NONPROFIT PLANNING 101:  WHAT’S RIGHT FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION?

If you’re leading a nonprofit in 2026, you already know funding feels less predictable. Staff capacity is stretched. Boards want clarity. Communities need more. The question isn’t whether you should plan. The question is: what kind of planning do you need right now?

At The Strategy Group, we are seeing three distinct planning needs emerge. Confusing them can cost time, […]

A Time for Radical Reflection? A Reset for Leaders

The start of a new year often brings momentum—and pressure. New goals, new plans, and an unspoken expectation to move quickly.

But before accelerating forward, many leaders benefit from a pause. That pause is radical reflection.

Designed by Debra Hertz and originally shared in a HAYVN Halftime conversation recorded in the post-pandemic period, this […]

Lessons from the Connecticut Foodshare Merger

In part 1 of our series, we explored the factors and timing nonprofits should consider when thinking about a potential merger. Last month, we explored what happens once a nonprofit is ready to roll up its sleeves and do the work needed for a merger or alliance with another.

In this final and third installment, we explore what happens when two nonprofits cross the […]

Lessons from the Connecticut Foodshare Merger

Last month, we explored the factors and timing nonprofits should consider when thinking about a potential merger. If the timing and conditions are right for the organizations (like it was for CT Food Bank and FoodShare) to explore a merger or possible alliance, here’s the process The Strategy Group (TSG) prescribes for the optimal outcome for all:

1. Organizational Scan: TSG talks with key stakeholders […]
   

Lessons from the Connecticut Foodshare Merger

Why do nonprofits typically look to merge? Nonprofit organizations typically merge to grow, to stabilize or, at times, to survive. Organizations who are not interested in a full merger may want to pursue a “strategic alliance” or “strategic collaboration” to create greater efficiencies or expand their reach. Whether looking at a merger or an alliance, organizations are often looking to:

• increase service delivery and/or geographic […]
  

Nonprofit scenario planning offers organizations tools for strategic thinking and decision making. It helps you to identify the uncertainties you are facing and map out different “realities” that might happen. It sounds simple, and part of it is. It can also make a difference in your ability to navigate these rough waters more adeptly.

Scenario planning helps you react quickly and decisively, recognize or mitigate risk, plan for growth, and choose […]

Nonprofits work best when they work together! Whether it is a partnership, collaboration, or merger, strategic partnerships are an arrangement between one or more organizations to work together in an intentional manner toward a shared vision, helping each to better achieve their mission.

Nonprofit strategic partnerships allow for administrative efficiencies (e.g., economies of scale, new funding opportunities), potential programmatic opportunities (e.g., expansion, sustainability), and organizational development (e.g., strengthen leadership and impact). The […]