Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations: A Guide to Strengthening and Sustaining Organizational Achievement

by John M. Bryson

The essential planning resource and framework for nonprofit leaders Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations is the comprehensive, practical guide to building and sustaining a more effective organization. Solid strategy is now more important than ever, and this book provides a clear framework for designing and implementing an effective and efficient planning process. From identifying stakeholders and clarifying a shared vision, to implementing plans and revising strategies, the discussion covers all aspects of the process to help you keep your organization united and on track into the future. The field's leading authority shares insight, advice, helpful tools, and specific techniques, alongside a widely used and well-regarded approach to real-world planning. This new fifth edition includes new case studies and examples along with up-to-date resources and references, and new multimedia-related content.

Innovation and creativity produce great ideas, but these ideas must be collected and organized into an actionable plan supported by a coalition of support to make your organization great. This book provides expert guidance and perspective to help you bring everything together into a workable organizational strategy.

Discover an effective approach to the strategic planning process Identify issues, establish a vision, clarify mandates, and implement plans Manage the process with continual learning and revising Link unique assets and abilities to better accomplish the central mission Public and nonprofit leaders are forever striving to do more with less, and great strategic planning can help you build efficiency and effectiveness into your organization's everyday operations. Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations provides the framework and tools you need to start planning for tomorrow today.

Genres: Business, Management, Nonfiction, Textbooks, Grad School, Leadership, Professional Development

547 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

John M. Bryson is McKnight Presidential Professor of Planning and Public Affairs at the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.

Reviews

[Cindy Breeding · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a thick book that includes a disc.

It's comprehensive and applicable for any kind of nonprofit. I bought it to get an idea about how my church should begin to build a strategic plan.

What's most cogent about this book is that it coaches nonprofit boards to back off of concrete plans. Instead, the book coaches you on how to stay flexible in an era of rapid change, and how to re-evaluate a strategic plan and adapt it so that your nonprofit is pursuing plans that are mission and vision oriented.

It's a big, meaty read. Go at it slowly.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to give this 1 star as it was too long, not practical enough and a bit preachy. However, There were some useful tools, just way too much other stuff that got in the way...

I feel I have taken one for the team in ploughing through this!!

[Usama Albastaki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Detailed book mixing between material that are common sense and material that translate strategic planning into rules and system. For me , I got lost in some details but of course as I own the book , I will always use it as reference.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very thorough explanation of strategic planning which was helpful for me in my pursuit of continued growth in the field of education. The downfall of the book is that it reads like a series of to-do lists and lists of considerations. The strength of its organizational layout becomes its weakness. It takes an intentional effort to grind through the pages, but it is worth it to gain wisdom, techniques, and perspectives related to the topic.

[April Kersey · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars It's done! I did it! I read every chapter in this book. Yes, there was some helpful information but my the author was quite obnoxious in the way that he qoutes greek and latin sayings almost to sound smarter. I don't need to waste my time reading your idea of a joke. I need to be informed. This book was way too long. Much of it was common sense. I wish my teacher had picked a book that was more straight forward and gave better examples for class.

[Disdukcapil Purwakarta]

hope

[Michael Belcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the few true "textbooks" for strategic planning. A "must read" for strategy scholars and practitioners alike.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the tactical approach to strategic planning and leadership. A textbook I will willingly refer to in the workforce!

[Claire]

This feels like defeating a dragon! One that I fell asleep over in battle several times. Good useful info to know that I will apply the hell out of but it was a slog.

[Nicole DeJoris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative, great deal of information. Read this as a text for a graduate program.

[Noah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really helpful information but unreasonably verbose. Way too many lists and not visually interesting. It wasn't very accessible for neurodivergent people.

[Dominic Gutierrez · Rating 2 out of 5]

the physical embodiment of a yawn

[Prabhakar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the frameworks are useful. Also, considering mandate for a Govt. department is important unlike corporates which are free to explore related areas.

[Prabhakar · Rating 4 out of 5]

in the world driven by growth and profits, this book gives a different perspective about non profit and Govt. related strategic planning.

[femily]

Tons. (Thanks, Page!)

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to read this for work. Yipee.

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a tough read, but useful. More success stories would have been helpful to me. The author also taught me the class on Strategic Management.

[Shelley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dry, but good information.

[Prum Seila · Rating 5 out of 5]

jgoogd

[Patty · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is evidently the classic, foundational book on this topic. So the fact that it's deadly must indicate this is not for me. Either that or it's just poorly written.

[Christine Daskais · Rating 2 out of 5]

too dry, bored me to death but informative

[gatorlog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Invest in distinctive competencies and distinctive assets that continue to be relevant. p.347.