NFP Project to Develop Planning & Strategy Tools

Melbourne-based Not for Profit, Social Traders has teamed up with the Victorian Office for the Community Sector (OCS) to develop a number of business planning and strategy tools for the Not for Profit sector.

The OCS says that the Strategic and Business Planning Tools project aims to support Not for Profit organisations to undertake sound and relevant business planning processes assisted by a suite of online tools and resources.

As part of the project, Social Traders has launched an online survey open to Not for Profits in order to gain information such as a Not for Profits’ particular needs; their awareness of the extent of tools available; how useful they think the existing tools are; and the barriers they face in undertaking strategic and business planning.

The OCS says that the results of the survey will be published in the coming months and will lead to the development of useful, practical support to improve strategic and business planning and to build capacity in this area.

The Director of Victoria’s Office for the Community Sector, Lynne Wannan, says that many organisations are taking the opportunity to review, reflect and change, in order to remain relevant and responsive to the growing and changing communities they serve.

“The Office for the Community Sector is acting to help build the capacity of Victorian NFP organisations to meet the demands of this changing environment,” Wannan said.

“The Strategic and Business Planning Tools project will emphasise the value to NFP community organisations of sound and relevant business planning processes.”

Wannan said Social Traders has already compiled a list of the range of business planning tools that are already available to support NFP organisations.

“The next important step is to survey Victorian organisations about their particular needs, their awareness of the extent of tools available to help with their planning processes and the development of their service, as well as the barriers they face in implementing sound business planning practices,” Wannan said.

“We look forward to publishing the results of the survey in the coming months, and to working with the NFP community sector to respond to the identified needs and provide useful, practical support to improve strategic and business planning to build capacity in this important area.”

The survey will open on Friday February 15 and close on Friday March 15, 2013