Benefactor Group was founded 25 years ago to help nonprofit organizations at transformational philanthropic moments. As the firm grew, so did our desire to help nonprofits at all stages of their lifecycle. What started as board facilitation has transformed into a data-centered and human-centered strategic planning approach that gives organizations a comprehensive understanding of who they are, where they want to go, and how to get there.

The History of Strategic Planning at Benefactor Group

Strategic planning was an outgrowth of the turbulent times of The Great Recession. Faced with uncertainty, nonprofits turned to strategic planning to solidify their vision for the future and clarify their path forward. Benefactor Group already had a track record of successful facilitation—helping boards, staff, and campaign steering committees navigate the complexities of campaigns and fundraising. The next step was to help organizations define their overall organizational goals and outline their path forward. Strategic planning has been a consistent offering of the firm since then, allowing us to support our clients as they continue to grow.

Our Nonprofit Strategic Planning Leader

I came to Benefactor Group as a graduate student at The Ohio State University. After spending time in the nonprofit sector, I realized that the passion to change lives—the essential element that drives nonprofits—often leads to decisions that threaten organizational sustainability and impact.

My dream was to help nonprofits find a way to balance all three. And my next step was to learn—pursuing masters degrees in Public Administration and Business Administration. As a student, I sought a workplace that blended nonprofit service with a for-profit perspective. Benefactor Group was the perfect mix.

When I joined the firm, I spent time exploring all of our service lines. I enjoyed (and continue to enjoy) every area of our work, but strategic planning stands apart. There is magic in the air when someone talks about an organization they love; when board and staff come together and talk about transforming their communities. And distilling that magic—that passion—into a clear, inspiring, actionable strategy is one of the most rewarding things I can imagine.

A Proven Strategic Planning Process for Nonprofit Organizations

Our strategic planning methodology has gone through many transformations in the last 15 years. What has persisted are the names of our phases—Prepare, Discover, Dream, Design, and Deliver. These phases outline a journey of reflection, visioning, planning, and execution.

We prepare for our work by getting to know you, establishing the task force that supports strategic planning, and determining the learning objectives that will guide our work. Then we discover more about your past, present, and future through an in-depth organizational assessment. This phase holds up a mirror to your organization, highlighting the strengths that propel you forward and the opportunities that feed your growth.

Thorough and diverse discovery sets the stage for dreaming about your vision for the future. A strategic planning retreat brings together your board and staff for thoughtful, energizing conversations about the future of your organization. That dream becomes reality as we design your path forward—defining clear areas of focus, measures of success, and activities that will move the needle. Your plan will be more than marketing collateral; it will be an agile and practical guide to the future. We conclude by giving you the tools to deliver on your plan: structures and processes that help you implement, monitor, and adjust in a way that is both human- and data-centered.

Why Strategic Planning Matters for Nonprofit Success

While many organizations can survive without one in place, an effective strategic plan positions you to thrive. It gives you the ability to confidently say yes and, more importantly, no. And it serves as a unifying force for your board, staff, supporters, and clients.

It has been Benefactor Group’s great privilege to be the thought partner of hundreds of nonprofits over the last 25 years. We look forward to continuing the work of all our service lines for decades to come.

Planning for the future of your organization? Re-evaluating a path you’ve already set? Struggling to gain traction on plan implementation? Reach out to me at anytime at [email protected] and learn how we can help.