Download the template

There are many different formats to a strategic plan as a document, and you can find various templates online. The most important thing is that the broader organizational team is satisfied with the final content and its structure. This one is a comprehensive document  that you can download, edit, and enhance based on the needs and the preferences of your organizational team. 

The template consists of two distinct parts, which in reality are not sharply separated within an organization. The first is the core (or impact) strategy, and the second is the set of so-called functional strategies, which ensure the organizational conditions needed to achieve our strategic goals and the desired impact. These are the fields of people, finances, fundraising, communication, and measurement and evaluation.  

As the strategic plan (or parts of it) may be accessible beyond the internal team, it’s worth treating certain information as confidential and leaving it out of the final document. For example, it is not recommended to include a full SWOT analysis, stakeholder map, or full PESTEL analysis in the finalized strategy. Annual action plans, project plans, budgets, and cash-flow plans – although they are largely based on the strategy – should also not be part of the strategic plan, as these are designed for shorter time periods than the strategic cycle.

How to do strategic planning?

Strategic planning often feels abstract or overly complex, especially for small or grassroots organizations working with limited resources. Yet when it’s done well, it helps to bring focus, alignment, and clear direction to the entire team. On this page you can find practical advice on the strategic planning process and all its steps.