We work with social sector organizations to develop multi-year strategic plans that maximize impact, sustainability, and scale—and engage diverse stakeholders in your cause.
Social sector organizations exist to do things that the private sector can’t—yet many principles of business strategy apply equally to private and social sector organizations. The two sectors are also inherently intertwined: nonprofits rely on the private sector for philanthropic support, and changes in the external economic, technological, and political landscape affect both sectors equally and simultaneously.
The biggest difference between strategic planning for nonprofits vs. for-profit ventures is culture. In the private sector, one stakeholder group (the CEO, shareholders, an internal clique) often has hierarchical power in decision-making, but in a nonprofit, multiple stakeholder groups typically share power, including veto power: board members, founders, powerful donors, public sector benefactors, community representatives, staff, volunteers. Creating a shared vision for growth, and sticking to it, requires more delicate negotiation.
Our work with nonprofits includes bringing the best of private sector thinking, while respecting the unique attributes and unique value of social sector organizations. We have led strategic planning and change management initiatives with:
- Omidyar Network
- Clinton Foundation
- Children’s Day School
- Apollo Alliance
- New Tech Network
- FACES SF
- Moneythink
- Misnomer Dance Theatre
- Small Magic
- San Francisco Suicide Prevention [as board member]
- BAY Positives [as board member]
- Felton Institute [as board member]