Who to Include in Strategic Planning: How to Build Your Strategic Planning Committee

A strategic planning committee shepherds the strategic planning process, conducts research to inform the plan, and develops drafts of the plan while engaging and incorporating input from internal and external constituents in the process. While it doesn’t typically decide on the strategic plan, the committee decides on the recommendations to make to the organization’s board of directors. Forming a small group of diverse thinkers to shepherd the planning process and engage input from everyone else supports an effective, inclusive, and meaningful planning process. 

We often get asked by clients who should serve on the strategic planning committee. We work collaboratively with our clients to answer this question for each organization. 

First and foremost in the planning process, we want to focus on the people directly impacted by the organization’s work, including as members of the planning committee. 

In addition, other important people to consider involving are:

• People representing all kinds of diversity, such as:

  • different levels of the organization, including the board, executive leadership, managers, and direct service staff

  • different races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, and ages

  • a variety of skills and subject matter expertise, which may include finance, development, program, and especially skills related to the organization’s core strategic questions

• People who are able to look at the organization and its ecosystem holistically and take a strategic perspective

• An emerging leader or two who would benefit from a leadership opportunity and who you want to get oriented on the holistic work of the organization

• People who are good problem solvers and who work well on a team