What's the best way to create a sustainability plan for your programs? (2024)

The first step in creating a sustainability plan is to assess your current situation and determine your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). This will help you identify the internal and external factors that affect your programs' performance and viability. You can use a SWOT analysis tool or a simple matrix to organize your findings. You should also review your mission, vision, and goals and make sure they are clear, relevant, and aligned with your programs.

The next step is to define your sustainability goals and objectives for each program. These are the specific outcomes and indicators that you want to achieve and measure to ensure your programs' sustainability. Your goals should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. For example, you may have a goal to increase your donor retention rate by 10% in the next year or to secure a multi-year grant from a major foundation. You should also prioritize your goals and assign responsibilities and deadlines for each one.

The third step is to develop your sustainability strategies and action plans for each program. These are the specific activities and tactics that you will implement to achieve your sustainability goals and objectives. Your strategies should address the four key elements of sustainability: financial, organizational, programmatic, and community. For example, you may have a strategy to diversify your funding sources, strengthen your board governance, improve your program quality and evaluation, or expand your network and advocacy. You should also include a budget and a timeline for each strategy and action plan.

The fourth step is to communicate your sustainability plan to your stakeholders and solicit their feedback and support. Your stakeholders are the people and groups that have an interest or influence in your programs, such as your staff, board, donors, partners, beneficiaries, and funders. You should share your sustainability plan with them in a clear, concise, and compelling way that highlights your vision, value proposition, and impact. You should also invite them to provide input, suggestions, and resources that can help you improve and implement your plan.

The final step is to monitor and evaluate your sustainability plan and track your progress and results. You should establish a system and a schedule for collecting and analyzing data and information that relate to your sustainability goals and objectives. You should also use tools and methods that are appropriate and reliable, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, or dashboards. You should report your findings and outcomes to your stakeholders and celebrate your achievements and successes. You should also review and update your plan regularly and make adjustments as needed based on your learning and feedback.

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

Non-profit Program Development

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