Strategic Planning

Dashboard: A Tool for Agencies [download PDF]
UJA-Federation of New York
This booklet was developed for the beneficiary agencies in UJA-Federation of New York's network. We are pleased to provide this reference source to assist volunteer leaders and staff in creating dashboards, tools that concisely convey key performance indicators and enhances informed discussions on organizational issues.

Making Informed Decisions in Uncertain Times: Helping Community Foundations During Economic Volitility [download PDF]
Wendy Horton, Valerie Bockstette, and Melissa Scott

A Community Foundations Insights study from 2008 arguing that in times of crisis — such as that of the current economic crisis — are opportune times for nonprofit agencies to demonstrate philanthropic leadership and foresight about allocations and strategic choices for the long term.

Nonprofit Leadership Development: A Selected Annotated Bibliography [download PDF]
AED Center for Leadership Development

A comprehensive list of tools and resources for those engaged in philanthropy, nonprofit leadership, and management and community development.

A Perspective on Strategic Imperatives [download PDF]
Bonnie Shevins

A transcript from Bonnie Shevins’s address to the August 2000 UJA-Federation of New York Executive Team Retreat that looks into the successes and challenges facing the organization in the areas of new marketing approaches, underrepresentation of women in leadership roles, and understanding how to measure the organization’s donor base.

Vision, Mission, and Values: Management Tools for Building a Better Workplace
Daniel Robin

A 2005 article from A Better Workplace outlining the steps needed to write clear and meaningful mission, vision, and goal statements, and calls for clearly written role statements for key employees.

What is Strategic Planning? [download PDF]
Alisa Rubin Kurshan

A paper from 2005 that discusses the benefits of strategic planning, providing a basic guideline to the planning process.

Other Materials

For copies of the following, contact 1.212.836.1883 or .

Strategy as Simple Rules
Kathleen M. Eisenhardt and Donald N. Sull

A 2001 article that examines how to approach strategic planning by using simple and clear rules.

Competitive Strategies for Not-for-Profit Agencies
I.C. MacMillan

The highly respected Advances in Strategic Management includes a chapter that addresses strategic planning for nonprofits. MacMillan examines the usefulness of applying for-profit approaches to strategic planning to nonprofit organizations.

The Process is the Plan: Defining Strategic Community Futures
William D. Neigher

A 2003 case study discussing the application of a community-based strategic model to the United Jewish Communities of MetroWest New Jersey. Lay and professional leaders discuss lessons learned from the project, and topics include defining the planning process, assessing needs, mission and vision development, gaining feedback, defining results, and developing a strong leadership model.