Why times of uncertainty might be exactly right for strategic planning
It can feel difficult to look ahead when the ground immediately under you feels shaky. And with the level of uncertainty facing nonprofits right now–including continued threats to essential federal funding–it might not feel like the right moment to dive into creating a new strategic plan.
But consider this: times of challenge, when the ground feels unstable, can give us perspective we might not otherwise have. Taking time to reflect in the midst of uncertainty can help reveal what truly matters–the things worth holding on to, and the things that are draining your energy and should fall away.
For us, that’s what strategic planning is all about. Rather than an overly-structured, cookie-cutter process, strategic planning can–simply, but powerfully–create necessary space to reflect on your organization’s vision. It’s about framing conversations to help ensure you’re focusing on exactly what matters, and nothing more. These conversations often produce revelations that can realign your work with new clarity. Done right, you begin to see more defined progress toward your mission. And that helps to support your stability for the long haul.
Remember that strategic planning doesn’t need to pause your work. Rather, it opens opportunities to refine your work in profound ways.
That’s what we saw recently in working with our incredible partners at Tanka Fund. Marking a decade of work to return Buffalo to Native lands, their team asked us to guide them through developing a new strategic plan–to serve as a roadmap for the next phase of their work. Over the last several months, we’ve poured our energy into unearthing new pathways for Tanka Fund to support Native people and economies through the Buffalo’s return. Our process has centered on:
An inclusive, collective design.
Tanka Fund’s work touches a wide range of partners and communities–including Native ranchers and producers from Alabama and Texas to North Dakota and Minnesota. Their team recognized that incorporating a wide range of perspectives would ultimately result in a plan more fully grounded in the realities facing ranchers and community members. Grounded in that belief, we gathered insights from a broad group of stakeholders–including staff and interns, ranching partners, funders, and many others, to help guide the design of the strategic planning process. And while each stakeholder brought their own unique experience, we could immediately see overlapping connections in their reflections about Tanka Fund’s future path.
Openness to change, committed to collaboration.
Organizations are dynamic and evolving, and so should be strategic planning. In the fall, when we kicked off the process, Tanka Fund’s team was working on the ground all across Indian Country to support communities as they welcomed new Buffalo to their lands. That meant staying flexible from the get-go–in order to meet team and community needs. During our in-person strategic planning conversations, we adapted our approach to fuel collaboration, refining the process along the way based on what was coming out of our conversations. But every pivot was carefully considered to result in a more effective future roadmap for Tanka Fund, with clear, actionable steps to guide the way.
Grounded in organizational values.
No matter what, every strategic plan should reflect an organization's deepest held beliefs and values. Tanka Fund’s north star was reaffirmed through every conversation we had: the importance of upholding community-led efforts to steward the land through honoring the Buffalo. That foundational belief served as our north star too, throughout every step of the planning process. And it has resulted in a planning process that is completely and entirely centered on realizing Tanka Fund’s vision for "Returning the Lives, Lands, and Economies back to Native American Peoples."
It’s such an immense honor to help guide strategic planning for organizations like Tanka Fund–because we know just how vital the work of nonprofits like theirs is to helping communities thrive. Don’t let rising uncertainty stop you from looking forward and imagining new ways to achieve your vision. We need it more than ever.