Hope is Not a Strategy
Are you hoping things will get better for your United Way this year? Of course you are, but just hoping things will get better is not going to make things better.
STRATEGY
A strategy is a plan of action designed to achieve a major or overall aim. For United Ways, a strategy would include these three items:
A clearly articulated mission, vision, purpose, or reason your United Way exists. While mission, vision, purpose and reason each have slightly different definitions, your United Way will need to be able to articulate one or more of these.
One or more goals for measuring fulfillment of your United Way’s mission, vision, purpose, or reason for existing. These goals may be short-term, with a completion date of a year or less, or long-term goals that take years to complete.
The specific actions your United Way will take to achieve your goals. In terms of strategy, these actions will be “what” your United Way will do. The most common actions that most United Ways do are fundraising and allocations. How your United Way will do these actions would be part of an operational plan.
If you give some thought to these three items, you will quickly realize that strategy is just as much about what you will NOT do, as what you will do. When you develop a strategy, you will be able to say “No, this is not something we will be doing because it is not part of our mission, goals, or actions.” Part of the reason some United Ways struggle is because they can’t say “no” to anything, so it becomes obvious they do not have a focused mission, goals, and actions compared to other charitable organizations.
A STRATEGY FOR THIS YEAR
Perspectives can help your United Way move forward strategically this year. If you have not held a strategic planning retreat in a while, start with our New Directions Board and Staff Retreat. Over 50 United Ways have found that the open and honest conversation at this retreat was what they needed to develop a strategic direction and focus for the future of their United Way.
If it is time for your United Way to develop a new strategic plan, take a look at our Issue Focus Transformation. We use a proven, research-informed strategic planning process that will transform the work of your United Way.
Rather than hoping for the best this year, take some time for conversation and planning that will provide your United Way with direction and a strategy for success.