Strategic Fund Development: Building Profitable Relationships That Last, Third Edition

Components of the Written Plan

The process of planning produces a written document, the blueprint for organization direction and action. The strategic plan directs all other plans within the organization, including your financial plan (the budget) and your fund development plan. (For example, compare the Steel Yard’s multiyear long-range strategic plan and its fund development plan, Appendices 6-M and 9-F.)

The plan serves as a key tool to assess institutional health and your relationship with the community. Progress of the strategic plan is the single most critical factor to evaluate the CEO’s effectiveness. The strategic plan also helps define the performance goals and assessment of other staff—and the board of directors and its committees, as well.

Each plan has its own personality and format relevant to the particular organization. What should be in your written strategic plan? Here’s one example:

• Statement of values and mission.
• Description of future vision.
• Goals (program and infrastructure) for the multiyear period (duration of plan).
• Indicators of success (sometimes called measures or critical success factors).
• Strategies or action steps to achieve the goals.
• General time frames and key assignments of responsibility.
• Multiyear financial projections and/or narrative explaining the financing approach.
• Process to monitor progress, evaluate performance, and extend the plan.

Your institution’s strategic plan is critical to fund development effectiveness and success. Moreover, ...