Nonprofit Strategic Planning

Praise for

Nonprofit Strategic Planning

Leveraging Sarbanes-Oxley Best Practices

"A robust nonprofit sector is a vital part of a civil society. Keeping the sector strong through effective strategic planning and implementation is a critical assignment. As a thought leader in the nonprofit sector, Dr. Jackson's book on the relationship of Sarbanes-Oxley best practices with strategic planning is an invaluable resource for nonprofit governing boards and employees. Her step-by-step, practical approach is easy to read and, more important, provides a specific road map to effective planning."
-Larry Brewster, Dean, College of Professional Studies University of San Francisco

"Dr. Jackson's practical and straightforward approach to creating a strategic plan is quite refreshing. I believe that more and more nonprofits understand that they need to be run just as any business needs to be run-with focus, clarity, and purpose. The ideas and methodology stress the importance of sound risk management and the rewards of having such a plan in place. I can assure you that the executive director of every nonprofit I represent will receive a copy of this book."
-Joseph L. DeLucchi, Vice President CAL Insurance & Associates, Inc.

Get Nonprofit Strategic Planning: Leveraging Sarbanes-Oxley Best Practices and
*

Examine if your nonprofit has the right people on board to achieve its strategic goals
*

Establish important control mechanisms
*

Learn how the legal and legislative environments have changed over the last five years
*

Discover the direction in which your nonprofit needs to go and why

Required reading for anyone leading a nonprofit organization, Nonprofit Strategic Planning: Leveraging Sarbanes-Oxley Best Practices prepares your organization to engage in meaningful strategic planning and equips you with the practical tools to navigate it through today's competitive environment. Acknowledgments.

About the Author.

Preface.

CHAPTER 1 Why Nonprofits Waste Time, Money, and Energy in Strategic Planning.

Introduction.

Why Do Nonprofits Waste Resources Trying to Write Strategic Plans?

What Does Engaging in Strategic Planning Actually Do for Your Nonprofit?

Strategic Planning Does Not Need to Take Forever!

Next Steps.

CHAPTER 2 Sarbanes-Oxley and the New Legislative Environment.

Introduction.

Sarbanes-Oxley Legislationâ??A Brief History.

How has the Legislative Environment Changed For Nonprofits?

SOX Requirements for All Organizationsâ??Even Nonprofits!

Next Steps.

CHAPTER 3 Introduction to SOX Compliance and Best Practices.

Introduction.

What are the SOX Requirements and Best Practices?

What are SOX Best Practices?

Benefits of SOX Implementation: Save Money and Improve Efficiency.

Five Reasons Why SOX Compliance and Best Practices will Accelerate Your Nonprofitâ??s Strategic Planning.

Next Steps.

CHAPTER 4 Making SOX Requirements and Best Practices Work for Your Nonprofit.

Introduction.

The Two SOX Requirements.

Fraud: The Primary Reason for Whistle-Blower Protection.

SOX Best Practices.

Making Best Practices Work for Your Nonprofit.

Next Steps.

CHAPTER 5 SOX Best Practices and Your Authentic Organization.

Introduction.

Why Do Nonprofits have Difficulty Really Solving Organizational and Operational Problems? Why Do the Same Problems Keep Coming Back?

SOX and Problem Solving.

Is Your Nonprofit Dysfunctional?

Next Steps.

CHAPTER 6 Strategic Planning: The Process.

Introduction.

The Process and the Strategic Planning Team.

The Strategic Planning Process.

SOX and Strategic Planning.

Next Steps.

CHAPTER 7 Writing and Executing the Strategic Plan.

Introduction.

Common Pitfalls: Why Nonprofits Have Trouble Writing a Strategic Plan.

The Role of the Strategic Planning Committee.

Crafting Goals and Objectives.

What Should the Strategic Plan Look Like?

How Long Should It Take?

Outcomes of the Strategic Plan.

How To Execute an Effective Strategic Plan.

Sample Strategic Plan for the Marywood Thrift Shop & Consignment Boutique.

Next Steps.

CHAPTER 8 Leveraging Your Nonprofitâ??s SOX Compliance and Strategic Plan.

Introduction.

Lessons Learned from the Private Sector: Businesses and SOX.

How and Why Should the Plan Be Communicated to Important Stakeholders?

SOX Saves Time and Money.

SOX Best Practices and Strategic Planning Bonus Benefit: Risk Management and Business Continuity Plans.

Connecting the Dots: Strategic Planning, SOX Best Practices, and Risk Management.

Connecting the Dots: Strategic Planning, SOX Best Practices, and Business Continuity Planning.

Marywoodâ??s Risk Management and Business Continuity Plans.

Next Steps.

CHAPTER 9 SOX and Strategic Planning for Really Small Nonprofits.

Introduction.

Five Reasons Why Really Small Nonprofits Desperately Need SOX and Strategic Planning.

Scaling the Strategic Planning Process: Tips for Success.

Next Steps.

Appendices: Checklists, Worksheets, and Sample Documents.

APPENDIX 1 Whistle-Blower Policy.

APPENDIX 2 Document Retention and Storage Protocols.

APPENDIX 3 Audit Committee.

APPENDIX 4 Conflict-of-Interest Policy and Procedures Including a Disclosure Statement.

APPENDIX 5 Code of Ethics for Board and Senior Management.

APPENDIX 6 Review of Internal Controls Report.

Selected References.

Index.

"This book is amazing for the breadth of material covered in such a compact package. Full of checklists and practical guidance, this volume truly represents new thinking in the nonprofit arena…. Ms. Jackson has produced a work that is both timely and compelling. Highly recommended reading." (Estate Planning, June 2008) Peggy M. Jackson, DPA, CPCU, is anauthor, consultant, and nationally recognized lecturer in risk management, business continuity planning, and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. She is a Principal with Adjunct LLC in San Francisco, California. Dr. Jackson has written or coauthored seven books on risk management, business continuity planning, andSarbanes-Oxley compliance for nonprofit and small business audiences. Dr. Jackson earned a doctorate in public administration (DPA) from Golden Gate University in San Francisco and holds the professional designation of Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU). She designed the Jackson Risk Management Model© as part of an award-winning doctoral dissertation on risk management techniques. She is a member of the Golden Gate Chapter of the CPCU Society.

Nonprofit Strategic Planning

Leveraging Sarbanes-Oxley Best Practices

How many times have you heard people in your nonprofit or in other nonprofits refer to the organization's strategic plan when they are about to make a business decision? Probably never. Unless your nonprofit's strategic plan establishes a vision for its future and is meaningful to those in your organization, it will end up a waste of time in every sense, gathering dust on a shelf.

Nonprofit Strategic Planning: Leveraging Sarbanes-Oxley Best Practices illustrates how your organization can solve problems, establish important control mechanisms, and implement a strategic plan that is both realistic and relevant to everyone in your organization from the top down through compliance to Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) requirements and best practices. Nonprofit specialist Peggy Jackson expertly reveals how you can exploit SOX to create an effective strategic plan that produces a big return for your organization.

While other perspectives exist on strategic planning for the nonprofit organization, this is the first of its kind to offer a targeted tool that makes the most of SOX for optimum results within your organization. Filled with worksheets and samples offering useable, "instant" information, this timely book shows your nonprofit how to leverage its strategic plan and SOX compliance to add greater value to the organization, and includes:

• An overview of what the requirements and best practices of SOX are, and how your nonprofit can implement them

• A look at the process of writing a strategic plan

• A strategic planning template and timeline to guide your nonprofit in drafting an effective strategic plan that achieves your nonprofit's distinct goals

• Discussion on helping small nonprofits scale their SOX compliance and strategic planning to fit the size of their organizations

Straightforward in tone, Nonprofit Strategic Planning: Leveraging Sarbanes-Oxley Best Practices equips nonprofit professionals to examine their organization's systems, look at the way their nonprofit faces challenges, and help them to hit the ground running with the necessary steps to prepare for, conduct, and reap the benefits of, smart strategic planning.

Praise for

Nonprofit Strategic Planning

Leveraging Sarbanes-Oxley Best Practices

"A robust nonprofit sector is a vital part of a civil society. Keeping the sector strong through effective strategic planning and implementation is a critical assignment. As a thought leader in the nonprofit sector, Dr. Jackson's book on the relationship of Sarbanes-Oxley best practices with strategic planning is an invaluable resource for nonprofit governing boards and employees. Her step-by-step, practical approach is easy to read and, more important, provides a specific road map to effective planning."
—Larry Brewster, Dean, College of Professional Studies University of San Francisco

"Dr. Jackson's practical and straightforward approach to creating a strategic plan is quite refreshing. I believe that more and more nonprofits understand that they need to be run just as any business needs to be run—with focus, clarity, and purpose. The ideas and methodology stress the importance of sound risk management and the rewards of having such a plan in place. I can assure you that the executive director of every nonprofit I represent will receive a copy of this book."
—Joseph L. DeLucchi, Vice President CAL Insurance & Associates, Inc.

Get Nonprofit Strategic Planning: Leveraging Sarbanes-Oxley Best Practices and

• Examine if your nonprofit has the right people on board to achieve its strategic goals

• Establish important control mechanisms

• Learn how the legal and legislative environments have changed over the last five years

• Discover the direction in which your nonprofit needs to go and why

Required reading for anyone leading a nonprofit organization, Nonprofit Strategic Planning: Leveraging Sarbanes-Oxley Best Practices prepares your organization to engage in meaningful strategic planning and equips you with the practical tools to navigate it through today's competitive environment.