Strategic Planning at the Latvian Society
What is a strategic plan? Strategic planning for any organization -- whether a business or a non-profit organization -- is the process of documenting and establishing the direction of its activities. For the Latvian Society, this involves assessing where we are as an organization and where we are going.
The Futures Committee
Strategic planning efforts at the Latvian Society started in 2022 when an ad hoc Futures Committee was created to help the board address critical long-term issues facing the Society, relating to the needs and priorities of its members as they relate to the sustainable use of its building in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia. The findings of the committee’s analysis and its recommendations were carefully assessed. The recommendations advanced by the committee helped refine the Society’s mission statement in light of the changing needs of the membership. A broad range of issues were addressed. They can be reviewed in the final report which is downloadable below as a PDF file. At this point in time, the next step for the Board is to formulate and adopt specific action steps to move forward in accordance with the mission statement on a short-term basis (1 -2 years), a mid-range basis (5-6 years) and in the long term (10 years and beyond). Once that process is completed and a formal document is adopted, the Strategic Plan will play a pivotal role in the Society’s future growth and continued success. It will serve as a guide for the board members and the membership about how the organization will respond to new opportunities and challenges.
The Society’s future success depends on an effective organizational strategic planning process and updates that address the operations of all aspects of the Society. The discussions that result from the planning process will lead to meaningful changes in how the Society is run. The purpose of strategic planning is to analyze all activities and to implement a practical model for conducting its business based on realistic goals and objectives. Annual updates to the formal document will lay out the Society’s views and set strategic goals for the future as changing conditions dictate.
The Main Parts of a Strategic Plan
The Society’s strategic plan consists of these principal parts:
Vision for the future
Mission
Values
Long-term goals
Action plans
Programming priorities that are tied to budget and a concrete schedule
What are the basic steps in strategic planning? The Society views it as having three basic phases going forward:
· Discussion
· Development
· Review and annual updating