers these steps. At first review the Mission Statement by forming a committee, gathering input, and communicating it effectively. Secondly refine the Vision Statement through workshops and stakeholder engagement. Finally affirm Core Values through assessments, training, and evaluations.
5. Strategic Priorities and Goals
To effectively identify strategic priorities and set SMART goals, the following steps can be implemented. At first, identify strategic priorities by conducting a strategic review, engaging stakeholders, organizing a prioritization workshop, and presenting priorities for validation and approval. Secondly, set SMART goals by developing a goal-setting framework, drafting specific goals for each priority, reviewing goals with stakeholders, and communicating goals to staff. Thirdly, align priorities and goals with the organization’s mission and vision by reviewing Mission and Vision Statements, engaging stakeholders, obtaining final approval, and establishing ongoing monitoring.
6. Strategy Formulation
To effectively align strategies with strategic priorities and SMART goals, organizations should implement the following procedures. Firstly, they should develop detailed strategies that align with the overall strategic plan for each SMART goal, which includes establishing a framework, providing training, engaging stakeholders, and obtaining approval. Secondly, organizations need to identify and allocate necessary resources by assessing resource needs, budgeting, and planning for human resources, technology, and infrastructure. Additionally, it is important to evaluate potential risks and develop mitigation plans by identifying, analyzing, and monitoring risks. Lastly, maintaining detailed records and scheduling regular reviews are essential to assess progress and make adjustments as needed for successful execution of the strategic plan.
7. Action Plan Development
To create an action plan that turns strategies into achievable steps, certain procedures can be implemented. The first step is to define actions by breaking down strategies into clear, manageable steps aligned with goals. This includes identifying key objectives, documenting actions, and reviewing and refining them with stakeholders. Secondly, responsibilities should be assigned to individuals or teams for each step to ensure accountability and efficiency. This involves identifying roles, assigning tasks based on expertise, and establishing an accountability framework. Lastly, clear timelines should be set for timely progress by aligning deadlines with milestones, monitoring progress regularly, and adjusting timelines as needed.
8. Financial Planning
To effectively support the strategic plan, it is advised to establish specific procedures for financial planning. Budgeting aim to develop a comprehensive budget aligned with the strategic plan, ensuring efficient resource allocation. The procedures include strategic alignment, budget development, review and approval, as well as budget monitoring and adjustment. For Funding Strategies, the objective is to identify funding sources and develop strategies to secure financial resources for the strategic plan. This involves funding needs assessment, funding source identification, funding strategy development, proposal and application process, as well as relationship management and funding monitoring and reporting.
9. Monitoring and Evaluation
To effectively monitor and evaluate a strategic plan, organizations should implement procedures including defining KPIs, developing monitoring tools, planning for evaluation, and documentation and communication. This involves establishing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) aligned with goals, tracking strategy implementation, conducting regular evaluations, and maintaining a comprehensive M&E plan document. Procedures include identifying measurable indicators, selecting appropriate monitoring tools, developing standardized processes for data collection, and involving stakeholders in the evaluation process. Communicating KPIs, progress, findings, and adjustments to relevant stakeholders is essential. By following these steps, organizations can establish a strong monitoring and evaluation framework to ensure the effective implementation of the strategic plan and achieve desired outcomes.
10. Communication and Implementation
To effectively communicate and execute a strategic plan, certain steps must be taken. This includes developing a strategy to share the plan with all stakeholders, creating clear materials, executing the plan, and maintaining regular communication. It is important to provide updates on the plan’s progress and encourage feedback. Training staff is vital to ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities. This involves identifying training needs, creating tailored programs, conducting interactive sessions, and evaluating effectiveness. Creating a detailed schedule with responsibilities and resources is essential for successful implementation. Monitoring progress, making adjustments, and tracking progress through monitoring tools are key aspects of implementation. Reporting on implementation progress to stakeholders is also crucial.
11. Review and Adjust
Reviewing and adjusting procedures are crucial for maintaining the effectiveness of a strategic plan during its implementation. Regular reviews of progress are necessary to ensure the organization stays on track to achieve its goals. It is important to establish a review schedule, gather relevant data, conduct meetings, and document outcomes. Communication of review results to stakeholders is vital for transparency. Adjustments to the plan should be made based on feedback, changing circumstances, and evaluation results. Identifying areas for adjustment, developing proposals, implementing changes, and evaluating impacts are key steps. Communication of approved adjustments to stakeholders is essential for clarity and support.
By following these steps, an NGO can develop a comprehensive strategic plan that guides its efforts towards achieving its mission and creating a meaningful impact.
The article was written by Md. Humayun Kabir, an Independent Consultant, and Director, Creative Services Limited. Email: humayun@cslbd71.com
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