Nonprofit
Management
Certificate Course
Organizational Assessment &
Planning: Day 2: Morning
Karen A. Curtis, Ph.D.
Strategic Planning and
Operational Planning
 Strategic
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High uncertainty
Future-oriented
Top Down
Outside In
Big Picture
Qualitative
Entire Organization,
Function or Site
 Operational
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Low uncertainty
Present-oriented
Bottom Up
Inside Out
Detailed
Quantitative
Department, Team
or Individual
From SWOT to Strategic or
Priority Issues
 When performed correctly, SWOT
analysis helps identify choices facing the
nonprofit, providing a problemstructuring tool to help ask the right
questions about mission, programs and
interaction with the environment
 When performed poorly, SWOT can be a
superficial list generating exercise that
produces 4 unconnected lists
Common Problems in SWOT
Analysis (Kevin Kearns, 1992)
 “Missing Link” problem – Neglect of inter-
relationship between SW and OT
 “Blue Sky” problem – Unrealistic view of
Strengths & Opportunities
 “Silver Lining” problem – Under
estimation of external Threats
 “All Things to All People” problem –
Overcome Weaknesses at expense of
core Strengths
“Putting the Cart Before the
Horse” Problem
 Decision makers develop strategies
and action plans before they have
sufficiently clarified the choices
facing the agency
 Source: Kearns (1992) “ From Comparative
Advantage to Damage Control: Clarifying
Strategic Issues Using SWOT Analysis” (see
Website links)
 Bryson – “An answer without an issue is
not an answer.”
Classifying Strategic Issues Using SWOT Analysis: Mapping Interactions
Interaction of Internal and External Factors
External Factors
Internal Factors
Opportunities
Strengths
Weaknesses
Adapted from: Bryson, 1988 and Kearns, 1992.
Threats
Classifying Strategic Issues Using SWOT Analysis: Issue Classification
External Factors
Internal Factors
Opportunities
Threats
Strengths
Comparative Advantage
Mobilization
Weaknesses
Investment/Divestment
Damage Control
Source: Kearns, 1992: 13.
Critical SWOT Questions
 How can the organization leverage its
strengths to achieve or enhance its
comparative advantage, thereby
capitalizing on a perceived opportunity?
 How can the organization mobilize its
strengths to avert a perceived threat or
even transform that threat into an
opportunity?
More Critical SWOT Questions
 Should the organization invest scarce
resources in weak programs to become
more competitive vis-à-vis a perceived
opportunity?
 In light of its vulnerable position, how
can the organization control or at least
minimize the damage that may be
inflicted by impending threats?
Classifying Strategic Issues Using SWOT Analysis: Issue Classification
Example: Comparative Advantage
Opportunities
Strengths
Most Certain/Promising
Least Certain/Promising
Current Strengths
(most certain)
Highest Comparative
Advantage
More Analysis of
Opportunity Required
Potential Strengths
(least certain)
More Analysis of
Investments Required
Lowest Comparative
Advantage
Source: Kearns, 1992: 17.
Identifying Strategic or Priority
Issues
 Strategic issues have long term
implications & consequences
 Can be resolved in multiple and
sometimes competing ways (i.e., no one
answer)
 Affect organizations in their entirety
 Involve major financial risks and
opportunities
Identifying Strategic or Priority
Issues, 2
 Involve some or all of the following: new
revenues, new programs, new
resources, new facilities
 Are central to the organization’s mission
 Are within the organization’s control and
have consequences if not addressed
 Strategic issues are often “dynamite”
Identifying Strategic or Priority
Issues, 3
 Strategic issues may require additional
research in order to clarify the choices
 There may be competing agencies
addressing the same issue.
 Strategic issues should be phrased as
questions (to which there is more than
one answer). If there is only one answer,
it is a priority issue. (Worksheets 23, 2425 – see Website links)
Strategic Issue Examples
 1. What can we do, through the re-development of the
Board of Directors, to ensure that the agency establishes
itself in the community with local and state leaders, and
with current and potential funders as a “go to”
organization?
 2. What can we do to broaden the reach of the agency in
order to improve referrals for services we are already
contracted to provide?
 3. What can we do to establish a competitive edge in a
funding environment that has become saturated with
other agencies providing similar services?
 4. What can we do to more rapidly address our
technology needs in the areas of telecommunications and
data management?
Strategic Issue Examples, 2
 1. How can we develop partnerships with the community,
particularly the XXX community, to meet the adoptive
needs of children and families?
 2. How can we add new services and respond to the
growth opportunities in current services that involve
financial risk?
 3. How can we attract talented, experienced staff,
committed to our mission, who will increase our racial
diversity to more closely match the composition of our
service recipients?
Strategic Issue Examples, 3
 1. What should be our service area? How will
it impact our organization if we go statewide?
 2. What is or should be the role of individual
membership? Should membership be required
in order to receive services or to participate in
programs?
 3. What groups of xxxx are we not serving?
Are these groups being served by other
organizations with similar mission, & programs?
Strategic Issue Examples, 4
 4. How are we seen in the community?
What should our brand image be?
 5. How can we reduce turnover and
promote longevity among staff?
 6. How should we respond to the
changing technological environment to
ensure efficiency and effectiveness?
Strategic Issue Examples, 5
 1. What design and structural improvements
need to be made to our facility to best serve the
needs of its mission?
 2. How can our organization continue to deliver
the highest quality and level of services?
 3. In what way should the mission of our
organization be broadened to serve other
groups?
Strategic Issue Examples, 6
 4. How can we expand our funding from
current sources and diversify to new
revenue sources?
 5. In what ways can developments in
technology help broaden and strengthen
our services and mission?
 6. How can we better define the
respective roles of staff and board to
enhance the effectiveness of the
organization?
Selecting a Strategy (Worksheet
26, see Website links)
 Is it realistic?
 Is it clear?
 Is it reasonable?
 Is it consistent with mission and
mandates?
 Can we identify a path forward?
 Are we ready to commit?
Making It Relevant
 On-going means of accountability at
board and staff level
 Align staff roles with planning goals and
objectives
 Refer to regularly
 Review formally on an annual basis
Moving to Action Planning
 START
 Staffing
 Timetable
 Authority and Accountability
 Resources
 Tracking