Resource library · free toolkits, templates and guides
The practical library for people who build nonprofits
211 really practical toolkits, templates and guides for nonprofit and NGO leaders, and the consultants and funders who support them. A mix of the classics and newer methods.
Suggestions are welcome211 resources · 15 topics · 137 publishers · 197 free to use
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8 resources found
- Search: strategic planning template
- 2.1C012
One-Page Strategic Plan (OPSP)
A one-page planning template from the Scaling Up Growth Tools set. It puts a team's core values, purpose, long-term goal, annual targets, quarterly priorities and actions on a single sheet, so everyone can see the plan and who owns each part. Leadership teams fill it in together and revisit it each quarter. It comes in a free download pack with other one-page tools such as the One-Page Personal Plan and the Rockefeller Habits Checklist.
ClassicTool or templateFree with sign-up - 2.3C026
SWOT Analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats
A section of the Community Tool Box on running a SWOT analysis with a group. It explains what SWOT is, when to use it, the internal factors (strengths, weaknesses) and external factors (opportunities, threats), how to run the analysis with a diverse group of stakeholders and how to turn the results into goals and action plans. Community groups and nonprofits use it for strategic planning and to review new or existing initiatives.
Start hereClassicTool or templateFree - 9.1C117
Smart Chart 4.0
An online planning tool from Spitfire Strategies for foundations and nonprofits. It takes a team through 6 steps to build a communications plan tied to the organisation's goals, covering objectives, audiences, messages and tactics. It is used online at smartchart.org, and a PDF version can be downloaded. Teams use it in planning sessions to test whether each communications choice supports the change they want.
Start hereCurrentTool or templateFree with sign-up - 2.1C016
Scenario Planning for Nonprofits
A worksheet toolkit that helps nonprofit leaders plan under uncertainty. Teams first agree guiding principles, then work through 4 steps: identify key drivers of programmes, operations and funding at risk; build best, moderate and worst-case scenarios and model their effect on revenue; create a portfolio of actions with costs or savings; and set measurable trigger points that tell them when to act. Leadership teams fill it in together.
CurrentTool or templateFree - 2.1C018
Agile Strategy Canvas
A one-page canvas that holds an organisation's whole strategy in 3 layers. Strategic Direction covers vision, mission, core strategic insight, a big hairy audacious goal, economic drivers and values. Strategic Signals records internal insights and external opportunities and threats. Strategic Sprints lists an ideas backlog, active time-boxed sprints and completed sprints with what was learned. Teams update it every quarter as conditions change.
EmergingTool or templateFreeNonprofit Builder tool - 9.1C112
A Practical Guide to Integrated Communications
A workbook from Idealware that helps nonprofit staff plan communications across channels as one system. It has 18 worksheets in 4 sections: getting started with a self-assessment and an ideal channel mix, planning a campaign with schedules and a week-by-week calendar, planning ongoing maintenance content, and combining both into an integrated week and a longer-term plan. Teams can work through it from start to finish or use single worksheets.
ClassicTool or templateFree - 2.2C024
How to Develop Your Intended Impact and Theory of Change
A free toolkit that helps a nonprofit leadership team define its intended impact and theory of change. Intended impact names who the organisation serves, where and what outcomes it commits to over 5 to 10 years. Theory of change sets out how its approaches and partners get there. Each leader drafts both, the team merges the drafts, then pressure-tests the result with research and stakeholder conversations. It sits with an article using YW Boston as a case study.
CurrentTool or templateFree - 2.1C020
The Strategy Habit
A playbook of 12 monthly exercises, called recipes, that make strategy a regular team habit. Each recipe poses a strategic question and gives a practical exercise for a team session, on topics such as setting a big hairy audacious goal, turning constraints into opportunities and business model change. The playbook gives guidance for running monthly discussions with a wide group of staff and building a strategy that keeps up with events.
EmergingTool or templateFreeNonprofit Builder tool
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