FourStagesofStrategicPlanning

Strategicplanningisacontinualprocessforimprovingorganizational
performancebydevelopingstrategiestoproduceresults.Itinvolveslookingat
wheretheagencywantstogo,assessingtheagencyscurrentsituation,and
Review/Revise Prepare
developingandimplementingapproachesformovingforward.Weutilizea
frameworkcomprisedoffourdistinctstages:

1.Prepare
Threecriticalstepsmustbeaccomplishedpriortodevelopingastrategic
plan: Implement Plan

visioning,
assessment,and
thedevelopmentandimplementationofaplanningprocess.
Ineachoftheseareas,youwillneedtoreviewandbuildonwhatisalreadyinplacevisionandmissionstatements,
agencyand/orstatewideassessments,andinputfromongoinggroupsofinternalandexternalstakeholders
alreadyengagedinplanning.

2.Plan
Todeveloptheplan,youmustestablishprioritiesbyconsideringtheneeds,strengths,andresourcesofyour
organization.Threekeyquestionsmustbeanswered:
Whatdowewanttoaccomplish?
Whatwillwedotogetthere?
Howwillweknowifwearemakingprogress?
Onceyouhaveadraftdocument,circulateitforinput,reviseandfinalize.

3.Implement
Thefollowingstepsensurethatplansareusedtoguidetheworkoftheorganization:
Communicatingor"marketing"theplan,
managingtheimplementationoftheplan,
supervisingtheactualwork,and
monitoringandreportingprogressontheplan.

4.Review/Revise
Thisstagestartsthecycleoveragain,allowingtheplantobecontinuouslyupdated.Thiswillkeepitcurrentand
meaningfultotheorganization.Onanongoingbasistheorganizationshould:
conductassessmentsofitsperformancebygatheringandanalyzinginformation;
convenetheplanninggrouptoreviewperformanceandreassessgoals,outcomes,strategies,andactionsteps
andtomakerecommendationsforchanges;and
revisetheplan.
Totheextentthattheplanisupdated,itwillstaycurrentandmeaningfultotheorganization.

Astrongstrategicplanningprocesscanbeapowerfultoolforsystemicchangewithinchildwelfareagenciesandkeep
agenciesfocusedonimprovingoutcomesforchildrenandfamilies.Throughouttheprocess,ongoingcommunicationis
critical.

National Child Welfare Resource Center

for Organizational Improvement
A service of the Childrens Bureau, US Department of Health and Human Services