Your Strategic Plan Strategic Template

Twelve Critical Scaling Questions 1. What are your social impact scaling goals? (Refer to slides)    What strategies will you use to scale your project? (Refer to slides) What key activities (in the next three years) will you employ to implement these strategies? What are the main challenges/threats you will face in scaling your impact; how will you overcome these challenges? 2. How will scaling lead to sustainability? 3. Internal issues: What organizational structure will be required to implement scaling strategies? What will be the human resource needs and management structure? How will the governance structure or board members (composition) need to change or adapt to achieve scaling objectives? How much approximately will scaling up cost (next three years), and how will you finance these costs? How will scaling impact your organization’s culture and core values? What systems, procedures, policies will be required to scale your project? 4. How will you measure your success?

Creating Strategies Strategic Goal = solve a problem Intermediate Objectives = causes of the problem Strategies = solutions Implementation = Actions

Setting Strategic Goal Exercise Refer back to problem analysis which is the basis of focus for your activities Restate problem as a positive situation. If the problem did not exist what would the situation be? This is your strategic goal Write down indicators will inform that overall goal has been achieved?

Intermediate Objectives Directly related to the causes of the problem Measurable Example Problem: high crime rate in community Goal: Reduce crime in community Cause: unemployment/underemployment Intermediate objective: decrease unemployment by 30% in the community

What are the intermediate objectives? Write down indicators will inform that intermediate objective(s) has been achieved?

Strategies Strategy is aimed at contributing to the achievement of the overall goal by achieving the intermediate objective(s). Describe outputs

Strategies Example Intermediate objective: decrease unemployment by 30% in the community Strategies: Provide vocational skills training in given market niches Micro loans by establishing a credit Create business incubator Employment placement program Create a social enterprise

Activities Activities: actions that support the realization of strategies Example: Strategy: Provide vocational skills training in given market niches Activities: Conduct market research on workplace skills deficit/demand in community Resources required to deliver vocational skills training Research barriers community members to participate Design vocational education program to mitigate barriers Develop partnerships through educational providers Develop curriculum plan, advertise/recruit Tie into job placement program

Action Plan Activity (prioritize strategies) Resources (people, money, space, etc.) must used to achieve goals. Timeline / deadline Specify responsible person/people Outcomes

Four Eyes Example Problem Statement Nearly 1.6 billion people in the developing world need reading glasses, but less than 5% have access to affordable options.

Critical Issues Low market awareness of need for reading glasses or availability of product. Rural distribution expensive Viability of business model requires achieve scales of economy and volume-based scale Many people suffer from more serious problems than blurry up-close vision Reading glasses are expensive and only available through optometrists / not found in rural areas

Four Eye’s Goals & Objectives Strategic Goal Increase the number of people with access to affordable reading glasses Intermediate Objectives Develop markets for reading glasses at the base of the economic pyramid Create jobs for local entrepreneurs Facilitate access to comprehensive eye care Create a sustainable distribution model

Four Eye’s Strategies Select, train, equip and fund local entrepreneurs to establish new businesses that sell reading glasses. Provide high-quality, affordable reading glasses for our programs. Bring reading glasses and referral services directly to the customer at the village level. Conduct innovative and locally relevant social marketing campaigns to raise awareness about blurry up-close vision. Expand distribution in urban areas through mainstream suppliers: chemists, department stores, etc.

Internal Implications

Definition Strategic implications - how certain information impacts or influences a strategy or plan to meet specific goals or objectives.

Internal Implications (1) Challenge or change strategic fit: Mission and program / methodology Stakeholders Social market Organizational Culture Small vs. large Centralized vs. decentralized Informal vs. formal Reactive vs. proactive

Internal Implications (2) Organizational Capacity Managerial skills Recruitment Retention Leadership Succession planning Board development Role of founder Delivery structures: build a hierarchy / decentralize ? Internal MIS Formal processes / procedures / planning Infrastructure

Internal Implications (3) External Partnership building Network relations Government relations / policy Supply chain development Cost Expenditure prioritization Financing scaling Other Issues Metrics Accountability Transparency

Potential Problems Resistance to change: Need to: Board Management Staff Clients Donors Public Communities Government Etc. Need to: change leadership or find new role for leader make some staff redundant hire new/different expertise raise additional funds plan/invest in systems or infrastructure

What is the most challenging part(s) of preparing strategic plan? Which are the hardest questions to answer? What will do you need to support your strategic plan development?