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Foundations of Strategic Planning for Public & Nonprofits

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Foundations of Strategic Planning for Public & Nonprofits

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Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Beginner level

Recommended experience

8 hours to complete
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Beginner level

Recommended experience

8 hours to complete
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

  • Analyze the importance of strategic planning in public and nonprofit organizations.

  • Initiate and agree on the steps required for a strategic planning process.

  • Clarify organizational mandates, mission, and values to guide the planning process.

Details to know

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Recently updated!

April 2026

Assessments

4 assignments

Taught in English

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This course is part of the Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
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  • Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
  • Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
  • Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 4 modules in this course

Strategic planning is a crucial skill for organizational success, particularly in public and nonprofit sectors. This course introduces the foundational concepts of strategic planning, focusing on its importance, frameworks, and methodologies. You’ll learn how to initiate, plan, and assess strategies to lead organizations toward long-term goals.

The course helps you build and implement strategic plans aligned with your organization's mission and vision. By assessing environments and identifying strengths and weaknesses, you will be equipped to formulate strategies that address key challenges and opportunities. What makes this course unique is its practical approach, providing hands-on techniques and case studies that blend theory and real-world application. By the end of the course, you will be ready to lead effective strategic initiatives in any organization. This course is suitable for professionals in public or nonprofit sectors seeking to develop or refine their strategic planning skills. It’s ideal for managers and leaders without formal training in strategic planning. This course is the first part of a three-course Specialization designed to provide a comprehensive learning pathway in this subject area. While it delivers standalone value and practical skills, learners seeking a more integrated and in-depth progression may benefit from completing the full Specialization, called: Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations. This course is based on the book, Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations, by John M. Bryson and Bert George. Copyright Β© 2024 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights, including for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies, are reserved. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. Published simultaneously in Canada. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

In this section, we examine how PESTEL forces-tech, demographics, climate, legislation-shape public and nonprofit environments, and illustrate strategic planning's role in risk reduction, mission alignment, and resource deployment.

What's included

1 video7 readings1 assignment

1 videoβ€’Total 1 minute
  • Why Strategic Planning Is More Important Than Ever - Overview Videoβ€’1 minute
7 readingsβ€’Total 80 minutes
  • Introductionβ€’15 minutes
  • Definition, Purpose, and Benefits of Strategic Planningβ€’25 minutes
  • What Strategic Planning Is Notβ€’5 minutes
  • Why Strategic Planning Is Becoming a Standard Practiceβ€’10 minutes
  • Definition, Purpose, and Benefits of Strategic Managementβ€’10 minutes
  • Examples of Strategic Planningβ€’10 minutes
  • The Vignettesβ€’5 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 10 minutes
  • Strategic Planning Fundamentalsβ€’10 minutes

In this section, we adapt the Strategy Change Cycle to organisational context, mapping mandates and stakeholders while applying systems thinking to design implementable public and nonprofit strategies.

What's included

1 video13 readings1 assignment

1 videoβ€’Total 1 minute
  • The Strategy Change Cycle: An Effective Strategic Planning and Management Approach for Public and Nonprofit Organization - Overview Videoβ€’1 minute
13 readingsβ€’Total 135 minutes
  • Introductionβ€’10 minutes
  • A Ten-Step Strategic Planning Processβ€’10 minutes
  • Step 1: Initiating and Agreeing on a Strategic Planning Processβ€’15 minutes
  • Step 2: Identifying Organizational Mandatesβ€’10 minutes
  • Step 4: Assessing the Organization's External and Internal Environmentsβ€’10 minutes
  • Step 5: Identifying the Strategic Issues Facing an Organizationβ€’10 minutes
  • Step 6: Formulating Strategies and Plans to Manage the Issuesβ€’10 minutes
  • Step 7: Reviewing and Adopting the Strategies and Planβ€’5 minutes
  • Step 8: Establishing an Effective Organizational Visionβ€’10 minutes
  • Step 10: Reassessing Strategies and the Strategic Planning Processβ€’10 minutes
  • Sequencing the Stepsβ€’10 minutes
  • Applying the Process across Organizational Subunits, Levels, and Functions on an Ongoing Basisβ€’20 minutes
  • Summaryβ€’5 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 10 minutes
  • Strategic Planning and Management in Public and Nonprofit Contextsβ€’10 minutes

In this section, we secure stakeholder buy-in, craft an initial agreement specifying roles, resources and timelines, and apply purpose-mapping to launch an effective, value-creating strategic planning process.

What's included

1 video9 readings1 assignment

1 videoβ€’Total 1 minute
  • Initiating and Agreeing on a Strategic Planning Process - Overview Videoβ€’1 minute
9 readingsβ€’Total 105 minutes
  • Introductionβ€’15 minutes
  • Getting Clear About the Purposeβ€’10 minutes
  • Developing an Initial Agreementβ€’10 minutes
  • Choosing the Right Stakeholdersβ€’10 minutes
  • How Many "Initial" Agreements?β€’20 minutes
  • What Should the Initial Agreement Containβ€’5 minutes
  • Process Design and Action Guidelinesβ€’10 minutes
  • Strategic Planning Process for a Large Human Service Organizationβ€’15 minutes
  • Creative Bureaucrats in Flemish Municipal Strategic Planning Teamsβ€’10 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 10 minutes
  • Strategic Planning and Organizational Culture Fundamentalsβ€’10 minutes

In this section, we translate explicit and implicit mandates into mission and values, mapping stakeholder expectations to ensure measurable public value and sustained legitimacy, guiding resource allocation and daily decisions.

What's included

1 video8 readings1 assignment

1 videoβ€’Total 1 minute
  • Clarifying Organizational Mandates, Mission, and Values - Overview Videoβ€’1 minute
8 readingsβ€’Total 85 minutes
  • Introductionβ€’10 minutes
  • Mandatesβ€’10 minutes
  • Longer-Term Desired Outcomes and Process Design and Action Guidelinesβ€’10 minutes
  • Missionβ€’10 minutes
  • Longer-Term Desired Outcomesβ€’10 minutes
  • Stakeholder Analysesβ€’15 minutes
  • The Mission Statementβ€’10 minutes
  • Process Design and Action Guidelinesβ€’10 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 10 minutes
  • Clarifying Organizational Purpose and Strategic Directionβ€’10 minutes

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Instructor

John Wiley & Sons
130 Coursesβ€’8,498 learners

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