Need some input from readers on ‘How to Do Planning’ with board members

Good morning, DonorDreams readers!

This is part four in a five part series that I started a few weeks with two posts titled:

• Need some input from readers on ‘How to Set Expectations’ with board members
• Need some input from readers on ‘How to Create Accountability and Urgency’ with board members
• Need some input from readers on ‘How to Provide Mission-Focus’ with board members

If you’ve read the previous blog posts, you know I’m trying to write an eBook on the topic of “How to Engage Board Volunteers.” So far, I’ve taken my inspiration from an old favorite training curriculum titled “Inspiring & Managing Your Board for Fundraising Success,” and I’ve divided my eBook into the following sections:

• Setting Expectations
• Accountability & Urgency
• Planning
• Mission-focus
• Organizational Best Practices

Within these sections, I want to provide samples and explanations of tools and practices that successful non-profit leaders use to keep their board volunteers engaged.*

The following set of tools (probably better characterized as ‘practices’) are ones I’ve identified as being effective in the area of “Planning:”

• Organization self-assessment
• Planning models
• SMART Goal worksheet
• Strategy map template
• Harvard Business Review: “Five Questions to Build a Strategy“
• Action planning framework
• Committee work plan
• Monitoring tools (e.g. dashboard, scorecard, etc)
• Khorus

I believe it is important to remember how many different plans potentially can exist under your organizational umbrella. The following is an incomplete list of plans I’ve seen throughout my years in the sector:

• Long range plan
• Strategic plan
• Tactical plan
• Business plan
• Resource development plan
• Board development plan
• Marketing plan
• Facility maintenance plan
• Compensation & Benefits plan
• Annual performance plan
• Individual development plan
• Program plan

What other tools or practices have you used to clearly communicate ideas such as:

• Why board participation in planning important?
• Why participation from other stakeholder groups in planning important?
• Why are so many plans important to the success of your non-profit organization?
• How to align plans for internal efficiency

Please take a minute out of your busy schedule to provide some feedback. Your suggestions on additional tools is also greatly appreciated.

Here’s to your health!

Erik Anderson
Founder & President, The Healthy Non-Profit LLC
www.thehealthynonprofit.com 
erik@thehealthynonprofit.com
http://twitter.com/#!/eanderson847
http://www.facebook.com/eanderson847
http://www.linkedin.com/in/erikanderson847

*Note: I would be extremely grateful if you would share your best organization’s resources for possible inclusion as a sample in my eBook. If you are concerned about organizational privacy/confidentiality, I am more than willing to redact your organization’s name from whatever documents you provide if that is what you desire.