Strategic Planning

Strategic planning is the process of setting an organization's direction and priorities for the next year or longer. It includes an analysis of where the organization is going, how it will get there and what measurements will be put in place.

Use ACCE's survey data through Dynamic Chamber Benchmarking to assess and analyze your chamber's strengths and challenges. Download instant comparisons and reports of your chamber's operating data compared to the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles of participating chambers. Apply the data to your Strategic Planning and help guide changes for your chamber's future.

Guides, Resources and Examples

Strategic planning resources from BoardSource.org
Strategic planning resources from the Robert C. Harris Nonprofit Center - Surveys, templates, samples, and more

Cleared for Takeoff!: Flight Plan for the Strategic Plan - This checklist from the Robert C. Harris - Nonprofit Center provides the critical steps and timeline for their completion in order to successfully implement a strategic plan.
Don't Kill Strategic Planning Before Starting - Guide from Robert C. Harris explains how shortcuts, frugality and personnel issues can serve to sabotage strategic planning efforts.
Forty Chamber Challenges: Boards, Committees, Strategic Planning, and Policy Adoption - Robert C. Harris addresses four areas of persistent concern: boards and governance, committee management, strategic planning, and policy implementation. It identifies ten challenges related to each area, and suggests perspectives and solutions for each.

Turning Strategy Into Action - White paper by Meredith Low Consulting that outlines the process to translate strategic visions into realities. (November 2016)

Award Winning Strategic Plans

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Strategic Plan 2016-2020 - 2017 Chamber of the Year Winner, Category 3
Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce Strategic Plan 2015-2020 - 2017 Chamber of the Year Winner, Category 4
Georgia Chamber of Commerce Georgia 2030 Strategic Direction Presentation to the Board - 2017 Chamber of the Year Winner, State/Province Category
Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce 2016 Strategic Plan - 2017 Chamber of the Year Winner, Category 2
Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce (Texas) Strategic Plan 2015-18 - 2016 ACE Award of Excellence
Catawba County Chamber of Commerce (N.C.) Strategic Plan 2016-18 - 2016 Chamber of the Year Winner, Category 1
Southwest Indiana Chamber's Downtown Strategic Plan 2014-17 - 2016 Chamber of the Year Winner, Category 3
Commerce Lexington Inc. (Ky.) Strategic Plan 2014-18 - 2016 Chamber of the Year Winner, Category 4
Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce (Va.) 2014-16 Strategic Plan and Member Benefits Synopsis - 2015 ACE Award of Excellence
Billings Chamber of Commerce; CVB (Mont.) Strategic Business Development Plan 2014-2019 - 2015 Chamber of the Year Winner, Category 3
Coastal Alabama Business Chamber's Strategic Plan 2015-2019 - 2015 Chamber of the Year Winner, Category 2
View more Award Winning Strategic Plan examples

Samples

ACCE 2014-2017 Strategic Plan

Read more about our previous strategic plan for 2010-13 in the Summer 2010 issue of Chamber Executive magazine.

Strategic Plan Presentation (2015) - The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce (N.C.) went through a strategic planning process at the end of 2012. Here are the results.
Strategic Plan 2014-2019 - Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce (Idaho)
Strategic Plan 2014-2016 - Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce (Iowa)
2018 Plan of Action and 2017 Annual Report - Mammoth Lakes Chamber of Commerce (Calif.)
Strategic Plan from MetroHartford Alliance (Conn.) with goals for 2012-2015 and current priorities
See all Strategic Planning examples from the ACCE Samples Library

Articles

From Strategy to Action: Best Practices for Operationalizing Your Strategic Plan - by Eve Humphreys, Associations Now (April 2018)
Association Decision Making: A Path to Better Decisions - by Mark Athitakis, Associations Now (December 2017)
How To Put That Strategic Plan Into Action - by Mark Athitakis, Associations Now (November 2016)
Four Tips for Strategy-Setting That Matters - by Mark Athitakis, Associations Now (August 2016)
What Gets a Board to Support Strategic Planning? - by Mark Athitakis, Associations Now (March 2016)
Doing the Same Old Thing in a New Way... with a BHAG! - by Rob Radcliff, Chamber Executive magazine (Spring/Summer 2013)
Keeping the Momentum After the Plan Is In Place - by Bob Harris, Chamber Executive magazine (Winter 2009)
Planning a Productive and Efficient Board Retreat - by Joan Cozart, M.Ed., Ed.S., and Joseph W. Cozart, Sr., Chamber Executive magazine (Winter 2008)
Setting a Course with Strategic Planning - by Susan Higginbotham, Chamber Executive magazine (Jan/Feb 2004)
Before, During, and After: Working Through the Phases of Strategic Planning - by Bob Harris, Chamber Executive magazine (Jan/Feb 2004)

Convention & Seminar Resources

The Modern Look of Strategic Planning Audio (mp3) and Presentation (PDF) - from the 2018 ACCE Annual Convention
Accelerated Strategic Planning for Chambers - Presentation by Dr. Peggy M. Jackson, DPA, CPCU, Principal, Peg Jackson & Associates. From the 2016 ACCE Annual Convention.

Videos, Webinars & ACCE U Resources

Helping Your Board Get it Done: Build a Stronger, More Effective Board - and a Plan that Creates Results - ACCE U Webinar (free), led by RaDonna Hessel, CEO of the Grapevine Chamber of Commerce (Texas) (2015)

ACCE’s Partner Resources

Peg Jackson and Associates - Provides strategic planning, risk management and business continuity services.

Top 5 Reasons Why Nonprofits Waste Time and Money on Strategic Planning - This document outlines the top 5 reasons why nonprofits waste time and money on strategic planning and offers tips for designing an effective strategic plan.
See Peggy Jackson's books in ACCE's Bookstore

Related Subjects for Planning:

Horizon Initiative: Chambers 2025 - Explores the key questions: How will chambers adapt and evolve to mega trends over the next decade, and how will they ensure that their best days are yet to come?
Program of Work Presentation from the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce (N.C.)
Program of Work Samples - related to planning and strategic planning, resources from the ACCE Samples library