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Step One: Prepare for the Strategic Planning Process

The strategic planning process will prepare you to best respond to the circumstances in your community, and will allow you to make informed decisions about which needs you can most effectively address in any given amount of time.

Questions to Help You Plan

While keeping in mind the collaboration’s mission and vision statements, the team should prepare for this work by considering the following questions:

  • Who is responsible for conducting this strategic planning process?
  • What is the commitment required of leadership and members?
  • What resources are available?
  • What are the goals of the process?
  • What is the projected timeline?
  • Are there any conflicts or crises to address before getting started?

By asking these questions of each other, your collaboration will establish an environment where the goals of the strategic plan are consistent with your mission and vision, where all the team members feel connected and motivated and where those involved in the process have a clear sense of the available resources and timeframe.

In addition, collective preparation for the strategic planning process will build consensus among the members of your collaborative team and provide a framework of common purpose. In the end, the strategic planning process will be just as valuable as the documented plan itself; with this preparation, your team will be better equipped to embark on that process.