When thinking about and selecting a strategic planning process, the organization and its leadership need to carefully balance practicality and complexity. An extremely complex process may uncover many important strengths and opportunities, along with clarifying the threats and weaknesses. However, the cost and mental weight of generating this deep analysis is often too great for smaller organizations. A strategic planning process that is too complex often results in an organization not doing strategic planning at all.

Likewise, an extremely simple process that only asks a single individual to develop a whole plan for an organization will fail at creating buy-in or alignment with a team. It also won’t be accurate or even close to complete. 

Creating a strategic plan requires a thoughtful balance between crafting the plan and putting it into action. Several factors can lengthen the planning process, such as assembling the team, conducting in-depth analysis, and translating and discussing the plan. For smaller organizations, our aim is to streamline the process, ensuring efficiency without sacrificing depth. This article presents a simplified planning process to guide you through this project that is often needlessly complex and unclear.

The CAPE Cycle is a straightforward four-step strategic planning approach designed to guide mission-driven leaders and their teams through a continuous process of developing and executing strategy, rather than a one-time event. Employing the CAPE Cycle ensures that your organization can create maximum impact from strategic planning.

The CAPE acronym represents the four sequential steps of the cycle: Champion, Assess, Plan, and Execute. Whether you follow this cycle precisely or modify it for your needs, we strongly encourage that all of the key steps are represented in your process. And mostly, ensure your mindset is aligned with creating a good plan that will be revised and altered as you learn, grow, and adapt to the changing environment.

Below is a concise overview of the four steps:

STEP 1: CHAMPION

Leadership is a critical factor in strategic planning success, forming the focus of the first step – “Champion.” We like to use the word “Champion” because it highlights the energetic and spirited effort required to sustain strategic planning activities.

During this phase, one or two individuals should be identified to champion your strategic planning process. While the executive director often serves as the primary champion, our recommendation is to foster a partnership with another team member, creating an opportunity for collaboration and mutual accountability.

Tip: An impactful co-champion setup involves pairing the executive director with an administrative assistant. In this arrangement, the executive director takes on the role of the strategic leader and motivator, while the administrative assistant ensures adherence to the procedural aspects of the process (like scheduling meetings and reviews). Alternatively, a highly engaged board member could be the co-champion with either party taking a more administrative role.

STEP 2: ASSESS

The second step involves conducting a comprehensive assessment of the organization. The assessment aims to provide clarity on both the current state and the desired future state of the organization. Your plan will use this information to bridge the gap between the two states. Engaging staff and board members in the assessment process is essential for gaining buy-in.

What can be included in the assessment phase? The sky is the limit here, but our basic guidance is to keep it simple and build into it over time. Often, the board and staff doing a SWOT analysis, a staff engagement survey, and a review of the key functions of the organization (board, staff, facilities, technology, programs, fundraising, finances, etc.) is plenty to provide input to the next step.

Tip: Regular annual assessments are recommended to stay attuned to your organization’s evolving needs. Build this into your calendar from the beginning, and you won’t feel like it “pops up on you” every year.

STEP 3: PLAN

With the insights gathered in Step 2, the planning phase begins. The plan should articulate a simple and easily communicated internal vision for the organization. Our suggested format for a plan is two sections. This would include a “Compass” section (including a mission statement, vision statement, and organizational values) and an “Actions” section (focused on a concise set of goals within designated “Focus Areas” such as Programs, Board Development, and Fundraising). 

Tip: In the realm of planning, we’ve discovered that striving for perfection often hinders progress. Crafting a truly “perfect” plan is a rare occurrence, mainly because plans are subject to immediate revisions upon encountering the realities of execution.

Furthermore, aiming for perfection tends to significantly impede your pace. Instead, it’s more effective to dive in, roll up your sleeves, and start the planning process. 

Embrace the understanding that your plan will continuously evolve as you implement it, allowing for ongoing adjustments and improvements.

STEP 4: EXECUTE

The Execute step is the most crucial in the CAPE Cycle and it’s also where your team should spend most of their time. It involves a commitment to a regular review and measurement process for the plan. Team members take ownership of specific plan elements, report progress, and recommend changes to maintain plan relevance, accuracy, and alignment with the vision. The emphasis is on doing, documenting, and committing to an execution process to prevent plans from collecting dust on your shelf. Mission Met offers strategic planning execution software, Causey, to streamline this process and help your team with engagement and accountability. Whether you use software or not, ensure you have a regular process to review the plan throughout the year with your staff and board and revise it over time.

Tip: Do not create a plan without documenting and committing to a process of executing it. Set start dates, due dates, and a person responsible for all goals and action items. 

Finally, make sure you have a plan to start the cycle again. Two months or so before the year is complete, you can start the Champion/Assess phase again for your organization.

THE CAPE CYCLE IN ACTION

Allow me to share a transformative story from Vida Verde, an environmental education organization, which illustrates the success of the CAPE Cycle. 

Facing a crisis years ago, leaders Shawn and Laura implemented the CAPE Cycle concepts, championing the process, conducting a repeatable organizational assessment, crafting a simple plan, and consistently measuring and revising it. This process became integral to their operations, propelling Vida Verde into a highly successful organization while surpassing fundraising goals, building an engaged team, and enhancing experiences for the children they serve. 

Their adoption of a strategic cycle and follow-through on executing their plan has propelled the organization forward. Their mission has advanced and expanded in ways that have allowed them to make their dreams a reality.

CONCLUSION

The CAPE Cycle stands as a cornerstone of nonprofit success by underscoring the importance of viewing strategic planning as an ongoing process. Embrace these four steps to elevate your strategic planning success.