Part Three: Putting It Together

Part Three: Putting It Together

The six phases at a glance

The six phases at a glance

Phase

What you produce

Who leads

Typical time

1. Planning to Plan

Purpose, scope, roles, timeline, kickoff announcement

Executive director with board chair

Two to four weeks

2. Assess and Gather Input

Environmental scan, stakeholder input summary, SWOT

Executive director with a staff lead

Four to eight weeks

3. Create

Mission, vision, values; three to five goals; measurable objectives

Executive director with senior staff and board

Four to six weeks

4. Review, Refine, and Approve

Board-approved plan with resource assumptions and risk register

Executive director with committees and full board

Four to eight weeks

5. Implement

Owners, timelines, metrics, tracking system, communications plan, one-page summary

Executive director with staff

First ninety days

6. Monitor and Adapt

Review rhythm, annual reflection, community update, midpoint refresh

Executive director with board

Ongoing

Three ways to get it done

Three ways to get it done

Everything in this guide can be done with the tools you already have. Many organizations do it that way, and some hire a consultant to lead them through it. PlanPerfect exists because we watched capable organizations spend months and real money on plans they could not put into practice, and we built the middle path. Here is how the three approaches compare.

Everything in this guide can be done with the tools you already have. Many organizations do it that way, and some hire a consultant to lead them through it. PlanPerfect exists because we watched capable organizations spend months and real money on plans they could not put into practice, and we built the middle path. Here is how the three approaches compare.

Do it yourself

Hire a consultant

Use PlanPerfect

Cost

Staff and board time, which is the scarcest resource most organizations have

As much as $200,000 for a full engagement, and rarely less than a significant line item

An annual subscription with unlimited users; see our

pricing page

Time

Six to twelve months, depending on how much bandwidth the executive director can spare

Six to twelve months, on the consultant’s calendar as well as yours

Getting started takes a few hours; most organizations complete a full plan in a few months

Who does the work

You, with templates and this guide

The consultant facilitates and writes; you still gather input, make the decisions, and own the result

You, guided step by step, with expert review and weekly office hours with our founders

What you end up with

A document you maintain by hand

A polished document, often a PDF, with implementation left to you after the engagement ends

A living plan with surveys, SWOT, risk register, dashboards, board-ready reports, and an annual report draft

Best for

Organizations with a strong internal planner and the time to use the templates

Mergers, leadership transitions, capital campaigns, and contested direction, where facilitation is the point

Most small and mid-sized nonprofits, and any consultant-led process that needs a system to run on afterward

Consultants are valuable. For a merger, a leadership transition, a capital campaign, or a board that cannot agree on direction, skilled facilitation is worth paying for, and several consultants run their client engagements on PlanPerfect so the plan has somewhere to live when the engagement ends. Most small and mid-sized organizations, though, can produce a strong, board-approved plan without one. The organizations in this guide did: Upper Dublin, KWMR, Prairieland Adaptive, and Immokalee all planned without a consultant budget. What they needed was structure, a way to gather and make sense of input, and a system that kept the plan alive. That is the gap PlanPerfect fills.

Consultants are valuable. For a merger, a leadership transition, a capital campaign, or a board that cannot agree on direction, skilled facilitation is worth paying for, and several consultants run their client engagements on PlanPerfect so the plan has somewhere to live when the engagement ends. Most small and mid-sized organizations, though, can produce a strong, board-approved plan without one. The organizations in this guide did: Upper Dublin, KWMR, Prairieland Adaptive, and Immokalee all planned without a consultant budget. What they needed was structure, a way to gather and make sense of input, and a system that kept the plan alive. That is the gap PlanPerfect fills.

Book a live demo with a PlanPerfect founder Or start a fourteen-day evaluation: use the full platform for fourteen days and cancel within that window for a complete refund

Book a live demo with a PlanPerfect founder Or start a fourteen-day evaluation: use the full platform for fourteen days and cancel within that window for a complete refund

Book a live demo

Start your fourteen-day evaluation

What the board does at each phase

What the board does at each phase

The executive director leads the process and the board governs it. The division of labor below keeps both in their lanes and keeps the board engaged from the first phase rather than only at the vote.

The executive director leads the process and the board governs it. The division of labor below keeps both in their lanes and keeps the board engaged from the first phase rather than only at the vote.

Phase

The board’s role

The board chair specifically

1. Planning to Plan

Add strategic planning to the agenda; agree on purpose, scope, and timing; approve any consultant budget

Serve as the executive director’s thinking partner; co-lead the pre-planning conversation

2. Assess and Gather Input

Complete the board survey or interview; help identify stakeholders and open doors to funders and partners

Model participation by responding first; review the summary with the executive director before it goes to the board

3. Create

Participate in the mission, vision, and values session; react to draft goals and objectives

Keep the session focused on three to five goals; protect the executive director’s authorship of the draft

4. Review, Refine, and Approve

Committees review their sections; the full board discusses, assesses risk, and votes; the audit or finance committee owns the risk register

Run a review process with time for dialogue before the vote; call the vote and see it recorded

5. Implement

Confirm that the budget reflects the plan; adopt the dashboard as the board’s view of progress; ask how to help

Put the strategic update on every agenda; hold the executive director to owners and dates, and hold the board to its commitments

6. Monitor and Adapt

Review progress at every meeting and fully each quarter; approve material changes to goals; review succession annually; hold an annual executive session

Lead the annual reflection and the midpoint refresh; ensure the board evaluates the executive director against the plan

Board members new to this work can start with our free Board 101, 201, and 301 lessons and quizzes and with Kellogg’s Nonprofit Board Essentials, more than seventy free on-demand videos from Kellogg faculty. Our articles on understanding committees, ex officio roles, and executive sessions and on key responsibilities of an effective nonprofit board cover the mechanics.

Board members new to this work can start with our free Board 101, 201, and 301 lessons and quizzes and with Kellogg’s Nonprofit Board Essentials, more than seventy free on-demand videos from Kellogg faculty. Our articles on understanding committees, ex officio roles, and executive sessions and on key responsibilities of an effective nonprofit board cover the mechanics.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

What is a nonprofit strategic plan?

A document that outlines an organization’s goals, the strategies it will use to achieve them, and the actions required to get there. It typically covers one to five years and includes the mission, vision, values, three to five goals, measurable objectives, tactics, and metrics.

A document that outlines an organization’s goals, the strategies it will use to achieve them, and the actions required to get there. It typically covers one to five years and includes the mission, vision, values, three to five goals, measurable objectives, tactics, and metrics.

How long should a strategic plan cover?

A standard plan covers three to five years. One- and two-year plans work well for organizations in transition or working toward a specific milestone, and a short interim plan is often the right first step for a new organization.

A standard plan covers three to five years. One- and two-year plans work well for organizations in transition or working toward a specific milestone, and a short interim plan is often the right first step for a new organization.

How long does the planning process take?

Most organizations complete phases one through four, from the first conversation to board approval, in four to six months. Smaller organizations with a focused scope can do it faster; the Upper Dublin Education Foundation took eight months at a deliberate pace. Phases five and six continue for the life of the plan.

Most organizations complete phases one through four, from the first conversation to board approval, in four to six months. Smaller organizations with a focused scope can do it faster; the Upper Dublin Education Foundation took eight months at a deliberate pace. Phases five and six continue for the life of the plan.

Do we need a consultant?

Not for most small and mid-sized organizations. A consultant is worth the cost when facilitation itself is the need: a merger, a leadership transition, a capital campaign, or a board divided on direction. A full engagement can cost as much as $200,000. The six phases in this guide, with the templates in the toolkit, are enough for an executive director and board chair to lead the process themselves, and PlanPerfect provides the structure and expert review along the way.

Not for most small and mid-sized organizations. A consultant is worth the cost when facilitation itself is the need: a merger, a leadership transition, a capital campaign, or a board divided on direction. A full engagement can cost as much as $200,000. The six phases in this guide, with the templates in the toolkit, are enough for an executive director and board chair to lead the process themselves, and PlanPerfect provides the structure and expert review along the way.

What is the difference between a goal, an objective, and a tactic?

A goal is a broad, aspirational priority that drives the mission forward; you will have three to five. An objective is a specific, measurable, time-bound outcome that says how a goal will be achieved. A tactic is the action you take to hit an objective. A metric is how you measure whether it is working.

A goal is a broad, aspirational priority that drives the mission forward; you will have three to five. An objective is a specific, measurable, time-bound outcome that says how a goal will be achieved. A tactic is the action you take to hit an objective. A metric is how you measure whether it is working.

How many goals should we have?

Three to five. More than five means the organization has not yet decided what matters most, and a plan with twelve goals is a plan with none.

Three to five. More than five means the organization has not yet decided what matters most, and a plan with twelve goals is a plan with none.

What is a SWOT analysis?

A one-page summary of your organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, built from stakeholder input and your environmental scan. It is the bridge between listening (phase two) and drafting (phase three).

A one-page summary of your organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, built from stakeholder input and your environmental scan. It is the bridge between listening (phase two) and drafting (phase three).

What is enterprise risk management, and why is it part of the plan?

Enterprise risk management is an organization-wide approach to identifying, assessing, and managing risks across six categories: financial, programmatic, human capital, reputational, operational, and legal. It belongs inside the plan because every goal carries risks, and naming them while you set the goal is faster and more honest than a separate exercise later. Boards are expected to ensure a risk management plan is in place and reviewed at least annually.

Enterprise risk management is an organization-wide approach to identifying, assessing, and managing risks across six categories: financial, programmatic, human capital, reputational, operational, and legal. It belongs inside the plan because every goal carries risks, and naming them while you set the goal is faster and more honest than a separate exercise later. Boards are expected to ensure a risk management plan is in place and reviewed at least annually.

How often should the board review the plan?

A brief strategic update at every board meeting, a fuller review each quarter, an annual reflection, and a midpoint refresh for multi-year plans. Staff should review progress monthly and objective owners weekly.

A brief strategic update at every board meeting, a fuller review each quarter, an annual reflection, and a midpoint refresh for multi-year plans. Staff should review progress monthly and objective owners weekly.

We already have a strategic plan. Where do we start?

Go to phase five. Give every objective an owner, a date, and a metric; build the plan into the budget and work plans; set up a dashboard; and book the monthly review. If the plan is more than three years old or no longer describes the organization, start a refresh at phase one with a focused scope.

Go to phase five. Give every objective an owner, a date, and a metric; build the plan into the budget and work plans; set up a dashboard; and book the monthly review. If the plan is more than three years old or no longer describes the organization, start a refresh at phase one with a focused scope.

What does a finished plan look like?

Clear, concise, and easy for any stakeholder to read: a title and timeline, an executive summary, organizational history, mission, vision, values, goals, objectives, tactics, and metrics, with the SWOT, budget, and risk register as appendices. PlanPerfect’s own plan is public and is one example.

Clear, concise, and easy for any stakeholder to read: a title and timeline, an executive summary, organizational history, mission, vision, values, goals, objectives, tactics, and metrics, with the SWOT, budget, and risk register as appendices. PlanPerfect’s own plan is public and is one example.

What is a “living” strategic plan?

A plan that is updated as the organization grows and changes, rather than written once and filed. In practice it has owners and current status for every objective, it is reviewed on a regular rhythm, and it is easy to revise without starting over.

A plan that is updated as the organization grows and changes, rather than written once and filed. In practice it has owners and current status for every objective, it is reviewed on a regular rhythm, and it is easy to revise without starting over.

About PlanPerfect

About PlanPerfect

PlanPerfect helps nonprofit leaders and boards build, implement, and continuously improve strategic plans, with stakeholder engagement, enterprise risk management, progress tracking, board-ready reporting, and AI-powered guidance in one place. The result is a plan the whole organization can execute, not one that ends up on a shelf.

PlanPerfect helps nonprofit leaders and boards build, implement, and continuously improve strategic plans, with stakeholder engagement, enterprise risk management, progress tracking, board-ready reporting, and AI-powered guidance in one place. The result is a plan the whole organization can execute, not one that ends up on a shelf.

Co-founders Sophia Shaw and Adam Wolford met at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management in 2020. Sophia spent four decades in the nonprofit sector as a chief executive, trustee, board president, donor, volunteer, consultant, and educator; she served as president and CEO of the Chicago Botanic Garden and directed the Kellogg Board Fellows program. Adam is a technology, product, and strategy executive with experience at Accenture and Deloitte. Their early consulting work together showed them the same problem again and again: organizations spending time and money on strategic plans they had no way to put into practice. They founded PlanPerfect in 2024 to close that gap.

Co-founders Sophia Shaw and Adam Wolford met at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management in 2020. Sophia spent four decades in the nonprofit sector as a chief executive, trustee, board president, donor, volunteer, consultant, and educator; she served as president and CEO of the Chicago Botanic Garden and directed the Kellogg Board Fellows program. Adam is a technology, product, and strategy executive with experience at Accenture and Deloitte. Their early consulting work together showed them the same problem again and again: organizations spending time and money on strategic plans they had no way to put into practice. They founded PlanPerfect in 2024 to close that gap.

PlanPerfect serves nearly one hundred organizations across twenty-nine states and four countries, including nonprofits, schools, associations, foundations, and the consultants who support them. In 2025 the company closed a strategic funding round backed by Nexus3 Capital. PlanPerfect runs its own strategic plan on the platform, and that plan is public. The company is certified as a Woman-Owned Business by the State of Florida. Support includes email, weekly office hours, and direct access to the founders.

PlanPerfect serves nearly one hundred organizations across twenty-nine states and four countries, including nonprofits, schools, associations, foundations, and the consultants who support them. In 2025 the company closed a strategic funding round backed by Nexus3 Capital. PlanPerfect runs its own strategic plan on the platform, and that plan is public. The company is certified as a Woman-Owned Business by the State of Florida. Support includes email, weekly office hours, and direct access to the founders.

Every plan includes unlimited users, stakeholder surveys, strategic planning tools, enterprise risk management, progress dashboards, board-ready reporting, and the PlanPerfect Advisor. You can use the full platform for fourteen days and cancel within that window for a complete refund. Details are on our pricing page.

Every plan includes unlimited users, stakeholder surveys, strategic planning tools, enterprise risk management, progress dashboards, board-ready reporting, and the PlanPerfect Advisor. You can use the full platform for fourteen days and cancel within that window for a complete refund. Details are on our pricing page.

Book a live demo with a PlanPerfect founder and bring your current plan, or your blank page Start your fourteen-day evaluation Questions first? Write to founders@planperfect.co.

Book a live demo with a PlanPerfect founder and bring your current plan, or your blank page Start your fourteen-day evaluation Questions first? Write to founders@planperfect.co.

Book a live demo

Start your fourteen-day evaluation

Plan Smart. Lead With Heart.

Plan Smart. Lead With Heart.

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