Section 1. An Overview of Strategic Planning or "VMOSA" (Vision, Mission, Objectives, Strategies, and Action Plans)

Tool 1: Action Planning Template

This is a downloadable, editable template you are welcome to adapt and use for your group’s purposes. There is a space for noting the overall goal area, SMART+C objectives, strategies, and related action steps for implementation. 

Keep the updated action plan accessible to the group, with regular reviews during coalition meetings to keep action items moving forward. 

 

Action Planning Template

Download the Action Planning Template (docx)

Goal:
Overall goal statement:
Overall objective(s):  Note: Use SMART+C formatting
Priority focus areas:

 

Focus Area 1:
Objective(s):
Strategy 1:
Action to be taken:	Person(s) responsible:	By when:	Resources needed:
Strategy 2:
Action to be taken:	Person(s) responsible:	By when:	Resources needed:
Strategy 3:
Action to be taken:	Person(s) responsible:	By when:	Resources needed:

 

Focus Area 2:
Objective(s):
Strategy 1:
Action to be taken:	Person(s) responsible:	By when:	Resources needed:
Strategy 2:
Action to be taken:	Person(s) responsible:	By when:	Resources needed:
Strategy 3:
Action to be taken:	Person(s) responsible:	By when:	Resources needed:

 

Focus Area 3:
Objective(s):
Strategy 1:
Action to be taken:	Person(s) responsible:	By when:	Resources needed:
Strategy 2:
Action to be taken:	Person(s) responsible:	By when:	Resources needed:
Strategy 3:
Action to be taken:	Person(s) responsible:	By when:	Resources needed:

 

Tool 2: Action Planning Guides from the KU Center for Community Health and Development

Community and Public Health Action Planning Guides

• Reducing Risk for Chronic Disease
• Promoting Health for All: Improving Access and Eliminating Disparities in Community Health
• Promoting Healthy Living and Preventing Chronic Disease
• Your Action Planning Guide for Promoting Full Community Participation Among People with Disabilities

Child and Youth Health and Development Action Planning Guides

• Preventing Adolescent Substance Abuse
• Preventing Adolescent Pregnancy
• Preventing Youth Violence
• Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect
• Youth Development
• Promoting Child Well-Being

Community Development and Capacity Building Action Planning Guides

• Promoting Urban Neighborhood Development: Improving Housing, Jobs, Education, Safety and Health, and Human Development
• Work Group Evaluation Handbook
• Concerns Report Handbook: Planning for Community Health

 

An Example Outline Using Two Half-Day Working Sessions

Action Planning Workshop Outline: Two Half-Day Working Sessions

Overall Process: An effective action planning session allows a diverse group of participants to:

• Clarify common purpose - Through listening, gathering and reviewing data, and building a shared vision and mission.
• Generate and critique options - Through consideration of risk and protective factors, broad and specific strategies, and the community's framework for action, it identifies particular changes in communities and systems (i.e., new or modified programs, policies, and practices) to be sought to achieve the mission.
• Obtain consensus about community and systems changes to be sought - Through ballot voting about the importance and feasibility of proposed changes, or by having participants use "dots" to register preferences for changes to be sought.
• Decide how to proceed as a group - Through open discussion, the group identifies action steps (i.e., who will do what by when) to bring about the identified changes.

Background Work Before the Session/Workshop:

• Those developing the workshop should review the VMOSA process
• Hold listening sessions with a variety of people including those most affected
• Document the issues or problems, including data on the challenges of the issue your organization is facing

Session/Day One (1/2 Day)

8:30: Continental Breakfast
9:00: Welcome and Introductions
9:20: Overview of the Action Planning Process
9:30: VMOSA: What is VMOSA (Vision, Mission, Objectives, Strategies, Action Plans)?
9:45: Vision: Promoting Neighborhood Development (Creating your own community's vision)
10:15: Mission: What are we trying to accomplish and why? (Stating your mission).
10:45: Objectives: How much of what will we accomplish by when? (Creating your objectives).
11:15: Strategies: How will we get there? (Identifying a set of broad and specific strategies).
12:15: Questions/ Wrap Up:Group Summarizes Accomplishments of Session/Day One
12:30: Adjourn

Product of Session/Day One:

A new (or renewed) statement of the group's Vision, Mission, Objectives, and Strategies. (These may require review or approval by a broader group.)

Homework Before Session/Day Two:

Review the "Inventory of Potential Community and Systems Changes for Promoting Neighborhood Development." Bring recommended changes to be sought: a) by specific strategy (i.e., providing information and enhancing skills, modifying access, barriers, and opportunities, enhancing services and support, changing consequences, and modifying policies) and b) by community sector (e.g., Community Organizations, Faith Communities, Government).

Day/Session Two (1/2 Day)

9:00: Review of Session/Day One and Overview of Session/Day Two
9:15: Identifying Targets and Agents of Changes: Who should benefit? Who can contribute?
9:30: Identifying Community and Systems Changes: By Strategy (work in small groups of 6-8 organized by strategy)
10:15: Small Group Reports
10:45: Identifying Community and Systems Changes: By Sector (work in small groups of 6-8 organized by sector)
11:15: Small Group Reports
11:45: Building consensus on community and systems changes to be sought (e.g., using dots, voting)
12:15: Next Steps:

• Building Consensus/Seeking Approval from the larger group (if appropriate)
• Identifying Action Steps for each change to be sought (who will do what by when)
• Plan for Documenting Progress and Promoting Celebration and Renewal

12:45: Questions/ Wrap Up - Group Summarizes Accomplishments of Session/Day Two
1:00: Adjourn

Product of Session/Day Two:

A set of community and systems changes (i.e., new or modified programs, policies and practices to be sought in each relevant sector of the community (e.g., Community Organizations, Faith Communities, Government).

Tool 3: The GTE Toolkit (Getting To Equity In Obesity Prevention)

This toolkit from the Council on Black Health addresses the need to include an equity component in the planning and implementation of policy, systems, and environmental change approaches (PSE) undertaken to curb adverse trends in obesity and related health consequences.

PSE approaches focus on circumstances that make it possible or easier for people in a given set of circumstances to adopt and maintain healthy behaviors. PSE approaches can work together with approaches that work directly with individuals. 

The toolkit is based on the Getting to Equity in Obesity Prevention Framework (GTE) for planning and evaluating equity-focused PSE change approaches that support:

• Food acquisition and healthy eating
• Active living and meeting physical activity guidelines
• Prevention and management of obesity and related health risks

To learn more about this amazing set of tools, click this link to go to the GTE Toolkit website.

Tool 4: Responding to Threats and Challenges Planning Tool

Responding to Threats and Challenges Planning Tool is a resource developed by the Collective Impact Forum to help organizations equip themselves to face rising threats. The tool provides a structured approach to identifying risks, addressing their impact, and developing strategies for mitigation.

Tool 5: The Scenario Planning Toolkit

The Scenario Planning Toolkit is a resource created by The Bridgespan Group to help nonprofit organizations navigate periods of uncertainty. Whether it's a global pandemic or an election year, scenario planning helps guide strategic decision-making while keeping the organization's mission at the forefront.