Start with Strategy
- LaSchwanna Muhammad
- May 31
- 4 min read
Start with Strategy: Why Strategic Planning is the First Step in Starting Your Nonprofit
When I first sat down with a group of passionate changemakers who wanted to start a nonprofit, I asked them a simple question: Where are you headed? They looked at each other, then at me, and someone finally said, “Well, we just want to help.”
Helping is a beautiful impulse. But I’ve learned that passion without direction is like setting sail without a map. You might drift for a while, and the wind might even take you somewhere interesting—but without a clear plan, you’ll likely end up lost, exhausted, or going in circles. That’s why I always say: before you file any paperwork, before you choose a board, before you build a website—start with strategic planning.
Because a strategic plan is your roadmap to success.
Picture This: You're Planning a Road Trip
Imagine you're going on a cross-country road trip. You’ve got snacks in the cooler, music queued up, friends in the car, and you’re bursting with excitement. But when someone asks, “Where are we going?” you shrug. “I don’t know…we just want to go somewhere cool.”
How far do you think you’ll get before you start running into problems?
Strategic planning is how you pick your destination, map your route, and decide where to stop along the way. It’s how you make sure your energy, time, and resources are moving in the same direction. Otherwise, your nonprofit might spend years “going somewhere cool” but never actually reaching the people you intended to serve.
Set Your Goals: The Power of Purpose
The first thing your strategic plan will do is help you set clear, meaningful goals. This sounds simple—but trust me, it’s where most nonprofits either find their footing or fall apart.
What change are you trying to make in the world? Who are you helping, and how do you know they need your help? What does success look like—not just in your heart, but on paper?
When you ask yourself these questions, your vague dream starts to crystallize into a real, achievable mission. I’ve seen founders go from saying “We want to help kids” to “We want to provide 100 at-risk youth with mentorship, meals, and academic support by the end of our first year.” That kind of clarity is electric. It turns ideas into action.
Plot Your Course: Choosing How You’ll Get There
Once you know where you’re going, the next step is figuring out how to get there. This part of strategic planning helps you identify your programs, partners, funding needs, and internal structure. It forces you to look at your resources realistically—and creatively.
Think of it like looking at a GPS. You’ll see different route options. Some are faster, some are scenic, some take you through toll roads or traffic. Strategic planning is your chance to say, “Given what we have—time, money, people, experience—what’s the smartest path forward?”
This stage is also when you start spotting detours before they become disasters. Maybe you realize you need to focus on just one program instead of three. Or maybe you find out another local nonprofit is already doing similar work—and instead of duplicating efforts, you can partner. That’s not failure. That’s smart steering.
Track Your Progress: Are We There Yet?
Strategic planning doesn’t end once your nonprofit launches. A good plan becomes a living tool that helps you measure progress, make decisions, and stay accountable.
Let’s go back to the road trip. Every few hours, you’re checking signs, looking at the map, asking yourself if you’re still on the right highway. Are you ahead of schedule? Behind? Do you need to stop for gas—or adjust your route?
Your nonprofit is no different. Your strategic plan gives you benchmarks to evaluate your impact. Are you meeting your goals? Are your programs working? Is your team functioning well? Are you growing sustainably?
Without this feedback loop, you risk spinning your wheels and burning out your team. But when you have a clear plan and the discipline to reflect on it, you can adjust in real time—and keep moving forward.
The Emotional Reality: This Work Is Hard
Let me say something you might need to hear: starting and running a nonprofit is hard. It's emotionally taxing, often underfunded, and full of unexpected roadblocks. But it is also deeply meaningful. Life-changing, even.
That’s why you owe it to yourself—and the community you’re serving—to start strong. You wouldn’t build a house without a blueprint. You wouldn’t take a trip without directions. Don’t start a nonprofit without a strategic plan.
Final Thoughts: You Deserve a Map
If you’ve read this far, I know one thing for sure: you care. You’ve got a big heart and a bold vision. You’re ready to get to work.
But before you charge ahead, take a breath. Sit down. Start mapping it out. A strategic plan doesn’t stifle your creativity—it channels it. It turns your passion into purpose, your ideas into outcomes, and your effort into impact.
You deserve to reach your destination. And I want to help you get there.
So grab your compass. Let’s build your roadmap to success—together.
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