Strategic Planning for Nonprofits: A Liberating Structures Approach
By Dr. Mark Smutny, President of Civic Reinventions, Inc.
Introduction
Nonprofit organizations face evolving challenges that require adaptive and inclusive strategic planning. Traditional strategic planning processes—often slow, cumbersome, and exclusive—frequently result in disengagement and limited investment from key stakeholders. In contrast, Liberating Structures—a collection of dynamic, participatory facilitation techniques—offer a fresh approach that is quick, energizing, and deeply engaging.
By incorporating Liberating Structures into strategic planning, nonprofits can create shared ownership of their future, accelerate decision-making, and ensure meaningful participation at every level. Below, I outline a strategic planning framework using these structures, ensuring broad engagement and actionable results.
- Environmental Scan: SWOT Analysis
Before defining strategy, nonprofits must assess their current landscape. The SWOT Analysis identifies internal strengths and weaknesses alongside external opportunities and threats.
Liberating Structure: TRIZ
Definition: TRIZ is a structured method that helps organizations identify what must be eliminated or avoided to achieve success.
Application: Instead of a typical SWOT brainstorm, TRIZ prompts teams to list everything they could do to ensure failure. By reversing the perspective, participants uncover hidden weaknesses while clarifying priorities for growth.
- Defining the Deeper Purpose: Nine Whys
A strategic plan must align with a nonprofit’s core purpose. The Nine Whys exercise helps uncover the deeper “why” behind organizational efforts.
Liberating Structure: Nine Whys
Definition: Participants repeatedly ask “Why is this important?” up to nine times to uncover fundamental motivations.
Application: Teams explore what drives their work beyond surface-level goals, creating alignment around an authentic mission. This process ensures that strategic priorities are meaningful and compelling.
- Crafting Mission, Vision, and Values Statements
A nonprofit’s mission articulates its purpose, vision sets its aspirational future, and values define how it operates.
Liberating Structure: What, So What, Now What?
Definition: A reflective technique that clarifies observations (What?), significance (So What?), and action steps (Now What?).
Application: Instead of lengthy committee deliberations, this structure invites stakeholders into a fast-paced, iterative conversation to craft core statements collaboratively.
- Setting Strategic Priorities
Strategic priorities define the key areas where a nonprofit will focus its efforts to fulfill its mission.
Liberating Structure: 1-2-4-All
Definition: A structured discussion that progresses from individual reflection (1), to pair-sharing (2), to group discussion (4), and finally a collective synthesis (All).
Application: Stakeholders generate, refine, and prioritize strategic goals, ensuring collective buy-in and relevance.
- SMART Goal Setting for Each Strategic Priority
Each strategic priority requires actionable goals using the SMART framework—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Liberating Structure: Ecocycle Planning
Definition: A visual tool that maps initiatives across four phases—birth, maturity, creative destruction, and renewal—to assess which efforts should be prioritized or retired.
Application: Teams determine where each SMART goal fits within their strategy, ensuring resources focus on the most impactful activities.
- Developing a One-, Two-, and Three-Year Evaluation Plan
Tracking progress ensures accountability and adaptability.
Liberating Structure: Troika Consulting
Definition: A peer coaching method in which small groups pose challenges and receive rapid feedback.
Application: Organizations regularly convene small teams to assess progress, troubleshoot challenges, and refine strategies through structured peer discussions.
Conclusion
Liberating Structures transform strategic planning from a ponderous, top-down exercise into an engaging, collaborative process that ensures deep stakeholder investment. By embedding these techniques at every stage—environmental scanning, purpose refinement, goal setting, and evaluation—nonprofits create a strategic plan that is actionable, adaptive, and widely supported.
Through this approach, nonprofits can break free from traditional planning constraints and build a culture of innovation and inclusion, positioning themselves for lasting success.
Contact
For assistance designing and facilitating your nonprofit’s strategic plan, send me an email at mark.smutny@civicreinventions.com.