A New Non-Profit Board Governance Assignment – Using Downtime to Re-imagine Strategic Plans

The Raymond A. Wood Foundation, under the guidance of Linda Hanifin Bonner, works on envisioning a 12 -18 month strategic plan.

Six months ago, as non-profit and other organization leaders approved their annual budgets and prepared to launch programs and projects to fulfill their strategic plans and missions, the thought of a pandemic was never envisioned. Yet, here we are in month 3 of stay-at-home orders, and for many the work plans developed are either stagnant or perhaps not even developed. For some organizations, staff are furloughed or have even been let go. Non-profit leaders now hold virtual meetings, discuss the current situation, and ponder a series of “what-comes-next” scenarios.

While these discussions often involve financial forecasts and expenditures, do they really ask the tough questions. How do we move the strategic plan forward if our financial capacity changes? What if the Board’s capacity and commitment changes – is it realistic to pursue the work within a new scenario in the months ahead? Are the budgetary allocations for strategic plan initiatives, deemed exciting and energizing months ago, even realistic in the new world order – whatever it might be? 

Turning this challenge around -- this unexpected and enforced “downtime” now affords organization leaders with a precious and important gift — the opportunity to conduct a deep self-examination and assessment of its governance structure -- especially how its work will be accomplished with changing financial resources and where a realignment of strategic initiatives must take place. 

The timeframe for pursuing these actions and addressing these core questions is now, if the desire is to ensure that a sustainable future is possible.

What-Comes-Next Scenarios

With the premise that your organizations action or work plans within this period has not occurred, or realized, then what better time for you as a non-profit leader or executive to initiate discussions to ponder a series of “what-comes-next” scenarios. However, while those deliberations involve financial forecasts and other topics, it is important to realize that an organization cannot get to the what-comes-next scenarios – if the critical “what-if” questions, for example, are not answered first!

• What if the organization moves the current strategic plan forward within current conditions and new changes emerge?

• What if changes occur within the board’s capacity requirements and commitments to support the mission during the evolving scenarios in the months ahead?

• What if the budgetary allocations for strategic plan initiatives, deemed exciting and energizing months ago, are not realistic in this new world order?

Taking Advantage of Downtime to Sustain Capacity: A Real-World Example

In early March, just before the impact of COVID-19, the Raymond A. Wood Foundation (RAWF) leaders met both in person and virtually, for the purposes of re-aligning their organizational governance, their capacity, and redefining their strategic direction. 

“We had planned on setting the wheels in motion to position the foundation for big growth in our meeting in the first weekend of March,” said Amy Wood, RAWF Executive Director. “What we did not know was that the coronavirus would literally shut everything down one week later which made us rethink our priorities. As the pandemic and its effects evolved, and with Linda’s guidance, our members focused on restructuring the organization bylaws and mission, and are now envisioning how a different strategic plan will be successful.” 

The big change is that this strategic plan will now have a more realistic timeframe for managing and building its financial resources in order to sustain capacity – and addressing the unexpected. It will not be the typical 3-5 year plan - but one that contains a realistic a projection of work to accomplish within the next 9-12 months, with monthly measurements and indicators defined. It is believed this approach is one that organizations, and small non-profits in particular, need to employ as the future ahead is certainly not the safe space groups were in three months ago – it is still one with many variables that are challenging to predict.

Need Guidance Support for Your Non-Profit Organization? Contact Hanifin Management for a consultation.