S.W.O.T. DEFINITION
SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. It is a methodology
used to aid strategic planning that gained popularity during the 80's. To do a SWOT
analyses consider these:
Strengths:
What are your advantages?
What do you do well?
Weaknesses:
What could be improved?
What is done poorly by the organization?
What are the skills not covered?
Opportunities:
What are the current trends?
Threats:
What obstacles do you face?
What is your competition doing?
Are requirements changing?
What are the current threats?
Do you have resource problems?
SAMPLE S.W.O.T. ANALYSIS
STRENGTHS
 Good Reputation
 Attracts Involvement
 Quality Programs
 Good Executive Director and Staff
 Good Facility
 Worthwhile and Needed Cause
 Quality Fundraisers
 Ability to Embrace Change
 Goal Accomplishments
 Interagency Cooperation
 Communicates with Community/Gets the Word Out
 Diverse Talents
 Thrift Store
WEAKNESSES
 Too Many Programs
 Hit and Miss Marketing
 Susceptible to Fluctuations in Grant Funding
 Over Extended Funding Pool
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Lack of Staff Interaction with the Board
Small Number of People on the Board
Lack of Outside Volunteer Support
Thrift Store Location
OPPORTUNITIES
 Large Amount of Money in the Area
 High per Capita Wealth
 Opening Up Shelter/Increased Visibility
 Heightened Awareness of Giving Needs as a Result of September 11th Attack
 Business Growth/Size of Community
 Partnering with Business
 Educating Community/Security
 Caring Community
 Collaboration
 Other For-profit Business Opportunities
THREATS
 Size of Community
 Recognition in Community that Problems Exist
 Diluting the Message/Programs
 Starting New Program with Unstable Funding
 Grant Dollars versus Fund Raising Dollars
 Difficulty in Getting Volunteers
 Unethical Behavior/Bad PR
 September 11 and Future Events
 Competition
3-5 Year Vision (What would you like to see the organization accomplish)
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Full-time staff person for Parenting
Full-time staff person for Domestic Violence
Full-time staff person for Case Management
Full-time financial person
Full-time marketing and fund raising position
Larger Building
Conference Room
Child Care Room
Three Offices
Another for-profit business
Balanced Budget
Domestic Violence Shelter part of the community
Enough staff to do programs well
Participatory Retirement Plan
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Tiered Vacation after five years and ten years
Higher Pay Scale
Full-time Deputy Director
Thrift Store Building with low overhead and lots of parking