Strategic Plan Update

An updated strategic plan framework that reflects the organization’s current state and outlines strategic priorities for the next 3-5 years, specifically developed in the context of a founder transition and leadership succession, and a sea of changes in the U.S. media landscape. Over the course of this 12 week project, the volunteer will work with staff leadership to review the existing strategic plan, analyze recent community survey findings, and develop a focused strategic planning draft that can serve as a foundation for longer-term implementation planning.

Over the past decade, both our organization and our industry have undergone significant change, making this an ideal moment to reflect on where we are, what’s working, and how we can better adapt to meet our community’s needs. This process will help us plan for a sustainable future that strengthens our financial foundation while deepening our impact. Ultimately, it will support our mission to strengthen civic discourse and empower storytellers and communities of all backgrounds to engage with nonfiction, build connections, and amplify authentic voices in media.

The scope of work may include administering an anonymous survey to staff and board members, facilitating 2-3 staff and/or board discussion sessions, synthesizing organizational feedback, identifying key themes and opportunities, and drafting key components of the updated plan.

Proposed deliverables may include:
- A high-level SWOT or organizational assessment
- Review and refine mission, vision, and/or values language (if needed)
- 3–5 strategic priority areas, including both short-term and long-term goals
- Recommended objectives and implementation considerations for each priority area/goal
- A concise strategic plan summary document or presentation draft
- Recommendations for next steps and longer-term implementation planning

We will provide detailed background materials, including our current strategic plan, recent organizational documents, and community survey results. Staff leadership will be available for regular check-ins and collaborative working sessions throughout the project. Our development team is also expanding impact tracking across programs and services, and we hope to incorporate those evolving evaluation priorities into the planning process. We welcome volunteer recommendations and intend to use this work as a foundation for longer-term implementation planning.