Strategic Planning | Phil

We don’t just do strategy. We design impact.

Before you can think big, you need to understand where you stand. Through in-depth assessments, collaborative workshops, and data-driven insights, we help you create strategic plans that reflect your reality, clarify your direction, and position your organization for growth.

We believe in starting slow to move fast

We spend time getting to know your organization before leading you past the obstacles blocking your way to wide-scale impact. Progress takes time and the amount of effort we put into thinking, planning, and engaging your careholders pays off big in the end. We get it right the first time.

How you know if you need us

Your team is busy putting out fires, but no one’s sure what the real priorities are.
Programs, initiatives, and resources feel scattered, and progress is hard to measure.
Decisions are made reactively, rather than guided by a clear plan.
Leadership, staff, and stakeholders aren’t aligned on the organization’s direction.
Opportunities slip by because you don’t have a process to identify and act on them.
You know you need a strategy, but creating one feels overwhelming or stuck in the abstract.
Your mission is inspiring, but your day-to-day work doesn’t always reflect your long-term vision.

If this sounds familiar, the issue isn’t your ambition, it’s your strategy. We help you create clarity, align your people and resources, and turn your goals into actionable steps that deliver lasting impact.

What we do

We look at every aspect of your organization. What sets us apart is our phased-in, collaborative approach. We start by listening and engaging careholders to understand your organization inside and out. From HR and governance to brand positioning and fund development, we take a holistic view, identifying what’s working and where there’s room to grow.

How we do it

Strategic planning starts with clarity and alignment. Our LOOK, THINK, PLAN, DO approach guides you from insight to action, helping your organization set priorities, make informed decisions, and achieve long-term impact.

Look

We begin by understanding your organization’s current state, including strengths, challenges, programs, and resources. Through research, interviews, and analysis, we map where you are today.

Think

Next, we define what you want your future to look like. We engage your leadership, staff, and careholders to identify opportunities, challenges, and the strategic priorities that will drive your mission forward.

Plan

With clear priorities, we create a strategic roadmap. This includes goals, key initiatives, performance measures, and actionable steps that align your resources with your vision.

Do

Finally, we support implementation. From guiding action plans to monitoring progress and adjusting strategies, we help ensure your strategic plan translates into meaningful results.

What our clients are saying

“The strategic planning process with Phil was very instructive and enabled us to explore our past in order to better envision our future. The plan you produced reflects the evolution of our discussions and the direction we want to take. It was also very helpful in organizing our thoughts and ideas.”

“We enjoyed the offsite workshop where the board and staff were able to discuss what they saw as the important issues to be addressed by the organization. They were also excellent at managing the timelines and took the time to answer our questions including feedback on the draft version of the strategic plan. The final product was excellent.”

“The examples and support Phil provided during the fundraising part of our strategic planning process helped illuminate an issue that many on our Board had a hard time grasping. The process wasn’t intimidating—no one was put on edge—and the information was, in a way, gently teased out of the participants.”

FAQ

You’ve got a question, we’ve got the answer.

Why does my organization need a strategic plan?

Strategic planning is a process for defining your organization’s direction, setting priorities, and aligning resources to achieve your mission. It helps your team focus on what matters most, make informed decisions, and measure progress toward long-term impact.

How long does the strategic planning process take?

The timeline varies depending on the size of your organization and the depth of the plan. Typically, it takes six to eight months from start to finish, including research, careholder consultation, goal setting, and developing an actionable roadmap.

Who should be involved in strategic planning?

Successful planning includes leadership, staff, board members, and sometimes key careholders or partners. Engaging a diverse group ensures multiple perspectives are considered and helps build alignment across your organization.

How often should we update our strategic plan?

A strategic plan is a living document. Many organizations review and refresh it every 2–3 years, but smaller updates or check-ins should be done annually to stay on track and respond to changes in your environment. Adding an agenda item to your board meetings is a great way to stay on top of your progress or identify barriers.

Can Phil help if our organization has limited time or resources?

Yes! We tailor our approach to your capacity, providing support, workshops, and guidance that fit your schedule and resources. Whether you need a full plan or a streamlined version, we ensure the process is practical and actionable.

Don’t know where to start? Rent Phil’s brain!

Get expert guidance on your organization’s strategy and operations — from offering feedback on priorities and initiatives, giving tips on decision-making or alignment, to brainstorming ways to improve impact and efficiency. Sessions are flexible, from 3 to 40 hours, so you can get the support you need to clarify your direction and strengthen your organization.